For less than a month’s rent in her hometown of Vancouver, Lydia Lee is having a second storey built onto the villa she rents on the tropical island of Bali. 
Relocating to Indonesia seven years ago has meant she’s been able to build her business and afford a much more lavish lifestyle than she could at home. A life coach, Lee can now eat out every day, employ a cleaner and get weekly massages. 
She ditched her six-figure salary in marketing and business development and now works for herself and travels the world. But relocating overseas doesn’t always work out so well financially. 
Financial shocks
Not all expats find they can afford to live the high-life. InterNations, a networking resource for expats, recently surveyed more than 12,500 people living in 188 countries or territories and the picture the data paint of their finances is remarkably diverse.