How Much It Costs To Live in 15 COVID-Free Countries

If you’ve about had it with COVID-19, there are some places where you could go to escape it. There remain a dozen countries that still have yet to record a single case. However, a quick perusal of that list will show that it mostly contains very small, remote island nations — such as the Federated States of Micronesia — or places where you might have every reason to doubt the counts released by the government. (Say, North Korea, as an example.) There’s an important difference between being a country that simply hasn’t encountered the coronavirus yet and a country where a strong health system has confronted and largely overcome the threat.

That’s why GOBankingRates compiled a list of the countries — beyond the dozen where COVID-19 either has yet to reach or the statistics seem questionable — where the virus effectively has been limited. Taking data on the number of new cases per million people in the first 10 days of August, the study shows which places are confronting the virus most effectively. And just in case you might consider moving to one of these locales — even a temporary relocation could make sense — there’s information on the basic cost of living to help you see whether there’s a country within your budget or even well below it.

So which nations have shown the ability to keep their citizens the safest from this threat? Here’s a closer look at the countries closest to achieving a return to normal.

This small island off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean has had a total of 344 cases with no new ones in August, so it could be among the safest places in the world now in terms of the pandemic. If you have a decent savings account, your funds should last a while as living expenses are less than $700 a month, but earning a living there might be harder. The island relies heavily on tourism, which has taken a serious blow from the COVID-19 crisis. The country also is coping with the aftermath of a recent oil spill.

• Population: 1.27 million
• Total cases: 344
• Total deaths: 10
• New cases in August: 0
• Cases per million people in August: 0.00

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $287.41
• Cost of groceries: $264.71
• Cost of public transportation: $25.09
• Cost of utilities: $91.75
• Total monthly expenditures: $668.96

A Caribbean island located north of Barbados, Saint Lucia could provide you with a gorgeous and safe place to wait out the pandemic. Saint Lucia doesn’t have a serious issue with the coronavirus at the moment, and you could get by on about $1,000 a month — all on a beautiful, sunny island paradise.

• Population: 182,790
• Total cases: 25
• Total deaths: 0
• New cases in August: 0
• Cases per million people in August: 0.00

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $366.32
• Cost of groceries: $371.85
• Cost of public transportation: $148.01
• Cost of utilities: $144.08
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,030.26

Taiwan is off the coast of China, where the virus originated, so it shouldn’t be taken for granted how much success the nation has had in limiting its spread. In a country of nearly 24 million people, there were a mere 13 new cases recorded in early August. All this in a place of considerable cultural and culinary renown where you can live on less than $1,000 a month.

• Population: 23.6 million
• Total cases: 480
• Total deaths: 7
• New cases in August: 13
• Cases per million people in August: 0.55

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $396.24
• Cost of groceries: $383.73
• Cost of public transportation: $43.51
• Cost of utilities: $99.56
• Total monthly expenditures: $923.04

Once again, Thailand’s proximity to the place the virus originated should say a lot about just how effectively the government has limited the outbreak. This nation long has been a destination spot for tourists, but living there should cost you a little over $750 a month while reducing the risk posed to you by the virus considerably.

• Population: 69.63 million
• Total cases: 3,351
• Total deaths: 58
• New cases in August: 41
• Cases per million people in August: 0.59

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $381.76
• Cost of groceries: $237.42
• Cost of public transportation: $38.62
• Cost of utilities: $103.49
• Total monthly expenditures: $761.29

While it shouldn’t be overlooked that a lack of transparency early on by Chinese officials could well have exacerbated the pandemic’s spread internationally, the government there has done an excellent job of fighting the virus. The world’s most populous nation had just 1,314 new cases in early August. So no matter how many people might try to label this the “Wuhan Virus,” the numbers indicate that nations across the globe could learn a lot about best practices in public health policy from China.

• Population: 1.4 billion
• Total cases: 89,270
• Total deaths: 4,693
• New cases in August: 1,314
• Cases per million people in August: 0.94

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $391.39
• Cost of groceries: $215.36
• Cost of public transportation: $21.57
• Cost of utilities: $66.63
• Total monthly expenditures: $694.95

If you’ve longed to travel to New Zealand one day to take in the stunning scenery employed in director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the timing might be better now than ever. You would have the additional benefit of being far safer from the coronavirus there than you would be in most of America.

• Population: 4.92 million
• Total cases: 1,219
• Total deaths: 22
• New cases in August: 9
• Cases per million people in August: 1.83

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $954.89
• Cost of groceries: $282.40
• Cost of public transportation: $105.97
• Cost of utilities: $172.92
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,516.18

Long known for its astonishing beauty, this Southeast Asian nation is among the countries showing the rest of the world how to deal with the spread of infectious disease. But, wait and watch a bit before packing your bags. The country saw just 332 new cases in early August — microscopic when you consider nearly 100 million people live in Vietnam — but that represents a huge portion of 841 total cases registered there. So while Vietnam has done well fighting the virus, that recent uptick could prove a troubling sign.

• Population: 96.46 million
• Total cases: 841
• Total deaths: 13
• New cases in August: 332
• Cases per million people in August: 3.44

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $354.57
• Cost of groceries: $200.23
• Cost of public transportation: $7.77
• Cost of utilities: $78.71
• Total monthly expenditures: $641.28

This desert nation has a rich cultural history, including the ruins of the legendary trading city of Petra. And living there, at present, provides more than just a chance to connect with the past. Jordan has done an impressive job in limiting the spread of the virus, and the cost of living there should work out to well under $750 a month.

• Population: 10.1 million
• Total cases: 1,252
• Total deaths: 11
• New cases in August: 61
• Cases per million people in August: 6.04

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $295.61
• Cost of groceries: $189.31
• Cost of public transportation: $56.42
• Cost of utilities: $124.38
• Total monthly expenditures: $665.72

South Korea’s efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus within its borders have been a model for the rest of the world since the earliest stages of the outbreak — with its success in mass testing receiving particular praise. With expenses projected to run less than $1,250 a month, in South Korea you could find yourself staying safe from the coronavirus, saving money and indulging your appetite for K-pop all in one go.

• Population: 51.71 million
• Total cases: 14,626
• Total deaths: 305
• New cases in August: 321
• Cases per million people in August: 6.21

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $487.04
• Cost of groceries: $497.33
• Cost of public transportation: $46.44
• Cost of utilities: $171.09
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,201.90

Rwanda is a central African nation filled with diverse natural settings and wildlife, known as the “land of a thousand hills.” And living there now offers a unique chance to protect yourself from COVID-19 as the nation of more than 12 million people had fewer than 150 new cases in early August. Not to mention, with a cost of living at around $600 a month, you could end up saving some real money in the process.

• Population: 12.63 million
• Total cases: 2,140
• Total deaths: 7
• New cases in August: 146
• Cases per million people in August: 11.56

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $339.50
• Cost of groceries: $147.32
• Cost of public transportation: $15.55
• Cost of utilities: $106.07
• Total monthly expenditures: $608.44

Hungary and its beautiful capital city of Budapest long have been one of the favored places to take in the beauty of the Danube River. And at present, the country could provide an oasis for escaping from COVID-19 as well as high prices — the cost of living there comes to just over $750 a month.

• Population: 9.77 million
• Total cases: 4,696
• Total deaths: 602
• New cases in August: 191
• Cases per million people in August: 19.55

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $379.46
• Cost of groceries: $174.59
• Cost of public transportation: $32.24
• Cost of utilities: $184.16
• Total monthly expenditures: $770.45

Norway is among those Scandinavian nations where excellent governance (and high taxes) are the norm. However, while neighboring Sweden went with a failed attempt at developing herd immunity early on, Norway has kept a lid on the spread of the virus much more effectively. Living there wouldn’t save you much money, though. With average expenses of more than $1,800 a month, it’s the most expensive of the countries listed here.

• Population: 5.35 million
• Total cases: 9,468
• Total deaths: 256
• New cases in August: 296
• Cases per million people in August: 55.35

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $1,025.42
• Cost of groceries: $457.57
• Cost of public transportation: $83.31
• Cost of utilities: $239.33
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,805.63

Italy got a lot of negative press early on in the pandemic for the rapid spread of the coronavirus there and the tally of more than 250,000 total cases. However, the country has made significant strides in battling COVID-19 as new cases in early August were notably low for Italy’s size.

• Population: 60.3 million
• Total cases: 250,566
• Total deaths: 35,205
• New cases in August: 3,408
• Cases per million people in August: 56.52

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $631.55
• Cost of groceries: $314.83
• Cost of public transportation: $41
• Cost of utilities: $217.01
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,204.39

This Baltic nation could provide a good option for saving money and preserving your health. It has done an impressive job at limiting coronavirus from the start, with just over 2,100 total cases there. Throw in a cost of living that works out to less than $1,000 a month, and living in Northern Europe could start to sound a lot more appealing.

• Population: 1.33 million
• Total cases: 2,152
• Total deaths: 63
• New cases in August: 101
• Cases per million people in August: 76.14

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $452.53
• Cost of groceries: $202.54
• Cost of public transportation: $26.94
• Cost of utilities: $229.99
• Total monthly expenditures: $912

Denmark is well-known for its impressive social safety net and sky-high income taxes, but that emphasis on quality governance might have paid off here. New cases of coronavirus in early August would seem to show that Denmark is a place where health officials have acted effectively in stemming the virus. Just don’t think living in Denmark would provide a great opportunity to save money. It follows only Norway in terms of the cost of living.

• Population: 5.82 million
• Total cases: 14,442
• Total deaths: 617
• New cases in August: 717
• Cases per million people in August: 123.23

• Cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $950.54
• Cost of groceries: $349.75
• Cost of public transportation: $66.06
• Cost of utilities: $244.32
• Total monthly expenditures: $1,610.67