Travel writer who’s visited 68 countries—4 places I most want to live

I wonder what it would be like to live in most of the places I visit, but I know I can’t make everywhere home. 

As much as I would love to wake up in Sydney every morning, Australia is just a little too far away from everywhere else. As vibrant as Istanbul is, it’s a bit too big and bustling.

Reykjavik is comfortable, but it might be too small a city for me to put down roots — and I wonder if I’ll ever get the hang of Icelandic. 

As a Chicago-based travel writer, I constantly discover magical new places all over the world. Of the nearly 70 countries I’ve made it to so far, these are the four places I think about moving to the most. 

Helsinki is a vibrant, walkable capital city with excellent public transit, a well-connected airport, and plenty of things to do. I love its long summer days and midnight sunsets, its love of electronic music, and its robust art and food scenes. 

There’s a contentment here that you can feel. People don’t have to struggle to meet their basic needs.

Life expectancies in Singapore are long, and crime rates are low.

I was walking alone one night from the Marina Bay Sands Hotel back to my own hotel a few blocks away when it hit me: I was safe. There are no mass shootings at schools, churches, shopping malls, offices, parades, or anywhere else. Singapore has one of the lowest rates of gun violence in the world.

Cars even stop for pedestrians. 

Like in Finland, I have a couple of friends in Singapore — enough to begin building a new local community. And the Texas summers I grew up with have prepared me well for Singapore’s heat and humidity. 

I fell for Lisbon on my first visit in 2011, and each time I return to Portugal’s capital it feels more like home. I love walking this city’s pedestrian streets, shopping its affordable boutiques, and taking in its epic views.

Friendly strangers always make me feel welcome, and the ample sunshine here powers my soul. 

Unlike Chicago, where I live now, winters in Portugal are mild, making Lisbon pleasant year-round. Life in Lisbon isn’t as affordable as it was when I first began toying with the idea of a potential move, but it’s still far more affordable to live in Portugal than in Chicago, New York, and many other parts of the U.S. 

The country has an affordable public healthcare system that’s among the best in the world, a vibrant expat community, and a robust cultural scene — things that make me consider a move every time I visit.  

I was taking a cooking class in Sorrento when I first thought about moving to Italy. The villa I was standing in — one with a sea view, expansive gardens, and an outdoor kitchen — cost about the same to purchase as a one-bedroom apartment in New York City, where I was living at the time. 

Italy seemed like a bargain in comparison, one that would come with a serious quality-of-life upgrade.

Whether it’s Rome, Milan, or Naples, landing in Italy feels like letting out a big sigh. Priorities are different. The pace of life is different. It is la dolce vita. 

Italians practice better work-life balance than Americans, particularly New Yorkers. The weather is good and so is the country’s healthcare system. The job market can be tough, but as a creative who works remotely with clients around the world, that’s less of an issue for me. 

There are a few Italian cities I’d consider moving to — Milan and Sorrento among them — and I’m sure many more to discover.

Wherever I might land, I know there would be excellent olive oil, fresh pasta, plenty of arts and culture, and friendly people.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a travel writer and editorial consultant currently based in Chicago. She is the founder of the travel site TravelwithMeena.com and a contributor to publications including Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal, and Lonely Planet. Meena previously worked as an editor for Yahoo Finance and as a head of audience development for Bloomberg and Business Insider. Find her on TikTok and Instagram. 

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