Juliette Smith

Consider this: a T-bone steak from a Manhattan grocer averages $15.52. In Harlingen, Texas, the cheapest place to live in America, the same steak goes for $8.34.

If you are going off the grid, or even if you are already off the grid and wanting to trade down to somewhere more affordable – this article is for you.

There are numerous dimensions to measure cost of living, and most places that score low on some measures score high on others. The most obvious is property; more sophisticated is the ratio of earnings to property. Then there is the cost of a basket of household products

We followed the AARP (association of retired people) whose magazine based their list on the price of property, and the taxes levied on state benefits such as pension and social security:…

IN REVERSE ORDER

Kiev, Ukraine

As Eastern Europe’s crucial center for industrial, educational, scientific and cultural development; Kiev boasts of a diverse means of economic sustenance since it doesn’t depend on just one industry. Although it is a middle income city and poverty is evident in other parts of the country; Kiev virtually has nonexistent slums which is pretty good for such an inexpensive place to live.

Bogota, Colombia

Bogotá is the most populous city in Colombia with 7.3m inhabitants as of 2010. Because of its numerous universities and libraries, Bogota became known as “The Athens of South America”.…