Here is the Truth: Rent costs abroad isn't just 'cheap'—it’s relative to their local economy. This $400 apartment may have modern features and non-traditional amenities such as rooftop pools, but at that price, they may also have thin walls that allow you to hear your neighbor, so are moreso luxury adjacent.

Now, while $400 might look great to a tourist, it can be double the local rate, driving up costs for local residents. That same local worker, on average, earns approximately $300 a month. Thus for them, the rent is slightly out of their affordable range. Always compare rent against the local economy, not just your home city!

A contemporary kitchen featuring sleek cabinetry and elegant bar stools in a minimalist design.

If I did it, you can too! Just quit your job and travel.

The Real Truth: Most influencers have safety nets, undisclosed sponsorships, or are "Timeshare Salesmen" in disguise, selling a lifestyle to fund their own. Is this a travel vlog or a sales pitch?

Additionally, these pitches are targeted to viewers in the United States or the U.K. to view and click their links so that they can afford to stay abroad, themselves.

Radical honesty: Travel is a privilege, not a 'one-size-fits-all' hack.

You can save lots of money $$$ on food, clothes, everything by moving abroad.

Here is the Reality: Keep in mind, that in the U.S. most able-bodied workers can pickup a Lyft shift or an 8 hour Amazon shift and earn upwards of $125 a day.

However local workers in Thailand make on average, the equivalent of $12 to $20 a day for the same 8 hours.

Thus saving money is largely dependent on having a line of work that pays you in USD while you are residing abroad.

Close-up of a bowl of ramen with egg, pork, and seaweed in a cozy setting.

I saw a video of a highrise condo overlooking the city or the beach and it looked like Paradise.

What You Didn't See: Influencers often show that 5% of the trip that looks like a postcard. They omit the bureaucratic nightmares, relative loneliness, time-zone related missed phone calls, language barriers, and the "un-Instagrammable" infrastructure issues of living abroad.

Aesthetic filters don't show the 10-hour bus rides to renew a VISA every 90 days, or the struggle of navigating a local pharmacy. Don't be taken on a trip; get the full intel on the daily grind before you book that 'viral' destination.

green trees near swimming pool during daytime

VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL @UNPACKED_AM

Is renting an apartment in Thailand or

VietnamREALLY cheaper than in the USA?

Is Renting An Apartment Really Cheaper Abroad Thank In The U.S.A? Find Out With Our Rent Comparison Calculator.

Rent Comparison Calculator

The Truth about Challenges in selecting the right VISA

VISA Realities

We listed the realities of the VISA acceptance and renewal proceses, plus facts influencers dont tell you.

Can I Afford To Visit Thailand or Vietnam? Find Out With Our 5 Minute Questionaire!

Affordability Calculator

AN INFORMED TRAVELER IS A HAPPY TRAVELER

WE GET ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

Travel Vlogger or the new Timeshare Salesmen, How to tell the difference.

A Deep Dive into Travel Narratives

Authenticity in the Era of Travel Influencing

The Impact of Travel Myths on Wanderlust

Exploring the Gap Between Images and Reality

What Influencers Don’t Show About Traveling

The Psychology Behind Travel Portrayals

How to Discern Genuine Travel Experiences

THE TRANSPARENCY MISSION

We Aren't Here To Kill The Dream. We're Here To Shield You From The Hype.

Transparency isn't just a buzzword; it's our operating system. We don't take destination sponsorships. Our channel, Unpacked.AM, is where we scrub the world's most popular travel videos frame-by-frame. We find the inconsistencies, so you don't find them the hard way.

PATH A: THE VIEWER EXPERIENCE

DON'T BE TAKEN ON A TRIP. GET INFORMED, GET UNPACKED.