Living like a King intuitively means spending like one. But in these hard economic times, even flamboyance is seeking some economy. There are places on this earth where a $100,000 paycheck is as good as nothing but in other places, as little as $5,000 positions you among the elites.

Are these places real?

Yes they are! And better yet, they exist right here on this planet of ours, earth. Well, most of these spots don’t reside in the same country (so some citizenship changes might be required) but who cares? The promise of spending like a peasant for the life of a King is too good!

These spots are gradually becoming preferred residence for retirees and individuals who simply don’t want to live on a tight budget. In all of these “cheap spots”, life can go as low as $900 per month, not in a single bedroom shanty house with coffee and bread for your everyday meal, but a fully furnished apartment with possibly house help and a good car to treat yourself to a road trip with.

Hitherto, these places on earth where extravagance is so cheap were a secret held close by very few. But not anymore: we have a list of 20 of these places where your Kingship will not require absolute surrender of your finances.

20. Thailand

So, it turns out that the government of Thailand is offering wealthy foreign citizens “elite” residency visas. And for how much you may ask? $60,000 for 20 years!

In an effort to promote tourism and immigration, the Thai government has seen it fit to roll out this program aimed at retirees. The base expenditure per year is $3000, with this little money giving you full housing, 24 spa and golf trips, VIP access to government agencies dealing with immigration, driving licenses and work permits and access to Thailand’s prestigious private hospitals for annual health checkups.

Could the deal get any better than this? It’s probably high time you started applying for these visas before they run out.

19. Spain

The Spanish know how to live life to the fullest and in the cheapest ways possible. Spain is amongst the cheapest countries to live in Europe. But what specifically attracts westerners to Spain is the extremely cheap healthcare. Surely when you are aging, and getting medical attention is a more serious issue, cheap medical care is a highly preferred option.

Apart from the cheap doctor services, living lavishly in Spain would only require you to spend no more than $1000 per month. So where do you take the extra money? Luxury! Since the famed super car Lamborghini has its roots here, maybe the couple of thousands of pennies left can be used to hire one for a day or two.

18. Nicaragua

This country may be among the poorest in the Western Hemisphere but that doesn’t mean it cannot afford some luxuries – at very cheap costs.

To live like a King in Nicaragua is possible with less than $1000 a month. According to InternationalLiving.com, Nicaragua can offer good housing, electricity, gas and even house help who reports three times a week, under $1000.

What contributes to this cheap lifestyle is the cheap economy thus low cost of living in this country. As per the analysts in InternationalLiving.com, this low cost of living is sufficient to support a lavish life with not so deep pockets.

17. Columbus, Ohio

The city of Columbus offers one of the cheapest costs of living you can get in the USA. Known as the largest city of the state of Ohio, Columbus has been ranked by job hunting site Glassdoor as one of the cities where the average pay you get is able to sustain a proper lifestyle.

As per Glassdoor’s findings, most house prices within the city of Columbus are not far from the value of the average pay of a worker within the city. The median base salary as per the findings is a satisfying $57,000, with the median home value falling at $154,600. The number of open jobs within the city is also well beyond 30,000.

Though you may not exactly live like a Saudi Prince, the city of Columbus definitely allows for a proper lifestyle, with a couple of pennies to spare.

16. Cuenca, Ecuador

InternationalLiving.com named Cuenca as the best place to retire on earth. This is quite a huge call, but not a wrong one. Cuenca has been described as a favorite spot for settlement by many new retirees. The sceneries themselves are breathtaking, embodying some lushes of green and architectural masterpieces.

But it’s the pocket matters that make this place to really tick among retirees. For just $1,415 a month, you can get a lavish two bedroom apartment, a maid, food, auto maintenance and fuel, entertainment, clothing and healthcare for two people. Furthermore, the residents enjoy half-priced air price, and to top it all up, the ambient temperatures of about 60 degrees makes living in this place a perfect heaven on earth.

15. San Jose, Costa Rica

The tropical country of Costa Rica is slowly gaining fame for its ultra cheap housing. According to RetireInCostaRica.net, the real estate sector is booming and this means crazy discounts for all new home owners. What’s better, the government itself has stepped in and is offering substantial tax breaks for all new home owners.

The best place to exactly be in Costa Rica is San Jose. Most retirees interested in living cheaply and running their own businesses are heading over to San Jose because of a couple of reasons. One, the government has offered what it calls “free zones”, where companies dealing with imports/exports are 100% exempted from tax.

And what’s better?

All retirement incomes in Costa Rica are exempted from tax and with only $1,500 a month, you can maintain a very proper lifestyle.

14. Belize

Belize not only attracts tourists, but low budget spenders who are in the search for a Kingly life. This place is filled with lots of tourist attractions, ranging from beautiful natural sceneries and amazing beaches to breathtaking scuba diving spots.

But these luxuries are not only available to the high spending tourist alone. Living comfortably in Belize will require nothing more than $800 to $900 a month. For this low a budget, you get a lavish apartment, good food, health care services and some good change to spare. The extra change will sure be big enough to award you a nice trip round the exquisite tourist attractions.

13. Malaysia

Malaysia is another country where tourists flock each and every year to have fun and enjoy the beauty the country beholds. But most of these tourists would have sought permanent residency had they known how cheap life in Malaysia can be.

For as low as $1000 a month, you can enjoy an upper middle class life but if you can afford $1000 extra, a luxurious life is very accessible. According to InternationalLiving.com, a bagful of fresh fruit including oranges, mangoes, pineapple, bananas and apples costs nothing more than $4. A very decent meal out with your better half (or potential better half) will only require you to let go of a mere $10.

The love for high speed internet is also not compromised, as reliable high speed internet can be obtained for as low as $30 a month, with a cable TV subscription requiring not more than $40 from your pocket.

12. Vienna, Austria

Living in Vienna is heavenly for anyone seeking to cut on the economy strains, but is rather willing to take on the chilling weather. Vienna is known for its winter-haven, a time when every single piece of landscape is covered in snow.

This period is particularly loved by Austrians, as the massive snow cover provides great and uncountable skiing spots. But even as the snow resides, and spring, autumn and summer kick in, the endless Alps, numerous fishing rivers and lakes keep inhabitants, active, entertained and overwhelmed with choices on where to go to kick-back and relax.

Clearly, there are a lot of fun things to do in Vienna, but all these need money. Well, here’s the good news.

Austria, Vienna’s motherland, has been ranked by bestplacesretire.com as the cheapest country to live in Europe. And what’s better? The government of Austria, even after EU’s attempted intervention, offers foreigners secret accounts that exempt them from tax. Talk about a living Haven!

11. Slovakia

Welcome to one of the states that used to be a member of the now defunct Soviet Union. Slovakia has held its heritage not just by the records in history books but in the live records held by the country itself.

The country still holds dear its architectural masterpieces, still boasting of its iconic castles and a rich, unforgotten culture.

The culture and architectural masterpieces may be impressive, but that’s for a tourist. The metrics of interest for anyone who is interested to live there is the cost of living. And the news from that side is quite encouraging.

With about $800, you can rent a sleek apartment in Slovakia and cover all expenses needed to ensure you live comfortably.

10. Turkey

Living in Turkey is close to the cheapest living you can get anywhere else on the globe. To start with, the real estate sector is booming which consequently means housing is cheaper. Particularly if you live in the USA, these figures might be impressive.

A good looking apartment costs a mere $40,000 in Turkey. And what’s better? This country is a Mediterranean heaven. So spending your extra change on a few luxuries, especially on local tourism is a great pastime. You can spend a weekend boat riding on one of their massive water bodies or probably visit one of their local towns for a tour, just because you have the change to do so.

9. Merida, Mexico

Mexico has for long had a soft spot for most retirees, and this specific soft spot is Merida. Merida is famed for not only its culture but also cheap housing. A nice apartment will only take you back $500 a month and the healthcare is very inexpensive, all thanks to the numerous government subsidies covering that sector.

The only drawback of Merida is that summer almost turns it into a desert – with temperatures shooting higher than it would on a normal American summer. But who really cares? There are numerous beaches, walking or short driving distances away from the residential apartments. Better still, the climate turns to “paradise” once the summer falls away.

The Merida culture is also accustomed to providing free services and entertainment. This means that it is easy to find free dances, free arts show or a free concert, any time of the week.

8. Cape Town, South Africa

The land of Nelson Mandela also happens to be one of the cheapest to live in. Cape Town was recently given a five star rating at eOpinions.com for its averagely low cost of living. Most retirees are flocking to this city to rest themselves after years of labor, with the city treating them to a mixed but ample weather, cheap living and cheap housing.

Rent in a good apartment varies between $300 and $700 per month. The country’s economy itself is strong, with the South African Rand pitching against the dollar with small differences. The best part is that real estate business is exploding within the Cape Town region, thus housing is progressively getting cheaper. With a few thousand dollars, luxurious living is very much feasible.

7. Coronado, Panama

Panama is a retirement haven for most retirees, and Coronado is where these retirees love to spend the rest of their golden years enjoying life. Coronado is famed for its peaceful environment, great climate and elder friendly culture.

According to MSN money, despite its lack of large scale urbanization, Coronado is a favorite of most people seeking quite and lavish retirement due to the Karaoke bars, golf tournaments, country clubs and miles of pristine beach that cater for the lack of a multitude of big cities.

Housing on the other hand has been categorized as very cheap. A fully furnished house in Coronado will set you back only $185,000. Apart from the cheap real estate, the healthcare system within this city is also cheap. Consulting an English Speaking doctor will only cost $35. The government itself is so generous to foreigners, that it exempts foreign income from tax.

6. Calitri, Italy

This is the unspoiled side of Italy. Calitri is known for its historic classic buildings, delicious food and fine wine. Real estate in this historic town is surprisingly cheap. For as low as $15,000, you can get an un-restored apartment, with a complete kitchen and bathroom accommodations. Top up the value to $42,000, and you can purchase a classic un-restored home.

The most expensive house is the restored modern Calitri home, a luxurious home that goes for a mere $64,000. Now that is very affordable isn’t it?

To help you channel your extra funds well in this cheap town, lush green fields and forests surround this town, offering a place to wander off and explore the beauties of the land. And the government has a little trick of its own, designed to keep you stuck in the town forever. If you happen to acquire European citizenship as part of your move to Calitri, you will be eligible for free healthcare, provided by the government. The little twist here though is that some strategic marrying may be needed to have this effectively done.

5. Montevideo, Uruguay

Uruguay has been described as having one of the most seductive sceneries and most friendly people in the world. Its lack of extreme development as the western world is what drives many people to this country, and specifically the city of Montevideo.

Montevideo is crowded with fine restaurants, colorful markets and a very unique cultural scene. The communication services are excellent and the town is filled up with lots of shopping centers.

What’s more fun is the fact that all these come at very little cost. EscapeArtist.com named Montevideo, according to its poll, as the cheapest place to live in this world. Talk of plenty to do with much to spare.

4. Colombia

Living in Colombia lavishly does not require you to have pockets deeper than a multinational company CEO. Colombia’s living standards are so low that $650 a month is more than enough to maintain a decent lifestyle. The extra change that you get gets other uses within the country itself.

Famed for its majestic beauty, Colombia plays host to many exciting natural features such as majestic islands, water bodies, natural parks and amusement parks. The weather, on top of all these, is nothing other than perfect. Most people who want a life full of fun, but with a peasant’s budget to spare head to Colombia.

3. Portugal

If you are looking for good wine, good beaches and very friendly people, all at no King’s cost, then Portugal is the right place to be. This country is filled with lots of sceneries and historical heritage that surely require a visit. Coupled with the good weather, Portugal offers a lot on its table. Enjoying all these niceties however, won’t leave you bankrupt.

Its city of Lisbon is crowded with hotels that charge very cheaply per night. The average cost of living itself is very low and living in very comfortable rentals does not require a major heist. This is among the preferred residence and tourism countries by foreigners.

2. Fiji

Fiji is a blessed land with iconic sceneries, beautiful beaches and a whole load of different places to go to and visit. Practically, it is the ideal place for a tourist – but more ideal for a permanent resident.

Living in Fiji will require only $25 per day out of your pocket. Yes, it is that cheap. The 25 dollars is enough to keep you lavishly comfortable. What makes this small budget have so big of an impact, is the low cost of living in this country. Finding cheap eateries is not as daunting as finding a needle hid in a haystack as they are spread out everywhere. Accommodation is likewise not an issue as houses can be found at very cheap monthly rates.

The best part is, with all the change to spare and lots to see, you can never get bored in this place.

1. Vietnam

Vietnam is a land of friendly people and pristine waters. But above all, it is a land very friendly to the pocket. For as low as $50, you can spend a whole day pretty well in cities like Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh.

Doing what exactly you may ask?

Vietnam has numerous of exciting places to tour, and several large rivers to take a boat ride through. And it gets more exciting.

A rental in Vietnam will cost you about $20 a night and filling your tummy won’t hurt your pocket as a very decent meal goes for as low as $10 per person.