9. Paraguay

If you dream of disappearing off the face of the earth, Paraguay might be the place for you. Not many people know anything about it, despite being bordered by Argentina and Brazil. Chances are high that Paraguayans know about you, though. The country has a literacy rate higher than the United States. It’s a beautiful place with friendly people, vast scenic vistas, and low cost of living.

Since it is so obscure, the demand for immigration is low and the bar for acceptance is, too. You will be required to deposit an amount of money into a Paraguayan bank that equals roughly 35x the monthly minimum wage. It sounds like a lot, but it comes out to only about $4,500-$5,500 USD. That’s all it takes to live in Paraguay indefinitely, and after three years you can apply for citizenship.

10. Panama

Panama is an independent nation in Central America with a beachy landscape and a lot of English speakers. (The US dollar is its currency.) Some of the best coffee in the world is grown there. It’s a country that is considered safe and well developed, which also makes it pretty attractive to retirees.

Panama’s retiree visa requires a monthly income of $1,000. If you’re not old enough to retire, a $5,000 deposit in a Panamanian bank gets you in the door for permanent residency. If you happen to hail from one of 50 countries that are friendly to Panama, a few of which are the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Austria, you are eligible for a Friendly Nations visa. However, you will eventually need a job to become a citizen.

Ready to go? The bar for permanent residency in any of these countries is set pretty low, so with some planning and maybe a bit of saving, you could be drinking beer in Belgium or sipping cocktails on the beach in Costa Rica before you know it.

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