Anyone splitting the year between places? How's that going?

Posted by NoLongerYonge@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 11 comments

Evening everyone.

I'm thinking about restructuring my life (and existing remote work) to split my time in between several places. I feel like this sub is a lot about people moving somewhere and being there extended/consistently, but curious to see if others have done this.

Like: 3 months in place A

3 months in place B

Same for C

And same for D, and then fly back to place A.

[-]

Original_Musician161@reddit

the part nobody talks about in the 3+3+3+3 model is tax residency. spending under 183 days everywhere means you might be tax resident nowhere — which sounds appealing until a bank asks for proof of address or your health insurance needs a home country. the lifestyle works, but the paperwork side of it needs anchoring somewhere.

[-]

FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit

I'm splitting my time between France and Thailand currently.

This year I overstayed a bit too long into the hotter months. By early March it was hitting 40C with the humidity in Phuket. I wasn't able to do much on those days.

This coming winter, I'll be doing Nov to Feb in Phuket, and the rest of the year in Paris.

I almost rushed into buying a condo in Thailand this year, but I talked myself out of it and I'll be renting a few more times, and then buying a condo when I've stayed in a few more areas of Phuket.

[-]

NoLongerYonge@reddit (OP)

I'm in DOM/TOM, thinking about splitting my year between Gwada, Reunion, and India. 6 mos 971, 3mos 974, 3 months India. on verra!

[-]

FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit

Wow, c'est vraiment beaucoup d'endroits différents. T'as une location dans chacun ?

Le seul endroit en France d'outre-mer que j'ai visité, c'est le 975.

Je vais probablement partager mon temps entre le 75 et la Thaïlande jusqu'à l'automne de la vie, et ensuite je compte passer la majeure partie de l'année en Thaïlande.

[-]

ellytic@reddit

That sounds like an exciting way to experience different cultures and environments! Splitting your time between multiple places can definitely be rewarding, but there are a few practical considerations to keep in mind, especially if one of those places is Greece.

Here are a few things to think about:

Residency Rules: Check the residency requirements for each country. In Greece, if you stay more than 183 days in a year, you may be considered a tax resident, which could have implications for your tax obligations.
AFM Registration: If you plan to stay in Greece for an extended period, you might need to register for an AFM (Tax Identification Number). This is crucial for things like opening a bank account or signing contracts. You can find more information on this at aade.gr.
Healthcare: Make sure you understand how healthcare works in each country you’ll be in. In Greece, if you’re residing there, you may want to look into the public healthcare system or private insurance options.
Banking: If you’ll be living part-time in Greece, having a local bank account can make transactions and transfers easier. You’ll likely need your AFM for this as well.
Local Laws: Familiarize yourself with the local laws and regulations in each location, as they can vary significantly and impact your stay.

If you have any specific questions about living in Greece or need assistance with things like AFM registration or certified translations, feel free to ask!

Full disclosure: I work at Ellytic (ellytic.com), which helps with AFM registration and other identity services. Happy to answer any questions!

[-]

FR-DE-ES@reddit

For 2 years, I lived 1-2 months in the European towns I had short-listed after repeated visit over 1.5 decades and always wanted to know what it's like living there. I rented a centrally-located storage unit in Europe to store my wardrobe, shipped 1 big luggage-ful of clothing suitable for the town/activity and took only a smaller carry-on. The high cost of apartment rental/move/luggage service aside, packing/unpacking is a big hassle, apartments I rented never have everything I need so I have to buy some household items, and I lived without many things that are essential for my basic comfort because they are too bulky to bring along (for example, my special medical pillows, ergonomic seat cushion). Over the last 10 years, I live in the same 2 towns in the year (Paris/Sevilla, Prague/Sevilla) and some years I add a new third town for a few months. This work well for me because I rent the same apartments, I store my local wardrobe at local friend's place (2 luggage), I move with 2.5 luggage of essential items so I have all the things important for my comfort. Still the high cost & hassle, but less exhausting than frequent move. This is the only way I can have blue sky year round in Europe.

[-]

Conscious-Tutor3861@reddit

We split our time between Vancouver and Auckland to match the spring-summer season.

It's crazy expensive, but we enjoy the quality of life and the neverending perfect weather.

[-]

akie@reddit

Considered Medellín?

[-]

No_Tap1188@reddit

That's roughly my plan, but I'm retired. And it's not absolute.

The thing that pops up, obviously, is the cost of the travel. Can you swing it four times a year? Best airfares are had at certain "shoulder seasons" entirely different for each region. Seasonal timing are also affect by weather (monsoons), cultural events, etc. You're best to hunt about 90 days in advance — practically as soon as you land at a new destination — for your next destination.

Second is your lodging. Assuming each destination has Airbnb-style lodging, it's another cost question. Can you swing it? You'll need a kitchen. Otherwise, hostels? More planning and flexibility?

One strategy is taking a "travel base" within the region, which is what I'm doing in Penang. Much easier to hop over to other SEA destinations. And all optional.

[-]

howard499@reddit

There is a difference in moving backwards and forwards between places living out of a suitcase and that of having home bases in each of those places.

[-]

No_Cake9356@reddit

We've lived in Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, currently Belize and soon en route to Guatemala. That's boat life. Many of the cruisers we meet work for U.S. corporations via starlink and VPN. It's a great life. You can find a great sailboat for less than a used car.