Countries with lower taxes and a better quality of living?
I’m currently stuck in Denmark, and it feels like I’m in a never ending financial tug of war with the government, saying goodbye to 50% of my hard earned cash each month. Add a 25% VAT on everything and throw in some hefty taxes on utilities, electricity etc, and you’ve got a situation that has me questioning if this is the life I signed up for.
Living in a place where the cold weather feels like an extra tax on happiness, I’m craving a change.
I’m all about individualism, self-sufficiency, and independence. So here’s the big question: Where in the world are you guys finding that sweet spot between low taxes and a great quality of life?
As I contemplate my escape plan, Cyprus, Portugal, and Dubai are on my radar. I dream of living in a country where taxes don’t feel like daylight robbery. But, and it’s a big ‘but,’ my online income isn’t quite flexing its muscles enough for a move to the streets of Dubai just yet.
So, where are you residing? What’s the tax scene like in your corner of the world? Are you doing a happy dance every payday, or are you, like me, wistfully staring at your bank statement, wondering where all your money went?
And let’s not forget the living conditions. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your overall quality of life?
I’m not just asking for my benefit, this is a collective quest for a better lifestyle.
Your input is greatly appreciated!
(Just to be crystal clear, I’m not fishing for a lecture on why I should be grateful for my current Danish situation or any unrelated personal opinions. If your input doesn’t contribute constructively, save it for another time.)
The Stockholm syndrome is strong with this thread
It’s just simple nationalism.
He’s in Denmark 👍
Try Texas! Land of rugged individualism & freedom. A cancer diagnosis here, no problem, just file bankruptcy and lose your house plus anything you wanted to leave your children.
Speaking of children, the kids here get trained in school for what to do in case of a crazed shooter. I say well trained, but it never works – the shooter always kills a bunch of them. The main effect of the training is to traumatize them & give them bad dreams.
You can carry a gun here, like openly wild west style. My mechanic accidentally pointed his at me when he was removing his holster belt. Thrilling!
Want a college education? You can absolutely have it here if your parents are rich or if you don’t mind going into crippling predatory lending debt. People are often paying these loans into their 60’s.
We have great roads, but be prepared to pay $150+ plus in tolls per month if you use them routinely.
Hope you don’t need an abortion. You’ll need to go out of state as it’s illegal.
Our governor is kind of a monster, we’ve decided to find it charming. He didn’t make sure to take care of the electric grid infrastructure and the Texas Tribune estimates 900 Texans froze to death one winter, although that’s higher than official numbers.
Lots of people here pay 25-40% in federal taxes, btw.
If you’re rich enough to complain about taxes you’re rich enough to pay em. As an American wage slave I’d trade my address for a European address any day of the week.
Stay a peasant
you have no values if you’re coming on here to show support for Russia invading Ukraine
Putin is my idol
you and your family deserve nothing but misery. fuck you.
OP you might want to look into Nomad Capitalist on YouTube. Much of the content caters to wealthier people but there’s still alot of value to be found there.
Canada /s
All the same brokie basement dwellers here in the USA want the exact systems you’re describing because when they don’t have any money, they’re perfectly fine with someone else footing the bill
Lots of pathetic comments here. Completely gaslit into thinking they get value for their taxes. The only place I know where this is true is Switzerland where the taxes are pretty low and you have a social safety net and excellent infrastructure. If it’s possible as a Danish citizen to be a tax resident nowhere when continously traveling then this combined with a US LLC is your easiest answer. If not then having a base in Dubai or some of Eastern Europe is probably best.
Half??? I find that hard to believe.
It’s more than that, because you pay an extra 25% on everything you buy
Then move
Georgia 1% tax
Honestly, based on your criteria, I say try to swing getting a US visa and moving to Texas. It’s everything you’re asking for: low taxes, good weather, personal freedom. Move out to the less populated area, and you can pretty much do whatever you want. Unfortunately that comes with a certain amount of precariousness.
Yeah might have to look into it
I think for Europeans to change their tax residency it is not that easy as you would think. I am greatful for CZ🇨🇿, where the services you pay in taxes for are one of the best in 🇪🇺 and yet, the personal income tax is only 15%.
But hey, if it is that easy to change around tax residency, have a look at CZ. Graet healthcare, affordable living and good tax rate for what you get.
Also one of the safest countries in EU. But expect a little xenofobia if you are not white, it goes hand in hand with the highest safety.
This is not really how tax works. I wish employers & recruiters would quote income post tax, it would shift the mindset of ‘The government is taking half my income’ to ‘I’m automatically paying the government in one lump sum for the many services and infrastructures they provide to me and my country.’
This is literally how income tax works. It’s tax on income. You can try and advertise it however you want but it’s still income you would otherwise get if the government didn’t take it
Username doesn’t check out…
If anything it’s like paying back a personal loan. Only in this case you’ve already reaped the benefits of the services and infrastructure provided to you by the government over the course of the last financial year, your income tax at the end of the year is just the loan payment to cover your usage.
The only unusual part is that the repayment amounts are tied to your level of income. This is to spread the cost across everyone in the most “fair” way possible. A marginal increase of $1000 in repayment is nothing to a millionaire but a significant amount to someone living below the poverty line or a student or something.
Tax is not theft, it’s payment for something you’ve indirectly purchased.
This is a common fallacy. The irony is despite higher wages, many things in the US are actually cheaper. For example, consumer goods - gas can be a lot cheaper (esp in places like Texas), buying nuts (like at Costco in bulk) significantly cheaper than buying nuts even in developing countries. Electronics like Apple products literally half the price of what you would pay in many LATAM countries. Essentials (rent, healthcare, education) while can be very expensive if you choose, can also be done cheaply even in major cities.
As someone who has lived abroad as a nomad in less developed countries it’s always a trade off.
Developed countries with higher taxes generally get you clean air, parks and green spaces, walkable cities, roads and footpaths are maintained, sanitation, food hygiene, healthcare, driving rules that are enforced, less risk of random accident / death etc.
It’s more exciting and superficially you can feel a higher level of ‘freedom’ in cheaper places if you have the money, but ironically they often have pretty brutal laws if you get caught doing the wrong thing.