In a bid to rebuild its economy, the Thai government has announced it will grant Australian retirees a 10-year visa to relocate – and for a fraction of the price that it would cost on home soil.
Similarly, Indonesia’s Second Home Visa program – offering foreigners a five- or 10-year permit to live – comes into effect next month.
For some Australians fed up with cost-of-living woes, the timing couldn’t be better.
“I decided to move to Thailand because I can buy a property here for about a third of the price,” Australian retiree David Astley said.
Astley is now settled in a three-bedroom home, which he says cost him only $270,000.
“I pay less than $2 (here) for a flat white … I pay about $4 for lunch,” Astley said.
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The Indonesiam government is also welcoming “foreigners with open arms”, founder of the Indonesian Institute Ross Taylor said.
“We’re getting more and more inquiries of people wanting to come, not just to retire but to come here and set up a business and have a lifestyle,” Liam Hayes of the Indonesia Institute said.
Under the Second Home Visa scheme, Australians will need proof of at least two billion rupiahs, which is equivalent to around $200,000.
The new visa will also make it easier for residents to return home to Australia without the need for yearly renewals.
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