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Many Americans are envious of expats due to perceived advantages in adventure, lifestyle, personal growth, escape from domestic issues, financial benefits, and relationships, which contrast sharply with their own struggles.
This video explores the reasons behind American envy towards expats, particularly those living in Southeast Asia or Latin America. The host, Alex, notes that while some Americans troll expats, this behavior often stems from jealousy rooted in their own dissatisfaction with the 'American Dream' not panning out. Many feel stuck, unhappy, and unable to pursue opportunities that expats seem to readily embrace, like travel and a different lifestyle.
Several key perceptions drive this envy. Firstly, expats are seen as living adventurous and free lives, regularly experiencing new places and cultures, a stark contrast to the routine 9-to-5 grind and limited vacation time many Americans face. Secondly, perceived lifestyle differences, such as enjoying warm climates, fresh food, and a more relaxed pace, are highly desirable compared to the daily struggles of cold weather, convenience food, and demanding jobs. Expats also appear to have more time for personal growth, health, and healing, which is a luxury many Americans feel they cannot afford due to their demanding work schedules.
Furthermore, expats are perceived to be escaping the numerous problems plaguing the United States, including high living costs, crime, and declining quality of life. They seem to navigate these issues with greater ease, often enjoying financial benefits like lower costs of living and the ability to afford services that free up their time. This financial advantage, coupled with the perception that expats can accumulate savings while Americans struggle paycheck to paycheck, fuels significant envy. Finally, the perceived ease with which expats find fulfilling relationships and community, in contrast to the loneliness experienced by many single Americans, adds another layer to this complex emotion.
The video concludes by acknowledging that while these are perceptions, they significantly contribute to the jealousy felt by many Americans. The host encourages viewers to engage with the content and share their thoughts on whether these observations resonate with their experiences or perceptions of expat life versus life in the United States.
Americans envy expats due to perceptions of greater adventure, freedom, and the opportunity to explore new cultures. Expats are seen as escaping the routine and stress of American life for a more relaxed and fulfilling existence.
Americans envy the perceived lifestyle differences of expats, such as enjoying tropical environments, healthier food, and a more relaxed pace of life. This contrasts with the stressful routines and convenience-focused diets many Americans experience daily.
Expats are perceived to have more time and opportunity for personal growth, health, and healing, which many Americans feel they lack due to demanding work schedules. This allows for a focus on well-being that is often difficult to achieve domestically.
Yes, the perception is that expats escape high living costs and declining quality of life in the US, living more comfortably for less. Financial benefits, including lower costs of living and the ability to afford services, contribute significantly to this envy.
Many Americans feel dissatisfied because their 'American Dream' isn't panning out, leaving them feeling stuck and unhappy. They struggle with demanding work schedules, high living costs, and a perceived lack of opportunities for adventure and personal growth.
The perceived ease with which expats find relationships and community contributes to American envy, especially when compared to the loneliness experienced by many single Americans. This suggests a social advantage in expat communities.
Healthcare costs in the Philippines are significantly lower than in the US. For example, an MRI in the Philippines can cost around $150, while the same procedure in the US can cost $2500. A four-day ICU stay that might exceed $100,000 in America cost one commenter $316.
For major medical issues, insurance is recommended for expats in the Philippines. However, for less severe incidents, out-of-pocket costs are very low. One commenter noted that even without insurance, a significant medical event in the Philippines would rarely cost $10,000, which is unlikely to cause bankruptcy.
Americans may feel envious of expats due to perceptions of a more adventurous and free lifestyle, contrasting with the routine 9-to-5 grind. Expats are seen as escaping high living costs, crime, and declining quality of life in the US, while enjoying lower costs of living and more time for personal growth.
Expats often benefit from a lower cost of living in countries like the Philippines compared to the US. This allows them to afford services that free up their time and potentially accumulate savings, which is difficult for many Americans struggling paycheck to paycheck.
Retiring early abroad is possible for those who have planned financially. One commenter retired at 56 after investing consistently and living below their means, enabling them to live well off a fraction of their retirement income in Southeast Asia.
Many Americans may not travel internationally due to a lack of motivation, possibly because the US is a large country. Unlike smaller nations where international travel might be more common, many Americans lack passports and may not wish to explore what lies beyond their borders.
0:01 Hey YouTube, Alex here. In this video today, we're going to talk about why so many Americans are jealous of expats living overseas, typically in Southeast Asia or Latin America. Some are in Europe, some move around. I've noticed that some of us get trolls and we get people who are really frustrated. We get people who decry this lifestyle, they want to talk about how we're all going to fail, and they don't understand from personal experiences. In most cases, maybe they have some problems in their life, they feel just aren't going to work out for whatever reason.
0:33 I think this topic could be a multi-part series. I think the next one I'll do is why are some locals jealous of expats. In today's video, we are going to cover specifically why so many Americans, people living in the United States, are jealous of the people that are living these lifestyles. And some of the roots of those attitudes. I hope it's helpful. This isn't a judgment, I get it. It's hard back home for many people.
0:57 The American Dream is not panning out for many people. They feel that it's unattainable, and they feel stuck and they feel unhappy. While I think for many of them, the solution could be to leave, to go to another country. Some can't leave, and so I think this does apply to some of them. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it. Let's get into it.
1:16 Hey YouTube, Alex here in Buck Hong, Philippines. And in today's video, I want to cover the topic: Why are so many Americans jealous of expats? This is a complex topic, and this conversation could go in a lot of different directions. I feel that a multi-part series on jealousy would be helpful for a lot of people, but in this initial video, we're just going to cover why a lot of people back home do engage in trolling, which I think is rooted a lot in jealousy. It's not something I take personally, it's just part of being on YouTube.
1:52 I do think it is important to understand this because if you decide to move overseas, understand you're going to get a wide variety of reactions, and that jealousy is probably going to be one of them. The number one reason is perceived adventure and freedom. As an expat or a digital nomad, you will regularly get to have new experiences. You'll be able to see places you've never seen before. You'll be able to visit islands that many people could only imagine.
2:21 You'll be able to go to a lot of the places that many people have always wanted to go to, but simply don't have the time or the finances to be able to go see those places. Instead of doing that, which is what a lot of people would like to do, they're stuck back home. They're stuck in a 9-to-5 job, they're stuck in the rat race. They can't afford to take an extended vacation. They maybe get two weeks of work off per year if they're Americans. Maybe they get more than that if they're from Europe or Australia, but there's really a finite amount of time that they have each year to go explore and to enjoy their lives.
2:53 When they see a guy or a gal living in what they perceive to be some kind of tropical paradise, then it's no wonder they feel some sense of resentment or jealousy because that life just seems unattainable for them for whatever reason. Maybe it's financial obligations, maybe it's familial obligations. They can't imagine themselves living in a beautiful place like where we are right here in the Philippines.
3:21 For most Americans, they simply can't afford to take an extended vacation. And if they can take a vacation, typically it's going to be close to home. Maybe it's a place they've been hundreds of times. It's not going to be a spectacular paradise, it's going to look probably pretty close to what they're used to experiencing on a daily basis.
3:41 I've been fortunate to travel to many different beautiful places over the years. Some of the many times, and even the nicest place will lose its luster to some extent for many people once they've been there dozens of times. And so when you see people experiencing so much variety in their lives, and you're not experiencing that variety, you feel like you're in Groundhog Day.
4:01 Every day is the same, it feels the same, it looks the same. You get up, you get dressed, you go to work, you get off work, you come home, you do chores, you go to bed. Rinse, repeat. That just gets tedious after a while. And so when people see guys or gals swimming in gorgeous turquoise waters or hiking through a tropical jungle that couldn't be further away from the way that they're living it, it does create pangs of jealousy.
4:26 Now, to add to this, you used to be that you'd only see those kind of lifestyles in National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel. Now, with YouTube and the vlogging space, you can see people that don't look that much different from you, and yet are having these incredible lifestyles. And I think it's the start of a lot of jealousy. I think that's why we see so many people, you know, railing against this lifestyle and, 'Oh, you're just exploitative,' and this and that. And I'm not saying that those aren't issues, but those are separate issues. We focused on jealousy for this video.
5:03 Finally, there's a perception that these kinds of experiences have to be so expensive that it's out of reach for the ordinary person. For me, when I'm traveling abroad, it's equally important that I have time to do these things as I have the money. Yeah, to go to Hawaii or South Beach Miami is very, very expensive. To travel within the Philippines is not as costly. It's not free, it's not necessarily cheap, but the prices are more moderate, at least here in the Philippines.
5:30 In 2024, prices are going up, but even while they're going up, they're not as extreme as some of these destinations in the western democracies. When you've got to be at work on Monday, can you fly off to Bali for the weekend? Most people would say no. If you have to get up and you have to take the kids to soccer practice after work, are you going to be able to jet off to the mountains to do an afternoon hike? Probably not.
6:02 Number two is perceived lifestyle differences. I got into this one a bit in my first point. The lifestyle differences are pretty extraordinary. When you're in a cold climate and you're digging your driveway out of snow, you're putting on your heavy jacket, you're putting on your hat, you have to heat up your car to get it ready to go drive to work. And you see somebody online and they wake up two hours after you had to wake up, they put on some sandals, go down to the beach for a stroll. Man, that can create some pangs of jealousy.
6:34 You see them having healthy, fresh fruit, and you're stopping by the McDonald's to get whatever mystery meat they're putting between two slices of bread. That can cause some jealousy. You're getting yelled at by your boss, meanwhile, you see them ordering a nice cup of coffee in a quaint cafe. I think that can cause some jealousy when you see people able to just jet off for a weekend trip up to the mountains, up to a neighboring country. They're having the time of their lives, and you're lucky to get a meal at a restaurant once or twice a month. I think that could cause some jealousy.
7:13 In terms of perceived lifestyle differences, a big one could be that, well, here in the Philippines, you see a lot of young families. You see people who are starting families at a young age, something that many young Americans simply can't afford to do these days. And you perceive, 'Oh wow, well, in that country, there's actually opportunity for people to start families, for people to have children, for people to get family support.' Meanwhile, I'm over here, I live in a tiny apartment, me and my spouse work, and yet we still can't afford to have children. I think that could cause some jealousy.
7:49 The perception that this other country, which is in some ways not as materially wealthy as your own country, people are still able to meet those mile markers or hallmarks of adulthood. And yet, in your country, you feel like a lot of the young people are in this state of perpetual adolescence. I could see why that could cause some sense of resentment or frustration on the part of young people who see expats going abroad and, 'Wow, they're having kids in their late 20s, early 30s.'
8:17 Not to say that people aren't in the US or Australia, but it's so much less common. I look at my own peer group and see a lot of people would love to have children, but it's just simply impractical based on the current state of the American economy. It's not to state that nobody can have kids in the West, but that it's just becoming increasingly difficult to the point that it's less and less common every year. We see that with the declining birth rates.
8:43 Finally, this seems to be especially important to American conservatives who feel left behind by progressive attitudes. They see people in what is supposed to be a materially less wealthy country having children. They don't understand why, in supposedly the USA, the greatest country in the world, people are unable to do the same. In many cases, not for lack of trying, not for lack of capability, but simply because it doesn't make financial sense, and they don't feel supported by the popular culture either.
9:14 Number three is the perception of personal growth. For a lot of us in the US, we're working so much, we don't have time to work on our health, we don't have time to sort through different kinds of psychological issues we may be dealing with. And yet, we see these expats who come on these videos and they talk about, 'Man, I've really been able to work through my anxiety or my sadness or whatever issue they may be facing.' And we may feel a sense of jealousy.
9:41 I'm over here working 60 hours a week, and they're over there not working. And so they have all this time to go to the gym every morning, to go for walks in the evening. Maybe they find a counselor or therapist, maybe they're able to make friends who can talk things out with. And the Americans that are back home think, 'Wow, I don't have time for therapy, I don't have time to go exercise, I'm forced to eat food that's convenient because I'm just...
10:10 I'm just so short on time and so tired and so short on energy. I think it does contribute to this sense of jealousy where I'm doing everything right, I'm working really hard, and yet I'm stalled out on these issues that I would be able to address if I had the free time and the energy. But because I'm back here in the US and I don't own my own time, I have to prioritize my finances over self-improvement or healing. Maybe some people that have a substance issue could make the time to sort that out, but they're in such a rat race and a grind that they feel like they just have to accept their fate.
10:50 I've known many expats to use their new freedom to seek healing, to find a sense of community, and to recover from old wounds in ways that they'd never have the money or time to handle back in their home countries. So yeah, I think that also contributes to the sense of jealousy that a lot of Americans feel when they see these people living these lifestyles.
11:16 Point number four is the perceived lack of struggle and the escape from American issues. I don't have time in this video to get into the plethora of problems in the United States right now, but a lot of American people are suffering. A lot of people are struggling with the high cost of living, they're struggling with the crime, they're struggling with the declining quality of life. They're having some serious issues with the direction that the country is going in.
11:44 This stick inflation for most people, they know it's not going to get better. They know that rent is not going to come down, they know that property taxes are not going to come down, they know food is not going to get any cheaper. And they are really unhappy about it. So when they see an expat living abroad, living in some other country where costs aren't so high and expats have an easier time owning their own time, doing what they want when they want, meanwhile a lot of Americans are stuck back home in jobs that they don't particularly like, where maybe they don't get the respect they deserve.
12:23 So they're struggling and they see people who don't seem to be struggling, who probably aren't that different from them. I think it causes jealousy. I think it naturally will cause some jealousy when you see people who have got a beautiful girlfriend, they're not struggling with loneliness, they've got delicious food at a modest price. They're not having to buy the cheapest available for every meal. They have a nice home rather than living in a dangerous neighborhood or a vehicle.
12:53 In fact, many expats are living a comfortable lifestyle at a modest price point. It really confuses people who they feel like, well, why am I working so hard to struggle, and these other people are not working and they're not struggling? Now, discussing the local struggle is beyond the scope of this video. I'm not here to be dismissive. I know that a lot of people in basically all countries are struggling in their own ways, but I can't sit here and go through every edge case, every 'oh, but this' or 'oh, about this.' We're speaking, of course, in generalities. I just don't have the time to cover every little exception.
13:33 If you're living in a neighborhood in the US that used to be safe, maybe it used to be full of young people and now it's filled with vagrants, I could see how you'd be jealous of the guy who lives in what appears to be a safe community where people have lived in that neighborhood for many generations, where the property tax runs $3 a month so Grandma's not getting priced out. It's really a world of difference.
13:56 A lot of people talk about some of these countries as being reminiscent of the United States in the 1950s. And of course, I wasn't alive during that time. I know most of you were probably either not around during that time or very, very young. But for most Americans, for most would-be expats, they've seen quality of life decline in the United States in many different ways.
14:20 Another example would be many expats can afford cleaning services. If you spend your weekend cleaning your house or every other weekend cleaning your house, and you see some guy who's able to afford housekeeping and somebody to come through and sweep and mop, and maybe even somebody to go grocery shopping, to do some of the weekly cooking, and those services are far beyond your budget, then yeah, that could cause some jealousy where they're freeing up all this time to enjoy their lives, and you're spending all of your time outside of work just trying to stay on top of things, not really feeling like you're getting ahead, just feeling like you're treading water.
14:59 Speaking of treading water, this is going to launch into our fifth and final point. I think we've got a bonus point for you as well. But the fifth and final point is the perceived financial benefits. I know there's some overlap with some of these, but you can't talk about living overseas without acknowledging the financial advantages that many of us experience.
15:19 Back home, we're used to having the cheapest food. We're used to having to shop once a week to get everything we need to be on a budget. We rarely get the opportunity to go out to a nice restaurant. And here, a lot of us may not cook at all. Like me, personally, I don't cook. If I were to get into a relationship, I would probably want my significant other to help out with that because it's one thing for a single guy to be eating out every meal. It's another thing for a guy in a relationship.
15:50 But that's beside the point. When you're paying $2,000 a month for a studio in a rough neighborhood and you see a guy paying $500 for a place within walking distance of the beach, that's going to cause some jealousy. You look out the window and see the side of another building. Maybe you have loud neighbors that throw parties every day. Maybe you have rude neighbors. Maybe you have vagrants in your neighborhood who are breaking into vehicles. Maybe you got all kinds of different problems, and you're paying a premium for these problems because you didn't get on the property ladder or you couldn't get the property in the neighborhood that you wanted to live in.
16:28 And yet you see guys overseas who live in safe neighborhoods where kids can walk to school every day, where the weather is nice and sunny. They're not having to pay somebody to shovel out their driveway for several months out of the year. Maybe they can't afford to pay somebody to shovel out their driveway, and now because they can't afford that, they're going out on their Monday morning to do that. Where you see some guy living abroad, he's sleeping in instead of having to quickly make his coffee and chug it and his commute to go to a job he doesn't like.
16:59 He goes to a nice coffee shop, he sits down, he relaxes, he orders his cappuccino. It's within budget for him to do so. He can actually afford these services, and you're stuck back home doing everything for yourself, even as you get older. I mean, it's one thing for a guy my age, I'm 31, turning 32 soon, to do some of these things, but you see guys in their 50s and 60s who just want a break. They put in decades of work, and yet they're still unable to afford these luxuries.
17:27 And so then they see guys like Mike, Mike's Philippine Retirement, or Paul, Paul Old Dog New Tricks. Even worse, they see a guy like Chad, Chad Foster Explores, and these guys are able to afford all of these comforts and not have to do every little thing for themselves. And it's going to cause some jealousy. They feel like, wow, what's so special about these guys that they get to have these creature comforts? They get to own their own time, and I'm back home struggling on a treadmill, feeling stressed out, feeling burnt out, dealing with people who are equally stressed out and frustrated.
18:03 You see the stress of traffic in the United States. You see all these different problems that don't seem to be getting any better. The final aspect of this point is not only do you see guys living a comfortable life, and you might be thinking, oh, they're just treading water over there. Oh, all they do is just stay in place financially. No, a number of the guys that I've spoken to have told me, I have more savings than I've ever had in my life back home. I was paycheck to paycheck.
18:28 Yeah, I paid into social security. Yeah, I may have paid into a retirement plan, but I didn't have anything left over. A number of the guys that I meet over here are actually able to accumulate savings. They're actually able to build up a more substantial emergency fund. It's not just a one-size-fits-all circumstance. The assumption is everybody over there is going to go broke in a day. Now, and while that does happen, I'm not here to dismiss that. There's also plenty of people who get ahead financially over here.
18:55 They actually have not only a more comfortable lifestyle, but they also feel that they're able to pad their savings. And I do think that causes jealousy where you're working all the time, working 60-plus hours a week, living paycheck to paycheck. You feel like, well, I'm doing all this work, why am I not getting ahead? And those guys on the other side of the ocean, they don't work a traditional 9 to 5. Their vlog looks like more of a hobby than a job, and yet they're able to pack away savings every month.
19:23 They live comfortably below their means without working, and I'm working and trying to live below my means, and I just can't do it. My insurance keeps going up, my taxes keep going up, my rent keeps going up. I have a big car payment, and I just feel like I'm floundering. So I think it's not just that people appear to be doing better financially in terms of living below their monthly income, but also that they're able to accrue savings. They're able to add to their investments. They're able to do better and better every year, where a lot of Americans feel like they're doing worse and worse every year.
20:00 The bonus point here is isolation or loneliness. If you're lonely, you've been without a relationship for years.
20:06 You've been without a relationship for years and years, and you see some guy who's found love again. Maybe he's been through a divorce like you have, but yet he's in a nice relationship. Maybe he's engaged or married, and he's doing really well for himself in terms of relationships. He's also got a great group of friends, which has been easy for me personally to make here.
20:25 And you're back in the US. You haven't been in a relationship in a decade, maybe two decades. Yeah, I think there could be some jealousy there. You see how beautiful his girlfriend is, how she looks at him with love and affection. She may cook for him, she may clean the home, she may provide him with a lot of different wonderful things that you're not getting and you have no shot at getting.
20:47 You know you're going to be single in the West. You know that you're not meeting the type of ladies that you consider settling down with. Yeah, I think that could cause some jealousy. I mean, it's natural for a lot of guys who are single and lonely, and two-thirds of men in the West are single.
21:05 Yeah, you see expats having a great life, a financially free life, life rich in relationships, and you're alone. You see no future where you're not going to be alone. I think that could cause some jealousy. So, this has been five points as to why I think many Americans are jealous of expats living in countries like the Philippines or Thailand.
21:24 If you agree with this idea, give us a thumbs up. It helps with the algorithm. Comment down below, do you agree? Do you think this is all in my head? Do you think that there's nobody that's jealous of expats living abroad? Maybe you could make the point that the working class is more jealous than the really wealthy Americans who seem to have it all.
21:42 And then finally, if you want to see more content like this, subscribe to the channel down below, and we'll see you soon.
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