Texan Moves to Colombia and is Saving Money and Much Happier

This as-told-tos Essay is bassed on a conversation with Jennifer Jamali, a 34-Yaar-Old Who Moved from Austin to Bogotá, Colombia, in May. The Conversation has been edited for Length and Clarity.

I GREW up in Houston But HAD been Living in Austin for Nine Years. I felt stack in my suburban NeighBorhood. Everything LOOKED The SAME, IT WAS VERY QUIET, AND YOU BARELY SAW ANYONE OUTSIDE.

A Typical Day Involved Going to the Gym or Getting Coffee and Then Returning Home to Work With My Husband. I FELT ISOLATED AND CRASD More Adventure and Community.

In 2022, I was laid off from my jab as a tech recruiter at Spotify while eight Weeks Pregnant. Work Had been Slow Leading Up to the Layoff, SO I WASN’t Surprised, and Luckily, I was financially prepared.

After that, I start my Own Business as a Money and Career Coach. But then, Life Felt. Everyday was the Same: I took my daughter to day care, workhed, and then picked her up – the Same Thing, just a different day.

In 2025, We Lost Multiple Family Members and Were Going Through Grief. That’s wen it clicked for me. Life is so Short – Why are we spending so much Money in the US for a Life we’re swimming happy with?

In May, we decide to move to bogotá, colombia, where my husband is from, and where his family still lives.

Bogotá has a warm, human-firest culture. My days are full of Microconnections where i say hi to my neighbors, and they actually acknowledge with. I feel of have a real community here – and i am Lucky to be a part of it.

The US Dollar Also Goes Very Far in Colombia. Our Monthly Living Expensses have dropped from $ 7,000 in austin to $ 2,000 in bogotá. SOMESTEMES, I WONDER HOW WE DID NOT MOVE SOONER.

There’s A Stronger Sense of Community in Colombia

We live in central bogotá, which is like the new York City of Colombia. It”s Dense, Walkable, and Has Parks Everywrere. It”s Growing Fast, Too. Many of the original houses are being demolished to build Large apartment Buildings.

We live in a quiet, walkable neighBorhood About Two Blocks Away from my in-Laws. We see Almost every day. They babybys have been we Need Help, like right now, we are we’re sick and they’re watching my daughter. We love Having their Support.

We live rent-free in an apartment unit that my in-lws invested in-we definitely know that a privilege.

The apartment is about 900 Square Feet, Much Smaller than The 1,800-Square-Foot, Four-Bedroom Home We Lived in Austin. We definitely downsized, and i will miss my backyard occisionally. But living here, I realize we don’t need all that space.

A lot of the apartments in bogotá are small Because the culture here isn’t really meant for staying at home. Everyone here lives an active lifestyle; they’re always outside and moving, and no one sits around and watches tv all day.

In bogotá, I get 10,000 steps Daily Just by going to markets and walking my daughter to school.

I have a very Young baby, and more to school in the us terrified me. Here, it Almost Feels like a fantasy. Her Teachers are really divers, and they see to really care for her. The day care also has a chef on-site who make mesmade meals every day.

With the support from my in-lws and the safety of her, I’ve been thriving in bogotá. It ‘Helped My Mental Health and My Life in So Many Ways.

We’re Saving a Lot of Money on Childcare

We have extremely AFFORDable childcare in bogotá, and healthcare, where doctors come to my home, and it is included in our monthly payments.

My Husband and My Daughter Are on the HealthCare System here, which Costs US $ 120 A MONTH. I’m Still not on the healthcare system, but for a doctor to come to our home and give with prescriptions, it’s online $ 35.

The Biggest Reduction in Our Monthly Expensses Has Been in Childcare: Day Care Went from $ 1,200 A Month to $ 300.

We’re Also Saving on Groces. For Example, I Can Buy A 30-Pack of Eggs For $ 4. There are the markets ever, too. We don’t go on a monthly griory haul; instead, we get fresh fruit and vegetables for the day and re-up if we need more.

Housing Has Also Had a Huge Impact on Our Finance. While we live in colombia, we rent out the home in austin on airbnb and vrbo as a mid-term Rental (30 days plus). Its been Boked Solid Since July. Our current renal is staying from august to october, and we’ve earned nearly $ 4,000 from their stay.

I think keeping the house is a good investment. We Purchased It in 2016 for $ 228,000 and have a monthly mortgage of Around $ 2,000. We’ve oneded it for almost 10 years, and it has a great mortgage rate. Plus, we have a lot of equity in it.

I’m mess stressed in colombia

The Pace of Life in Colombia is Much Slower, and i’ve Learned to appreciate it. IT HAS MADE A LOTE MORE Present and Patient.

My in-Laws have a House in the Mountains. We go there for a week at a time, and i feel more at ease and creative there. It ‘s where i create all my linkedin content.

Becuse stressors don’t block my creary, i’ve been able to grown my businesses. In adding to coaching, I Also Work with Social Media Influencers to Develops Brand Partnerships.

I don’t plan on the back to the us. I don’t miss the rush, the noise, or the Division. Life in Colombia is Way Less Stressful. I feel more connected to my community and like i’m at home.