There’s a new class of workers taking advantage of the best-of-both worlds: holding down a fully remote U.S. Job, while still being able to travel the world. It’s a dream that’s enticed many Americans already looking to ditch the U.S. For greener pastures—and one Gen Zer has found a new home in a sprawling urban city nestled by the scenic Andes mountains.
TL;DR
- Young American Leah Derenoncourt found better work-life balance in Chile.
- She saves over $1,200 monthly by living in Santiago with a remote U.S. job.
- The reduced cost of living in Chile allows her to save for graduate studies.
- Derenoncourt embraces a "work to live" philosophy and community connections abroad.
Leeah Derenoncourt is a 24-year-old digital nomad born in the U.S. Currently working out of Chile’s capital, Santiago, but she was jet-setting long before relocating to South America. Her parents’ jobs in international public health took her around the world from Haiti, Tanzania, Zambia, and the Philippines, eventually settling back in Maryland when she was 10 years old. Her childhood planted the seed for even more adventures later in life: After receiving her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Emerson College in December 2022, she packed her bags and headed for the airport.
“When I first graduated college, I was bopping around a little bit. I spent a month in Colombia, just because I was like, ‘Where can I go [that’s] not that expensive?’ I went there, and I loved the culture,” Derenoncourt tells Coins2Day. “It was a great place to start the living abroad journey.”
Derenoncourt began her professional path by doing freelance public relations for a U.S. Firm targeting Gen Z. She subsequently joined SafetyWing, a health insurance provider for remote professionals. Despite her extensive travels as a digital nomad, she has kept her U.S. Residency, which enables her to work for American businesses while exploring other countries. She spent a year in Medellín, Colombia, utilizing the digital nomad visa, and secured employment with a completely remote U.S. Communications firm. However, seeking a fresh experience, Derenoncourt relocated to Chile, establishing a home in a studio apartment with her partner. She's resided there for several months, and due to the reduced cost of living, she's accumulating funds for her next pursuit: graduate studies.
After several years embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, the Gen Zer acknowledges its advantages alongside its drawbacks. Nevertheless, she maintains that everyone ought to satisfy their wanderlust during their youth.
“I strongly believe that people in their early 20s should travel. And I am very aware that sometimes the only way you can is if you’re working and traveling at the same time,” Derenoncourt says. “But just be very intentional about what you’re doing, where you’re going.”
Advantages of being a digital nomad: embracing a 'work to live' philosophy and enjoying more affordable housing.
A readily apparent advantage of traveling abroad from the U.S. Is escaping the relentless pace of work, and Americans have consistently desired a more relaxed lifestyle. Even with limited full-time professional history in their home country, and while still officially employed in the U.S., Derenoncourt perceives a distinct shift in their work-life equilibrium.
“People work very hard, but there is this sense of ‘you work to live’ type of thing,” she says. “Versus I feel like when I’m in the U.S., I would log off from work, and then I would go talk to my friends, and they’d be like, ‘Oh, so how was work?’ And I was like, ‘Don’t talk about it.’”
Outside of work hours, people's activities also vary. Derenoncourt notes a stronger sense of community overseas; she and her friends frequently met up in parks and socialized. In contrast to other digital nomads, whom she describes as someone who moves rapidly between nations, the 24-year-old favors establishing roots and fostering local relationships within her city.
“Digital nomads, especially [in] the tech world, can think of other countries [as] their playground. They’re like, ‘Look at my U.S. Dollar, it goes so far,’” Derenoncourt explains, adding she feels some guilt in earning more than most locals. But she reasons she’s very young, makes a modest U.S. Salary, connects with her community, and is dating someone from the area. “Seeing that, I feel less guilt. But I do think a lot of people who are digital nomads don’t think about that. They just go, ‘Wow, this is so great for me.’”
Chile's reduced cost of living is a significant advantage, allowing her to save for postgraduate studies. In Colombia, her studio apartment cost just $650, and she acknowledges she paid too much, a stark contrast from the $1,836 to what a comparable D.C. Dwelling would cost. She believes that remaining in the U.S. Would likely necessitate sharing her living space with multiple individuals. This Gen Zer notes that Chile is pricier than Colombia, yet it's economical enough to permit saving over a thousand dollars monthly.
Accumulating sufficient savings from daily expenses to eventually undertake a master's program
Derenoncourt is content with her present role in communications, but she envisions a future where she earns a master's degree in arts and cultural management. Rather than returning to the States to face exorbitant tuition fees, she plans to attend a European institution. The cost of education there is lower, allowing her funds to go further. She has been setting aside $1,200 monthly in preparation for her subsequent studies.
“I’ve been saving for a couple years now,” Derenoncourt says. “I could save for this amount of time, and I wouldn’t be able to pay a fraction of what that master’s would cost in the U.S.”
Furthermore, Chile's more affordable lifestyle has allowed the Gen Zer to accumulate savings covering four months of her expenditures. She also allocates $100 monthly towards a “flight fund” for unforeseen emergencies requiring a swift return to the U.S. As Derenoncourt plans her subsequent journey, she illustrates that working internationally is more than a temporary trend; it represents a route to independence, development, and expanded opportunities.