She left the United States with two suitcases and a visa, then built a more affordable life in Europe

Leah Young left the United States with two suitcases and a visa, unsure whether a move to Spain would be practical. The 34-year-old from Dallas had joined a government teacher-training program and had a job contract, but the salary of 700 euros a month made her question whether she could cover her expenses.

Before leaving, she also had to work out how to manage health insurance, a phone, a car, furniture and the belongings in her apartment. “The truth is, I was terrified,” she told Business Insider. She went ahead after seeing that other people had managed to build lives outside their home countries.

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How practical is this, really?

What began as a one-year plan became a decade moving between countries. Young spent five years in Spain, two in Germany, one in Argentina and one in Brazil. A year ago, she settled in Lyon, a French city near the Swiss border and within reach of the Alps and the Mediterranean.

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The truth is, I was terrified.

She says Lyon offers the advantages of a large city with the appeal of a smaller place. Its community also made it easier for her to form relationships. “As a Texan, I’m outgoing and I like making friends and building a community,” she said. She found it harder to establish those connections elsewhere in Europe.

Her apartment has reinforced that sense of life in Lyon. She pays 950 euros a month for a roughly 63-square-meter one-bedroom home in a 16th-century building, with stone walls, high ceilings and large windows overlooking the old town. Utilities cost about 50 euros in summer but can reach 350 euros in winter because of heating. She spends about 60 euros a week on food, has no car and pays less than 10 dollars a week for public transport.

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As a Texan, I’m outgoing and I like making friends and building a community.

Young says the cost of living and healthcare are central reasons she does not want to return to Texas. “I’m surprised to see people paying $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment,” she said. She also considers European healthcare high-quality and less expensive than what she associates with the United States, especially as she plans to start a family. She still misses relatives, friends, steak and Tex-Mex food.

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I’m surprised to see people paying $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.