I left the US for Serbia. My rent dropped from $2,000 to $650, and my income rose.

This as-told-to effort is based connected a speech pinch Daria Ershova, a 25-year-old marque communications advisor based successful Belgrade, Serbia. The pursuing has been edited for magnitude and clarity.

I was calved successful Russia and moved to the US connected my ain for schoolhouse astatine 16, first to Northern California for 2 years, past to Arizona for astir 7 years.

I had various societal media and trading internships successful the Phoenix area, and, successful May 2024, I was hired from my internship astatine the Italian Association of Arizona arsenic the part-time trading coordinator. On the side, I besides took connected a domiciled arsenic trading coordinator astatine International Business Seminar (GLO now), a study overseas organization. I earned $42,000 annually.

When I was 23, I quit my jobs, near the US, and moved to Belgrade. After the move, I launched Daria Ershova PR Soma Creative arsenic a afloat independent freelance consultancy, providing marketing, PR, and marque communications services. My existent yearly income is astir $54,000.

In Phoenix, $42,000 a twelvemonth sounded reasonable until you collapsed it down

Most of my paycheck went consecutive to rent, car insurance, phone, and the accustomed bills. I wasn't struggling exactly, but I couldn't do overmuch pinch what was left.

I started earnestly reasoning astir leaving successful November 2024 and discontinue some of my jobs by April 2025. I initially looked into Master's programs successful Europe, but by February 2025, I realized I didn't person the funds.

Serbia kept coming up successful my research. Since I had ne'er been, I was moving present based connected what I could find online. The entrepreneur visa process was very straightforward, and Serbia has a very favorable taxation building for freelancers and mini businesses, which mattered to maine because I knew I wanted to decently registry my ain institution and not person to interest astir the documents.

I besides discovered that registering arsenic a freelancer qualifies you for a impermanent residence licence valid for 3 years, pinch a way to imperishable residency afterward. I had a solid résumé and a decent network, truthful I thought, why not effort opening a freelance business and spot really it works.

My relative was besides relocating to Serbia for individual reasons, and my moving present gave him assurance that he wouldn't beryllium unsocial successful a caller country. Moving was a chance to beryllium person to family again aft years of surviving acold distant from them.

My rent dropped from $2,000 to $650 for a comparable flat successful a bully neighborhood

I don't ain a car; the nationalist carrier is fantabulous and free. Groceries are cheaper, particularly astatine the thoroughfare market, wherever a full chicken, for example, costs $3.50. I spell retired to eat erstwhile I consciousness for illustration it. I'm moreover capable to thief my relative financially sometimes. I'm a batch little worried astir money.

My clients are international, and I get paid world rates. If I were moving for a section business aliases earning a section salary, my life would look a small different. I'm grateful to person this acquisition and opportunity.

In Arizona, my monthly expenses were astir $2,000 for rent, $200 for car insurance, $85 for my telephone bill, astir $400 for groceries, and astir $200 for different expenses. In Serbia, my monthly expenses are $650 for rent, $35 for my telephone bill, astir $300 connected groceries, $7 a period for backstage wellness insurance, and astir $300 for different expenses, including play trips.

The societal life present amazed maine the most

Belgrade has an abundance of third spaces, specified arsenic cafés, committee crippled rooms, riverbanks, and hiking trails. On agelong weekends, I thrust to Tara National Park, skis astatine Kopaonik, aliases walk a fewer days connected the seashore successful Montenegro pinch my relative and sometimes my friends. All of it is comparatively affordable. We for illustration to recreation and research adjacent cities or, sometimes, moreover countries. For longer weekends erstwhile I'm traveling, I return clip off, aliases I activity from wherever we are.

The upwind is an upgrade for me. Arizona was measurement excessively hot. I emotion rain, cold, and snow, and Belgrade gets each three. Although I don't bask basking weather, I will admit to missing tanning successful November successful Arizona, erstwhile the upwind was still warm.

In immoderate ways, it's been a civilization shock

The connection obstruction was the first existent hurdle. I assumed astir group said English, and while that's existent successful cafés and restaurants, it's perfectly not existent astatine the constabulary position erstwhile you're applying for residency, aliases astatine definite banks. Serbian is the connection of bureaucracy here. Serbian has a batch of similarities to the Russian language. By this point, I understand and tin clasp up a very basal conversation.

The full bureaucratic strategy operates otherwise from the US, pinch astir things having to beryllium done successful person. Finding an flat is the same. You find listings online and meet straight pinch the owner, which has its benefits, but requires you to understand really section rental agreements, inferior payments, and contracts really work.

The point I wish personification had told maine is to prosecute a helper, which I didn't do. There are people, sometimes called relocation assistants, who cognize the strategy and will guideline you done the first months, pinch things specified arsenic paperwork, appointments, translations, each of it.

I besides wish I had learned the section holidays earlier I arrived. Serbia celebrates different holidays from the US, and you tin perfectly aftermath up 1 greeting to find each store, bank, and agency closed pinch nary warning.

Work-life equilibrium is thing I'm still figuring out

Working for yourself pinch nary group schedule intends the hours tin creep up connected you. That's little a Serbian problem and much a freelance problem, but it's worthy being honorable about.

What I genuinely miss astir the US is the convenience, things for illustration same-day delivery, signing documents online, and having everything accessible from your phone. I decidedly miss Arizona sunsets — they're the champion — and authentic Mexican cuisine. I yearn for immoderate bully birria tacos.

People romanticize relocating overseas arsenic a caller start, a chance to reinvent themselves overnight. There is truth successful that, but being unsocial successful a caller state carries existent weight connected your intelligence wellness that cipher warns you about. My proposal is to get retired astatine slightest erstwhile a week, moreover if you don't speak the language, moreover if you're conscionable sitting successful a cafe. Just beryllium astir group — it matters much than you think.