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Bucketlist Bri

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How to Find & Rent an Apartment in Another Country

Last Updated: December 28, 2022 · Digital Nomad, Living Abroad, Slow Travel

As slow-traveling digital nomads, we often get asked, “How do you find housing in the countries you travel to?” After exchanging glances with Paul, I start, “Well…” And in short, I explain that renting an apartment overseas involves a whole bunch of keyboard strokes.

The main difference? Housing abroad is often much cheaper (depending on where you live, obviously). It’s also much easier to rent for extended periods.

Ultimately, our journey as digital nomads over the last 6–7 years has taught us that finding the “golden nuggets” of accommodation options abroad takes patience and practice!

But practically speaking, how does one rent an apartment abroad even if you’re not in the country yet? How do you send money across currencies without incurring huge bank fees, and what should you be wary of?

woman sitting in bright apartment rental abroad sipping coffee

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

I will be answering all the FAQs about renting accommodation in another country. This is how Paul and I have been able to find incredible places to live around the world; from a tiny home on an ancient volcano slope in Guatemala to a beachside boho studio in Mexico and beyond.

Note: This guide does not talk about renting an apartment overseas as a new or temporary resident in that country. Instead, I share my tips as to how to find and rent accommodation in other countries, majorly via the internet, as a nomadic remote worker.

Table of Contents show
Guide: Renting an Apartment Abroad for Digital Nomads
Finding Apartments Abroad via Local Facebook Groups
Renting an Extended Stay on Airbnb
Contacting Hosts on Airbnb for Extended (Reduced) Stays
Flatio.com & Other Rental Websites
Finding Accommodation Overseas via Coliving & Coworking Spaces
Local Housing vs Expat Options — Which Is Best?
Sending Money Overseas — How to Pay Your Rent
Final Thoughts on Renting an Apartment Abroad

Guide: Renting an Apartment Abroad for Digital Nomads

Finding housing abroad as a digital nomad can be overwhelming. Like, where do you even start to look?

Over the years, we have relied on the trusty internet to do (most) of the hard work for us. Thanks to local Facebook groups, rental websites, and Airbnb, we’ve managed to find apartments and local accommodation we’d otherwise never find just by walking around the streets and searching in person.

That’s why, even if we do happen to be in the same country when searching for housing, we always start looking online first. When we do, our primary goal is to find local housing versus commercially-owned or expat-owned housing.

Finding Apartments Abroad via Local Facebook Groups

boho chic studio in Tulum Mexico with cat lounging on chair with sun shining through windows
Our cute and airy studio in Tulum, Mexico (ft. Yoda lol)

Local Facebook groups are jam-packed with accommodation options! But not any Facebook group, of course. To find housing in your desired destination (such as a top digital nomad city around the world or a digital nomad hub in Mexico), join the best local Facebook group.

What that means is you need to find the sub-groups of the destination that are targeted specifically for finding or renting housing. Not only will you find active listings posted nearly every day, but you are free to post (and introduce) yourself in these types of groups as well.

screenshot of Antigua Guatemala Facebook group for finding and renting local housing

If you post in a huge destination Facebook group, you’re going to get ignored or get shat on by haters.

Tips for finding good deals:

  • When posting your request, write in BOTH languages if you can (use Deepl for better translations).
  • Don’t state your maximum budget.
  • Keep posts short & pithy; no one needs to read about your spiritual journey in order to learn that you’re in need of a place to live (lol).
  • Check at least 1–2 months out, if possible, but if not, search actively every day!
  • Don’t hesitate to DM, comment, and get in touch with listings right away. I will reach out by WhatsApp to negotiate and present myself more if needed.
  • Ask whoever’s renting their place out to send you a video walk-through, and make sure to ask them about the wifi speed!

Facebook groups are the best way, in my opinion, to find housing in another country. You will get the most affordable rates in comparison to renting on Airbnb.

Renting an Extended Stay on Airbnb

apartment rental in san cristobal mexico
Our rental apartment in San Cristobal, Mexico (ft. Yoda)

Airbnb is not the obvious choice when it comes to long-term rentals of 1–3 to 3–6 months. However, it has worked for us many a time, and we continue to use Airbnb to search for amazing deals whenever we move countries.

The downside with Airbnb is that you don’t have that much leeway in terms of negotiation. It’s clear that Airbnb hosts earn more money with short-term deals than they do long-term, except…

…when you travel in the off-season, during a global pandemic, or somehow find the type of host that prefers long-term guests so they can kick their feet up and earn passively without having to change out the sheets every 1–2 days. (Know what I mean?)

Nonetheless, many digital nomads don’t even tempt to reach out on Airbnb once they see the “estimated cost” for a 30-day stay. The prices shown are insane, I know, so here’s what to do when you find a place on Airbnb you’d like to rent out for more than a month or two:

Contacting Hosts on Airbnb for Extended (Reduced) Stays

1. Select the dates for your desired stay — they don’t need to be exact!

2. Instead of reserving (obviously don’t), scroll down the page, click “Contact Host” and send them a sweet and personalized message. Use their names, get a little detailed about yourself, and reveal your cards quite clearly. No one on Airbnb likes to feel like they’re getting scammed, so you got to get really honest and non-spammy in your messaging.

3. Since Airbnb’s policies actually go against “exchanging off the platform” you won’t be able to leave your number to take the conversation further. BUT, you can encrypt it! So instead of using numbers, mix it up and use numbered words, or even numbers in a different language that can be understood easily. Example: “six, 1, dos, and 33, and then two, finally XYZ.” Silly? Maybe. But it works!

4. Once you exchange numbers, you can negotiate further. Tell them how an extended stay is beneficial for them as well as you.

This tactic doesn’t work every time, but you’d be surprised at how often people are interested, and how many nomads simply don’t ask or even dare to try!

grey cat stretching on floor in cute apartment in Tulum Mexico
I often miss our apartment rental in Mexico!

Flatio.com & Other Rental Websites

Though this has yet to happen to us because the first two methods are so effective (to date), there is the option to use other rental website services such as Flatio.

I only just discovered Flatio recently, but basically, it’s like the extended stay version of Airbnb, except with better rental prices and guaranteed support. You don’t need to sneakily reach out to hosts to snag a great deal. Everything is upfront.

While I haven’t used this service yet, it looks like it could be a great way to find accommodation if you are wanting to base yourself somewhere in Europe.

It looks like most of the accommodation options listed are for major cities across Europe like Lisbon or Porto in Portugal.

But interestingly enough, you’ll also find apartments abroad for rent in unexpected places such as Sydney, Australia, or Buenos Aires, Argentina. I even saw a place listed in Zimbabwe!

Finding Accommodation Overseas via Coliving & Coworking Spaces

screenshot of Selina colivng and coworking website for finding rentals and accommodation overseas
As you can see, a room in Selina (Lisbon location) is kind of expensive (price includes coworking, facilities, and all events).

Since Paul and I travel full-time with our cat, Yoda, we never had the chance to live in a coliving or coworking space. Even if we were free to do so, it’s always double the price compared to the local gems we tend to find.

Nevertheless, if you are a solo female traveler or a flexible digital nomad couple with a higher monthly budget, sometimes you can land awesome deals in coliving and coworking spaces around the world.

The Selina franchise is a great example of this. They have locations in hundreds of top digital nomad destinations.

Want to be a nomad in Mexico? Practice yoga and work lakeside as a nomad in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala? Portugal? Colombia?

Selina usually pops up in places that attract freedom-seeking souls, backpackers, and digital nomads.

So if you’re heading somewhere cute with a decent amount of coffee shops, nightlife, or Instagram photo spots, you can bet Selina will be lurking around a street corner. 👀

Local Housing vs Expat Options — Which Is Best?

I try to practice responsible tourism wherever I go, and this typically means I don’t support big companies who are moochin’ off and exploiting local communities.

That doesn’t mean I’m comparing expat housing to corruption, or pitting local accommodation against expat accommodation, mkay?

However, if we aren’t careful, we can unknowingly support huge real estate corps because they make housing for wealthier expats and remote workers who are happy to overpay because, to them, $2500 for a 2-bedroom with a pool and on-site gym is a great deal compared to rental prices back home. But if the local housing is $500-800/month then the choice to overpay 4-5x will hurt the community.

This is the case for places like Tulum Mexico, for example. Real estate there is booming, but in such a way that’s pushing the locals out of their homes while destroying the surrounding natural environment.

So, the question remains: should you stay in more local housing or accommodation for expats with all the shiny nuts and bolts?

I can’t answer this question for you, but I will say that local housing often provides more than enough creature comforts to live well, without having to contribute to irresponsible tourism.

Not to mention, locally-owned housing (by locals or long-time expats residing there) is more affordable, too! ✨

Sending Money Overseas — How to Pay Your Rent

Wise is the best online tool for sending money to another country/currency

Long gone are the days where you have to wait for 7–10 business days to execute an international bank transfer (or, is that just the millennial in me speaking?).

No matter where we are, or what currency we need to pay our rent in, Paul and I have always used Wise (formerly TransferWise). And only once have we used Xoom, a service by PayPal.

Wise is simply the best for sending and receiving funds in multiple currencies. It’s so easy and the fees are minimal. If I remember correctly, to send roughly $650 USD in Mexican pesos (to a Mexican account), I only incurred a $7 or $10 fee.

The best part?

The money typically arrives instantly, or within a few hours!

Final Thoughts on Renting an Apartment Abroad

Were you expecting me to reveal a big secret about how to find accommodation overseas as a nomad??

I receive so many DMs about our past Airbnbs, housing, etc, (y’all remember the cute tiny house we rented in Guatemala or the boho-chic studio with a huge jungle garden in Tulum?), so I hope this post helps answer any questions you have about “our process.”

While they’re not perfect, these tactics have helped us secure housing in countries from Mexico, Belgium, Colombia, Guatemala, France, and more!

If you have any tips or suggestions, feel free to comment down below. Happy apartment hunting!

Save this guide to Pinterest!

girl sitting in apartment abroad with text overlay "finding housing overseas"
gallery of apartment rentals overseas with text overlay

By: Bri · In: Digital Nomad, Living Abroad, Slow Travel

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Memories from Morjim, Anjuna, & Panjim (Goa, India Memories from Morjim, Anjuna, & Panjim (Goa, India) 🇮🇳 

1. Waiting on India's first digital nomad conference to start! (CYF CON) 

2a. The funkiest hippie/night market in Anjuna

2b. Overlooking the beautiful and historic Panjim (the capital of Goa) 🌴

2c. One of the oldest + most popular Portuguese Baroque-style chapels in Goa (Lady of Immaculate Conception, Panjim)

3. I specifically requested a yellow scooter just so I could take a picture like this lol 🛵

4a. Kitty portrait inside a really cool speakeasy

4b. Feeling cute at the cutest little outdoor gin cocktail bar 

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PS. All of these memories and experiences wouldn’t have been possible without @nurall_co 💛 Nurall's next remote work retreat is in KHAO LAK, THAILAND 🇹🇭this July 2023 (cost: $900 USD only). Comment or DM me for an extra 5% off if you’re interested in signing up!

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Whether its for adventure, community, or leveling Whether its for adventure, community, or leveling up your business, a digital nomad / remote work retreat is one of the best ways to work remotely and travel! 💻✈️

I’ve rounded up some of the best curated trips and retreats out there in my latest blog post (🔗 in bio to check it out!) 

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Types of experiences you could discover with these guys range from training for 🥊 Muay Thai in Khao Lak, Thailand (@nurall_co co) to 🥾 hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain (@beunsettled) to ⛺️ camping out in the desert of Morocco (@minoma.co), and more!

WHY JOIN A NOMAD / REMOTE WORK RETREAT? 👇

Retreats offer curated itineraries/experiences designed to bring you epic adventures in bucket list destinations, plug you into the local scene, and collab with like-minded souls — all while leveling up your business/entrepreneurial skills and remote lifestyle and giving you creative space to cowork in beautiful places. 🤗

On a digital nomad retreat, you might...

💡Strike a new business idea
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These are just examples of the very many outcomes you could gain from attending a digital nomad retreat.

In short, these programs have the power to evoke positive change in your life and, more often than not, your investment is rewarded handsomely (in more ways than one). ✌️

I’m long-time digital slomad, but after discovering Goa, India with @nurall_co I’m most definitely going to attend more retreats like this in the future! ✨✨

*Not spons, btw! Just sharing ways you can find a community of digital nomads, whether you want to be one or already are one! 👩🏼‍💻💛

My blog guide shares the deets about price, location, etc — go check it out and save this reel! ✨

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I’m stoked (read 90% nervous, 10% excited), to share that @slomadstories is officially OUT THERE! 

I actually had the first episode published on April 4th, but was too shy to share about it until now. 

But, as you’ll hear when you tune in... (🥳) this podcast isn’t just about highlighting raw, meaningful stories of adventure by ordinary people who seek an extraordinary life — YES, it’s mostly about that — but the very heart of this podcast is about DOING things despite how much they SCARE you or thrust you into the UNKNOWN.

I’ve always *tried* to live my one very short life by seeking to know, chasing curiosity, and jumping headfirst into the journey. 

— This podcast is simply a new endeavor, a new project that WILL NOT stop whispering at my heart. I’ve been trying to deny this urge, this tug, for so long! The whispers started in 2020 when a person who I thought would become a close friend bailed on the idea to start one together. So I let the idea go, for a while. But then it came back twice as strong in 2022, when I was living as a temporary nomad in Portugal for two months. It was there that I had my podcast cover art designed. That was already 1.5 years ago! 

Life passes us by...

We hear the whispers, we see the project coming to life in our heads, we feel the pull...

But we say no over and over again, and we make very legitimate excuses, until ultimately, the idea, the spark, the magic, fades; it chooses someone else to birth the idea and manifest itself into creation (something I learned reading “Big Magic” by Liz Gilbert, it’s amazing, go read it!). 

I have no idea why I felt the need to start a podcast, it’s not like I am already juggling enough.

But I wanted to, for me.

For you ✨ 

For everyone who ever chased that feeling, that tug. 

Because that?? 

That’s been my life for the last decade. I moved abroad countless times — and stayed — from Nepal to Mexico and beyond, and I would’ve never done ANY of it if I had not listened to the whispers.

This podcast is about continuing in the pursuit of the unknown, seeking more, and taking decisive action.

Welcome to Slomad Stories, & thank you for being here. 🧡

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Bri
MINI GUIDE TO JIUFEN 🏮🇹🇼👇 🍡 Explor MINI GUIDE TO JIUFEN 🏮🇹🇼👇

🍡 Explore Jiufen Old Street and try local street food (The taro balls came highly recommended! We ate giant pork buns, xiao long bao dumplings, and a vegan pork noodle dish!) 

🍵 Visit the iconic A-Mei Tea House for traditional tea ceremony and sweets (a bit touristy, but worth it for the views imo)

🐉 Pick up some of the magic of “Spirited Away” in the shops (there are so many souvenirs and Studio Ghibli themed goods)

⛰️ Hike to the top of Keelung Mountain for a fun and sweaty adventure (go before sunset and go prepared for thousands of steps, lol)

🏮Wander through the narrow alleyways — explore away from Old Street!! 

⛏️ Learn about the town’s history at the Jiufen Gold Mine Museum — you can take night tours for a small fee or organize them through your hotel

🎭 Visit the two-story historic Shengping Theater, an abandoned cinema that provides a glimpse into Jiufen’s past

💦 Explore the nearby Golden Waterfall (10 minute drive)

Most people only come to Jiufen for a couple of hours to stroll through Old Street and take a photo of the teahouse since it evokes the bathhouse in Spirited Away🏮🐉 with its architecture and lanterns. But DON’T make the mistake of coming only for a day!! 

There is so much to do in Jiufen, even though we stayed 2 nights in the town (highly recommend), we wished we had stayed longer. 🥹

Oh yeah, and BRING AN UMBRELLA!! ☔️ Or don’t, the locals will give you one out of the goodness of their hearts (our hosts were the sweetest!!) ❤️

Save this to your Taiwan bucket list, pass this reel along to a friend, anddd check out my blog @bucketlistbri .com for more adventures abroad! 💃

#discovertaiwan #jiufen #spiritedaway #northtaiwan #asiatravel #travelbucketlist #jiufenoldstreet
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