It is 2003, again!

Sounds like a plan.  If I live in the US, may be a place to check out.  (I have US relatives that can get me in if need be.  I'm Canadian, but spent much time in some parts of the US.  So, I know US very well.)   I wasn't sure which would be best to live?  Carolinas, Texas, or some other place.  Balanced by decent amount of jobs with affordable rents and housing.  Maybe southern cities like Nashville or elsewhere?

Finding a city in the US really is a balancing act. Rent in bigger cities is insane but you have access to a lot more stuff, whereas I knew a guy that lived a few miles outside the small city where I went to college in IL who rented a whole house for 200 a month. Overall I feel like smaller cities are definitely the places to look, preferably older ones with a nice "historic" downtown, although Covid probably delivered a death blow to most of those.

The places with higher rent prices have higher salaries. Much higher. (If you have an in demand job skill.)

The difference is the massive amounts of money paid into teacher pensions in the West.

There is something known as the “pensions time bomb” which basically means because of demographics there will be too many old people and retirement age will be pushed up and up.

As teflers we can buy property outright in our home countries and get agents to look after things and give ourselves a source of rental income.

Teacher unions in the West are very powerful.

Meaning teachers will continue to retire at age 52, receiving $50k+ a year until the day they die.

That’s well over a million dollars.

Teacher unions in the West are very powerful.

Meaning teachers will continue to retire at age 52, receiving $50k+ a year until the day they die.

That’s well over a million dollars.

When you say "the West", you mean the USA

Certain states in the USA

If someone is willing and able to move from the USA to South Korea surely a move from one state to another would be doable.

If someone is willing and able to move from the USA to South Korea surely a move from one state to another would be doable.

i think you missed our points

Did I? We were talking about America then three Brits popped in with whataboutisms / semantic nitpicking.

Brits: “America is terrible. British media told me so.”
Canadians: “The US is terrible. Canadian media told me so.”

I'm not sure I've ever seen Canadian media pointing out that the US is terrible. If it happens, it's a pretty rare thing.
I mean, we often point out how awesome Canada is to one another, but rarely out and out talk smack about our neighbour to the south. That wouldn't be nice.

Did I? We were talking about America then three Brits popped in with whataboutisms / semantic nitpicking.

Brits: “America is terrible. British media told me so.”
Canadians: “The US is terrible. Canadian media told me so.”

you keep referring to "the west" when you mean certain places within the USA. also, who's saying the US is terrible here?

Brits, Canadians, and Saffers seem to be experts on all things wrong with the United States, more so than problems in their own countries. Seem to be speaking on that more without having a deep, accurate, or nuanced enough understanding. (Or maybe that’s just my perception. And it’s some, not all.) I mean, how many Americans tell Brits, Canadians, or Saffers their country sucks. They don’t speak on it at all for the most part. Which doesn’t mean people of those nationalities have superior countries to the US though they may interpret that as this. I see so many threads started by non-Americans ragging on Americans but never the other way around. (As a new thread topic I mean. Yes, I respond.) Let’s just say going out of one’s way to insult another nationality is in poor taste. And that includes throwing shade at Americans. And ... what I wrote above was probably not so good. I’m gonna step away from posting for a bit.

you keep referring to "the west" when you mean certain places within the USA.

Just certain places? No, the USA overall as a whole (though there are rare exceptions I guess).

American teachers get a benefit package that is 100.6% of their salary.

Meaning whatever the wage is, double it to get the total remuneration.

But, yeah, that’s average. So some less some more. But it’s a hell of a lot of money.

What are teacher pensions in the West for each country? Canadians I know get A LOT. Americans I know get a lot. I don’t personally know teachers from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, etc., but I’d imagine it’d be a lot. Pretty substantial. Imagine getting money year after years for 30+ years straight.

yeah dude and teachers in america might have to get to carry guns soon, too!

Schools have one policeman per school. (At least some do.)

The USA has a homicide rate below the world average (and is dropping).

Murders are statistically rare.

As an American, do you know anyone who was murdered? I don’t. Do you know anyone who knows anyone who was murdered? I don’t.

Do you know anyone who knows someone who was killed on 9/11? I do. Several. (So I guess that is murdered.) But even events like these are uncommon. Extremely unlikely to happen (thanks to the fight against terrorism). Most people aren’t murderers. Most people aren’t terrorists. And if they are, technology (which is getting better and better each year) can catch them quickly.

The places with higher rent prices have higher salaries. Much higher. (If you have an in demand job skill.)

In all but 1% of cases (see what I did there?) the salary increase does not outpace the absurd cost of living.

Americans are saving more money. Bankruptcy filings are going down. Inflation is low. Wages are going up.

A rising tide lifts all boats. To say it’s only the upper one percent who benefit is hyperbole.

As an American, do you know anyone who was murdered?

i do