The 29-year-old man left the US to live in Budapest, earning $ 120,000 a year

Francis Nayan, 29 years old, is a copywriter, author and digital nomad, a term for people who are constantly on the move, regardless of their traditional workplace, but work completely or most of the time through technological devices.

In 2014, Nayan experienced an event that woke him up and changed the rest of his life: He survived an opioid overdose that ended up in the intensive care unit. The near-death experience made Nayan realize how lucky he was to be alive. “I went back to my hometown in Memphis to live for a while to recover my health and regain my spirit. When I felt more stable, I began to calculate the next step,” Nayan recounts.

Nayan’s friends know that he has always wanted to live abroad, so they suggested that the 29-year-old consider joining a teaching job abroad. In 2015, he enrolled in an online learning program to get his TEFL English teaching certificate. He applied to 50 schools and was accepted to teach at a school in Barcelona, ​​Spain. Nayan taught there for a year before transferring to another school in Budapest, Hungary.

“Two years in Budapest, I started to get bored of teaching and wanted to do something new. That’s when I decided to start my career as a freelance copywriter,” Nayan said. Tired of teaching, Nayan still finds life in Budapest interesting. The 29-year-old has considered this as his home for the past 6 years.

The journey to settle down and establish a business in a faraway place

After his teaching contract in Budapest ended, Nayan returned to Memphis to continue his copywriting work. As soon as he built a steady client base, he returned to Hungary on a short-term tourist visa.

To live and work permanently in this country, you must apply for a Residence Permit to pursue earning work. The visa process was a bit tricky, so Nayan contacted a small group of immigration consultants he found through the Hungarian Expats Facebook group. With $1,000, they translated and guided Nayan with the necessary procedures, and provided an introduction when he submitted his application. After 3 months of waiting, Nayan’s application was approved.

Currently, the average income of this 29-year-old guy in Hungary is 10,000 USD per month. In addition to copywriting, Nayan also sells e-books and advises people on how to become a digital nomad abroad.

Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and also a place where the cost of living is very cheap compared to in the US. While the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in New York City is $4,265/month, Nayan costs just $800 per month to rent an apartment of nearly 100 square meters, two floors and a terrace, within walking distance. to cafes, restaurants, bars and some of the city’s most popular attractions.

To save money, Nayan mostly cooks at home and eats out only 2-3 times a week. Because of his moderate monthly expenses, Nayan still has enough money to travel whenever he wants. Over the past few months, the 29-year-old has visited Portugal, Greece and even visited family in Memphis.

He also saves about 20% of his monthly income for long-term goals like retirement and buying a home. Nayan uses the Truebill app to track her spending and sign up for automatic transfers to her savings account.

Best decision of life

At 29, Nayan said he won’t be returning to the US anytime soon. “One thing I like is that there are a lot of cities in Europe that have a moderate standard of living. Not to mention, traveling to neighboring countries is quite easy and inexpensive,” Nayan shared.

“Living abroad has taught me to be more independent and open to different cultures, religions and lifestyles. I learned many languages ​​and am grateful to the people I have made friends all over the world,” he said.

According to Thach Lam