A Nepalese woman who moved to Australia to study eventually left her ‘dream job’ after realising the country was simply too expensive to justify.
Anna Sherchand was working three jobs to pay off her student loans before she finally landed a great job in the tech industry.
Ms Sherchand decided to knuckle down and commit to the new employment, but her life quickly became boring and she decided she wanted more freedom.
She had transitioned into a ‘typical adult life’ where she was working full-time and could only afford a two-week holiday every year.
On top of that, the cost of rent was killing her and she found herself spending upwards of $200 each month on public transport in Sydney.
The grind made Ms Sherchand’s life ‘dull’ and eventually she decided to leave her perfect job and travel throughout South East Asia where she has now settled down.
‘I wanted more from life than just paying bills and doing the same things over and over,’ she told Yahoo.
Since leaving, Ms Sherchand named Thailand as the best place to live and she cannot believe how much further her money gets her there compared to Australia.
Anna Sherchand left Australia to go and live in south east Asia when the cost of living simply got too much to bare
She argued Chiang Mai was the place she wants to live because it has the best mix of affordability and convenience.
She ranked her satisfaction with each country based on the cost of rent, food, transportation, utilities and the entertainment or leisure each place provided.
‘[Rent] is usually my largest expense and a good indicator of overall affordability,’ Ms Sherchand said.
While living in Australia Ms Sherchand said she had spent extended periods of time in both Sydney and Melbourne, but found rent in Chiang Mai much more affordable.
Her weekly grocery shop also cost less than half of what it had in Australia.
To top it off, transport in the country has never cost more than $50 after she realised how cheap it was to rent a motorbike to get around the city.
Australia is the 10th most expensive country to live in in the world whereas Thailand ranks at 66, according to financial technology company Wise.
Ms Sherchand did concede the cost of living in Thailand has increased since she first visited in 2015, but that it is still only a fraction of what it is in Australia.
Ms Sherchand found herself spending $200 each month of public transport in Sydney whereas she only spends $50 on transport since moving to Thailand
In Thailand coffee costs $2, rent for a one bedroom apartment per month averages $300 and having a meal out can cost as little as $3.
Whereas Australian coffee costs $5, a one-bedroom apartment in a capital city would cost at least $2,000 per month and eating out rarely costs less than $20.
During her travels, Ms Sherchand spent time in Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Canada, and Indonesia where she worked full time either online blogging or teaching English.
She said the next best place outside Thailand to settle down would have to be Vietnam, where she lived in Hanoi for a time.
‘My apartment was incredibly cost-effective, allowing me to explore the street food culture and dynamic energy of the city,’ Ms Sherchand said.
‘Despite the fast pace, Hanoi offered pockets of tranquility, especially around Hoan Kiem Lake and the expat community was also welcoming.’
Ms Sherchand did stress however that Thailand was ‘hard to beat’ thanks to its ‘mix of affordability, culture, and modern conveniences’.
