What if the “freedom” that so many grew up thinking about wasn’t the richest type? In cities, suburbs, and towns across the country, more Americans are catching on to the idea that somewhere out there, life may hold more more hours, more security, more peace of mind. And they’re hitting the road to seek it out.
From the sun-kissed coastlines of Portugal to the cyclable streets of Denmark, the reasons aren’t merely a matter of leaving trouble behind. They’re a matter of heading toward something better: good healthcare, slower-paced days, and a feeling of security that’s almost alien. Remote work has opened up the doors to possibility, but it’s the prospect of a richer daily existence that’s securing the deal.
Here’s what’s actually fueling this wave of new migration and why those who’ve made the jump can’t even imagine going back.
1. Breaking the Burnout Loop
For others, leaving the United States isn’t a political choice it’s a survival strategy. The breakneck speed of American life, in which vacation time is limited and working excessive hours is a badge of honor, does not leave much time to catch one’s breath. As one expat returning from the Netherlands explained to HuffPost, the biggest shock wasn’t moving overseas it was returning home and watching friends brag about working 60-hour weeks on no sleep.
Overseas, the contrast is jarring. Where six weeks of paid holiday time is the standard and weekends aren’t devoured by chores, individuals find that productivity and not being dead are possible. The Dutch practice of “niksen,” or doing nothing, becomes a subtle act of rebellion against hustle culture, a gentler, more sustainable way to exist.
2. Remote Work Has Changed the Game
The pandemic did not only transform how individuals work it transformed where they were allowed to work. Laptops now crowded out office cubicles, rendering location an inhibiting factor. That transformation, in conjunction with the spread of digital nomad visas from Portugal through Costa Rica, introduced Americans to trading tight apartments for sea vistas or mountain breezes.
Why shell out sky-high rent in Los Angeles when the same pay goes further in Lisbon or Medellín? For most remote workers, relocation abroad isn’t about escape it’s about optimization. Lower cost of living, solid internet, and thriving expat communities enable one to maintain a U.S. paycheck while living a lifestyle that feels virtually indulgent.
3. Pursuing Affordability and Stability
The numbers are difficult to avoid. Real estate prices in American cities have gone dizzying, childcare can match a mortgage, and a single medical crisis can deplete savings. That’s not the case in Portugal, Colombia, and Vietnam, where there is cheap housing, good public transit, and healthcare that won’t break you.
It’s not a matter of faking that these communities are ideal it’s about making space to breathe. If rent doesn’t take up half your income and visits to the doctor are cheaper than a night out, stress levels decrease. That stability isn’t only economic it’s psychological, allowing individuals to budget for tomorrow rather than simply get through today.
4. Redefining Safety
Security in America is frequently accompanied by an asterisk of hyper-awareness locked doors, personal protection devices, and careful scrutiny of one’s environs. Many moving abroad find the transition dramatic. Ilana Buhl has walked home at 2 a.m. without holding keys, left her laptop on a café table without hesitation.
In the safer cities with better social safety nets, security doesn’t feel like an individual responsibility, but rather like a community norm. As Jacob Arthur, who is American and living in Berlin, summarized: “Freedom from the f**ked up gun culture in the U.S. is a huge win for me.” For others, it’s the first time they ever really feel safe in public places.
5. Feeling Real Freedom
Ironically, most report they felt more free after emigrating from the “land of the free.” In Germany, Arthur refers to his health insurance card as “a magic card” since it eliminates the fear of surprise medical bills. Freedom is the freedom to take a day off without jeopardizing your job, to travel without limiting visas, or to have children without financial drowning.
Abroad, freedom is less about slogans and more about lived reality whether that’s affordable education, reliable public transit, or simply the mental space to enjoy life without constant financial pressure.
6. A Better Work-Life Balance
OECD statistics demonstrate that Americans work some of the longest hours in the developed world. Most European and Latin American nations place greater emphasis on balance, providing shorter workweeks, lots of leave, and a culture of leisure. In Spain, lunchtime is lunchtime, and national holidays are part of the rhythm of life; in Italy, there is family in the evening, not email.
This movement isn’t about having more time it’s about how the time is appreciated. For those who have made the transition, the capacity to slow down and appreciate daily life usually becomes the most precious advantage of all.
7. Opening Doors to Global Mobility
Having a residency or citizenship outside one’s native land can open doors to a world of possibilities literally. A second passport or extended visa can translate into simplified travel, new business opportunities, and access to education or medical services in several countries. Options such as Portugal’s Golden Visa or citizenship by descent in Ireland and Italy have made them more convenient than ever before.
For others, it’s about a sense of security in challenging times. For others, it’s about broadening worlds. Either way, the ability to live, work, and travel freely across borders is a form of safety and liberty that’s priceless.
The rising tide of Americans living overseas isn’t simply about abandoning something it’s about creating something. Whether it’s exchanging exhaustion for equilibrium, fear for security, or debt for solidity, these decisions are motivated by a greater reality: life needn’t be this way. And for those who are brave enough to try something new, the globe is full of destinations that can’t wait to show them.
