Why Moving Abroad Will Lead You To Your Best Life as a Single Parent

When my son was born I decided that my goal was that we would be living in another country by the day of his 5th birthday. My intention was to move abroad as a single parent to give my son greater opportunities. I didn’t know how we would get there or which country it would be. I had faith I’d figure it out and make it happen. 

As a single mom in the U.S., I was in a constant state of burnout. My burnout peaked after moving to Austin for work, buying a house in the suburbs, and commuting two hours per day in heavy traffic. 

I tried to convince myself it was the responsible life choice. I learned to cope with the intense feelings of frustration and despair while sitting in bumper to bumper traffic everyday. 

Then I went to visit my family in California for two weeks. My mom babysat while I worked from home. No commute whatsoever. After getting back to Austin and my commute, I was no longer able to convince myself I wanted this lifestyle. 

No more suburbs. No more commute. I’m done with coping just to prevent the burnout from completely sucking the joy out of my life. I only had a couple years left to meet my goal. I felt ready to make it happen.

How I prepared to move abroad as a single parent

At the time, the company I worked for did not support remote employment. I started interviewing for remote-only jobs while taking web design classes on the side. I planned on launching this blog and growing it into a full time business. After a few months of interviewing the COVID pandemic happened and my job went remote.

I started the blog I had been fantasizing about for months. Then I convinced my sister to move abroad as a single parent to Croatia with me and try it out for a year.

7 reasons to move abroad as a single parent

Improved work-life balance for single parents

Many countries outside of the U.S. offer a lower cost of living while being just as safe, convenient and modern. 

When you factor in the cost of health care, including insurance, deductibles, etc and the cost of car ownership, a requirement in almost every area of the U.S., the difference in cost of living is even more profound. Most cities outside of the U.S. have better public transportation and are more pedestrian friendly.

My average monthly cost of living in the Austin suburbs was $4,800. We comfortably lived off $1,500 per month in Split, Croatia. This gave me freedom and flexibility while making the money I had saved go much further. Living abroad as a single parent I needed less than half the income I was making in Austin in order to support us. In Split we lived in the city center – where we were able to access everything we needed on foot – including the beach. 

Croatia is far from the only country that offers a better quality of life at a much lower cost. You could move abroad as a single parent and join thriving expat communities in Thailand, Mexico, Hungary, Portugal or Kenya. There are so many places where you can live your best life.

Family friendly culture

My experience in the U.S. as a single parent has had its ups and downs. I struggled to make networking events with colleagues because my son’s daycare closed at 6. Hiring a babysitter was too expensive. I tried commuting by train with my 3 year old and got dirty looks from professionals who didn’t appreciate my toddler pointing out every single tractor we passed.

Family friendly cultures welcome kids and don’t treat them as an inconvenience. While living in Spain, I was surprised to see parents relaxing over coffee while groups of children ran around the pedestrian squares. The Spanish were warm and inclusive. Children were welcomed as part of daily life. 

Living in a place that values family and togetherness can make it easier to prioritize family time. Countries with family friendly policies make it less likely that you’ll feel pressured to choose between a career and family time. 

Better access to education for you and your children. 

The U.S. has the most expensive university degrees in the world. Public secondary education varies tremendously in quality depending on where you live. 

Studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree can cost thousands of dollars less for American citizens who study at a foreign university. And foreign universities teach many of their degree programs in English. In some cases, studying for your master’s degree qualifies you to sit for the citizenship test in that country. 

When you move abroad as a single parent, you can experience a double win. You can afford to get yourself that higher degree and you can save your family thousands of dollars in tuition if your kids go to university in the same country. Depending on whether they learn the local language and attain citizenship it could be even less money than you paid or completely free for them to attend. 

When it comes to secondary education, you may be able to get your child into better public schools abroad. You may also be able to afford private school due to the lower cost of living. Countries, like Finland for example, have excellent public education. The property values in the neighborhood where you live don’t determine the quality of your child’s education as they do in many parts of the U.S. This means the neighborhood you can afford doesn’t become a determining factor in your child’s educational opportunities. Public schools in many other developed countries are required to provide additional resources to help your child overcome any language barriers. 

Affordable healthcare

As a single parent, getting a surprise medical bill or treatment for a serious illness can be financially devastating. I pay for health insurance every month only to find myself paying out of pocket every time I go to the doctor because I haven’t met my deductible. 

In Croatia, when I had a double ear infection over the Christmas holiday I was able to get a last minute appointment with a specialist (who went to medical school in the U.S. and spoke perfect English) and get prescriptions filled. Total cost $150 USD. When the receptionist gave me my bill she apologized that it was so high.

Most developed countries other than the U.S. have some form of universal healthcare coverage. Costs vary and waits for appointments and procedures can be long, but everybody has access. Many countries offer supplemental private insurance for those willing to pay.

Healthier lifestyle

In most European countries genetically modified food is either illegal or has strict requirements around labeling. Many pesticides that are legal in the U.S. are banned throughout the European Union. In countries with a warmer climate, fresh produce and other non-processed foods are less expensive and of excellent quality. 

Cars tend to be more expensive to own and drive than in the U.S. Walking and using public transport is the norm in most major cities and is easy and convenient. 

Vacation time in Europe is bountiful compared to the U.S. and in general people work fewer hours per week. Working less means more time for family, for exploring the great outdoors, or for traveling to nearby countries. 

As an added bonus, more exercise and less work combine to equal a less stressed out you. In my experience as a single parent, a less stressed me leads to my son also being happier, less anxious, and more behaved. As parents our stress not only takes a physical and mental toll on us, but our kids internalize it and their health can be negatively impacted.

Fast track your personal growth 

Before I had my son, I traveled to over fifteen countries as a solo female traveler. Some of those countries I stayed in for several months to study or work. I don’t think most people can travel or live in another country for an extended period of time without experiencing some significant personal growth. You face new and bewildering challenges just trying to accomplish basic tasks. 

During my travels I found the space to reflect on who I was as a person and who I wanted to be, and to explore why that gap existed between the two. When you’re in a new place, where no ones know you, it gives you the space to experiment. That’s harder to find when we stay within our comfort zones. 

Moving abroad as a single parent may be one of the biggest life decisions you will ever make. Even if it’s temporary, it will change your perspective and impact how your kids perceive the world and approach situations. 

Community and finding your tribe as a single parent

I’ve been told over and over “it takes a village to raise a child.” Sometimes finding your village means going somewhere new. Search single mom groups on Facebook and you’ll find dozens of thriving single parent communities based in cities outside of the U.S. 

Don’t let fear of the unknown, self doubt or societal norms hold you back from what feels right for your family. 

Are you thinking of moving abroad as a single parent?

Here are some of our other posts to help you get started:

The 5 Best Ways to Find Cheap Vacation Accommodations Abroad

How Multiple Income Streams Can Make You A Better Single Parent