Balanced migration to the USA is reversed. “I feel like I have outgrown many people and places in the United States.”

Over the past few years, Cindy Sheahan, now divorced, has visited nearly 50 countries, including Laos, Portugal, Madagascar, Turkey and Vietnam. In 2025, it made Palermo, Sicily, its base. Although he plans to visit the US from time to time, he says he has no intention of returning any time soon.

— I feel like I've grown out of many people and places in the United States – he explains. — Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends and family very much, especially my children. But everyone can travel and would much rather visit me somewhere interesting than go to a bar in Denver for a drink, he adds.

As she emphasizes: – In Italy, I eat better, I met new friends, I reduced my expenses – and most importantly, I am happy.

More and more people are leaving the US and fewer are moving in

Data from the U.S. Central Statistical Office show that net international migration — that is, the number of arrivals minus the number of departures — peaked at 2.7 million in 2024. By July 2025, it had fallen to 1.3 million, and if current trends continue, the agency predicts it could drop to about 321,000 in 2026.

“If these trends continue, it will be the first time in over 50 years that the United States has recorded negative net migration.“, the office announced on its website.

According to the institution, the change is due to two opposing trends: Fewer people are immigrating to the U.S. and more are leaving the country to live abroad.

Over the past few years, I've talked to many Americans—most of them women—about why they moved abroad. Many of these people point to a similar mix of reasons: living in the US has become too expensive, and they want to distance themselves from work and build a life that seems more meaningful. This took them to places such as Panama, Spain, Albania and France.

Cepee Tabibian, a Spanish relocation consultant who has helped many Americans move abroad, told Business Insider that an increasing number of her clients are also concerned about the political climate in the United States.

— Previously, people wanted to move mainly for a better quality of life – to fulfill a dream, lead a more peaceful life. But now, a lot of the reasons that people come up with are related to the political situation, he says.

Here are the stories of four women I talked to about why they left the U.S. and how their lives changed—for better and for worse.

See also: She lost her job before she turned 50. She sent 100 CVs and silence. She only received one offer and she is satisfied

The high cost of living is pushing some women out of the country

Life in the USA has become very expensive. Data shows that consumer prices have increased by approximately 25%. as of 2020. For older single women, this can be especially difficult, especially when their primary source of income is their Social Security pension.

For Cindy Sheahan, moving abroad was partly a financial decision. He has savings and investments, but in retirement her most reliable income is $1,500. (approx. PLN 5.5 thousand) per month from Social Security. In Denver, that wouldn't even cover rent. In Palermo, he uses this money to pay for an apartment for $800. a month and still has left for food and going out.

— I love that I can go to the grocery store and not go broke. You can buy tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, dried tomatoes and everything else for pennies, he says. Health care is also cheaper for her; A visit to a specialist costs her about $40.

Sandy Adam understands this perfectly. After being laid off from her tech job in 2025, she was unable to find a new position and retired. However, the prospect of living “only” on $3,608. (over PLN 13,000) monthly pension in Pittsburgh worried her – especially with the annual property tax amounting to approximately $6,900. (approx. PLN 25.5 thousand) for her house with an area of ​​approx. 160 sq m.

— I asked myself: If I tried to live solely on my pension, could I afford to stay in this house? Probably yes, but the budget would barely break even says 69-year-old Sandy Adam. — In the long run, the financial situation seemed more and more unpredictable – my daily expenses, such as food, also increased. I wanted to simplify my life, have fewer fixed costs and fewer surprises, she adds.

She decided that moving to Europe was “more practical” than trying to make a living in the US.

He currently lives in Chatou, a suburb of Paris, renting a one-room apartment with an area of ​​approximately 50 square meters with his dog. He pays $1,679. (over PLN 6,000) a month, and although she says it still seems a bit expensive, it gave her a “soft landing” and at this time she is wondering where she ultimately wants to settle.

Some women want to start their lives anew

For many women on the verge of retirement, moving abroad also gives them a chance to change their lifestyle.

“It's not just living exactly the same life in another place,” Cepee Tabibian points out. — Many women who come to me want to quit their jobs and take some time to get to know themselves again or try something completely different – he adds.

Natalie Lynch has been working since she was 15. Burned out from work and pushed out of the San Francisco Bay Area by the cost of living, she decided to close her home-preparation business that she had run for 24 years and move to Europe in 2024. She hoped for a calmer and more conscious life – and a lower cost of living.

“The pandemic, with its loss of freedom, loss of connection with people and a very clear reminder that life can be short, was a real wake-up call for me,” says Lynch, 56. “I decided I needed to make some big changes, even though I didn't have a clear idea of ​​where it would take me,” she adds.

However, her life in Europe is not perfect.

She moved between Italy, Spain and most recently France. She travels only with her dog Enzo, so she sometimes gets lonely, and European bureaucracy can be difficult – especially since she doesn't speak Spanish or French fluently. Still, she believes escaping her chaotic life and rising costs at home was transformative.

“I may not be living my absolute best life here, but it's better than the one I had in California, so I'm heading in the right direction,” she says. – I haven't solved everything yet, but a slower pace of life, no daily grind of running a business and getting out of the rat race are a huge gift – she notes.

After treating herself to a birthday trip to Paris in 2019 — with a French baking workshop — Dawn Belisle, a lawyer and part-time pastry chef from Atlanta, fell in love with France so much that she moved there in 2022.

“My spirit found peace there in a way that's hard to describe,” says Belisle, 56. — Everyone just lives. They go out, spend time together, sit in cafes, eat and drink together. They don't have the same culture of constant rushing that we have in the US – he explains.

Belisle now lives in Carré d'Or, one of the more expensive and lively neighborhoods of Nice. He spends his days walking on the beach, buying fresh produce at local markets, and hanging out in cafes with his French and Italian friends.

She still works as a lawyer, working with several law firms, but France has also opened the door to her “second act”: creating a lifestyle brand where she publishes lifestyle and travel content and mentors people considering moving abroad. It gave her a new sense of purpose.

“The peace and quiet I have in France is unbeatable,” says Belisle. — I still do a lot and have a tight schedule, but I feel like I have more control over my life. I live to live, not just work – and I discover more. For me this is success, he adds.

Madison Hoff, an economics reporter for Business Insider, contributed to this article.

The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider