Real Costs. Honest Voices. Smarter Moves.
Welcome to Expats Adrift, a practical guide to the realities of moving and living abroad—built on my 20+ years of global experience, but powered by the stories of many.
This site is the sister project to A Little Adrift, a personal travel blog I, Shannon O’Donnell, launched back in 2008 when I sold everything to travel the world. That journey brought me to over 70 countries, living long-term in places like Thailand, Mexico, and Spain.
Over the years, A Little Adrift became a trusted resource for solo travelers, digital nomads, and families exploring life outside their home country.
But as the questions I received shifted—from “where should I travel?” to “where can I live well?”—it was time to grow beyond my own story.
Why Expats Adrift Exists
Expats Adrift focuses on a specific need: helping people figure out where they can thrive abroad—financially, emotionally, and practically.
This isn’t just a personal blog.
While I still draw on my own experiences living in places from Asia to Central America to Mexico, this site goes beyond my voice. You’ll find:
- 📊 Real cost of living breakdowns, from locals and expats who live there now
- 🤝 Collaborative insights from a growing network of contributors
- 📌 Practical guides to finding rentals, securing visas, and navigating healthcare abroad
- 🔍 Comparisons and data, not hype—we care about nuance, not just what’s trending
What Makes This Different
There’s no shortage of glossy listicles about the “cheapest places to live”—but most lack context, transparency, or on-the-ground truth.
At Expats Adrift, we aim to fix that.
This site is:
- ✨ Collaborative: featuring insights from diverse expats with different budgets, family setups, and values
- 💬 Grounded: transparent about trade-offs, not just highlights
- 📚 Helpful: organized by country, cost, and visa types so you can easily find what matters to you
Who This Site Is For
You’ll feel at home here if you’re:
- Researching a long-term move abroad
- A digital nomad, remote worker, or early retiree figuring out where to land
- Seeking cost transparency before uprooting your life
- Looking for others like you—people balancing wanderlust with stability
👋 About the Founder
Expats Adrift was created by Shannon O’Donnell, an award-winning travel writer, SEO strategist, and longtime expat. She launched her original site, A Little Adrift, in 2008 after setting off on what became a life-changing journey around the world. That site grew into one of the early pillars of responsible travel blogging, earning recognition in National Geographic, Forbes, USA Today, BBC Travel, and NPR, among others.
Over the past 15+ years, Shannon has lived in places like Thailand, Guatemala, and Spain, all while helping Fortune 500 companies and global media brands grow their audiences through search. She’s also the author of The Volunteer Traveler’s Handbook and was named a National Geographic Traveler of the Year for her advocacy in ethical volunteering and storytelling.
With Expats Adrift, Shannon brings that same thoughtful, honest approach to the realities of life abroad—but this time, with a focus on collaboration. Her goal? To create a trusted space where expats, nomads, and families can learn from one another and make smarter decisions about where and how to live well abroad.
Follow Shannon: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | A Little Adrift | Grassroots Volunteering
Want to Contribute?
We’re always looking to feature local voices and grounded perspectives. If you’re living abroad and want to share what you’ve learned—from budgeting to schooling to healthcare—reach out here or drop a note via the contact page.