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Written by Alex Bach

Living abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences of any lifetime. But depending where you go, it is not always the most inexpensive experience especially if that place happens to be Hong Kong. We’ll go over the cost of living in Hong Kong, what you can expect when you get there and what you’ll need to stay.

To get your belongings there, we can make moving to Hong Kong one of the lesser stresses you’ll have to worry about. We’ve helped hundreds of families make international moves and can help get your possessions to to your new home without a hitch.

Rent and Housing:

Hong Kong is the most vertical city in the world, resulting from the relatively tight space of the city, forcing construction to build up instead of out. As a result, the price of property in Hong Kong is not cheap. Whether you’re renting or buying, you will likely be paying more for lodging than you did back in the States. The average rent for an unfurnished apartment in the city is anywhere from $3,600 to $5k!

Utilities:

Utilities are fairly expensive as well in Hong Kong. You can expect your water bill to be around $50, your gas bill somewhere near $25 and your electricity bill ( the big one) to rest between $130 and $200. Meaning an additional $300 per month on top of the rent.

Lifestyle Costs:

Luckily many of your grocery items and restaurant dishes are going to be relatively the same as you’d find in any major city in America. Fresh baked bread goes for about $5, eggs for around $2, coffee for about $8, local milk $3. Note: Hong Kong has several options for higher level foods, such as free range eggs and Australian milk, which are going to cost significantly more money than their base level counterparts.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is an expensive commodity in Hong Kong. You can expect to pay as much as $35 for a bottle of Tanqueray gin and up to $22 for a bottle of wine. Thankfully six packs of beer, like Heineken, are only about $6 per pack.

Restaurants and Entertainment:

Luckily the cost of having fun in Hong Kong is about the same as it is in New York or Chicago. Certainly not cheap to do every night, but it won’t break your bank to go out once or twice a week. A mid-level dinner for two can be found for under $100 though not including alcohol. And a concert or trip to the theater can range from $13 all the way to $130 for premium seats.

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Written by Alex Bach

When most college students think of where they’d like to study abroad, most think of exotic places like Italy, Spain, or Hong Kong: often overlooking one of the best places for U.S. students to study in the entire world: Germany. A linguistic cousin of America’s predominant English, Germany is more accessible than many of those other countries and offers some incredible and compelling scenery as well. Here are some of the best colleges for U.S. students to study at in Germany.

And if you need some help with the moving process, Schumacher Cargo is happy to assist. We’ve assisted hundreds of people over the years make their dreams of living overseas a reality and we can help you move to Germany with ease.

The 3 Best German Colleges for U.S. Students:

Humboldt University of Berlin:

With ten percent of the school’s enrollment consisting of international students, US students should feel comfortable in this prestigious university. Ranked 99th in the world, this is a great school for the scientifically minded: in both technology, green sciences, and quantitative economics. After all, what could be be better than researching (and even working) climate science in one of the greenest countries on the globe?!

Heidelberg University:

While many colleges in the U.S. try and imitate a castle-like campus–this one actually is a castle! Formed in 1386, Heidelberg is one of the oldest universities in all of Europe, and one of the most prestigious too. This is a great university for the abroad-dedicated student who truly wants to study someplace out of the ordinary. And you won’t be alone with over 20% of the classrooms filled with international students. Though you should brush up on your German before.

The Technische Universitaet Munchen:

The Technische Universitaet Munchen, or Technical University Munich, is the school to be at if your field of study is engineering. Consider this: Germany is renowned all over the world for its engineering, and this is Germany’s most prestigious school for it. The school is so strong in the field that it has partnerships with some of the best schools in America such as Cornell, MIT and Stanford. Imagine coming back to the US and hitting the job market with that under your belt!

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Written by Alex Bach

Destination retirements are the dream of many of us. A way to relax and go on permanent vacation. And while many have chosen destinations within their own country, say from New York to Florida, several have started to look further, into a more international retirement plan: and for that, Spain is one of the best places.

Retirement is all about kicking back after a life of hard work and letting it fall on younger shoulders. Schumacher Cargo is happy to help you with with relocating to Spain from your home in the U.S.. We’ll take care of the move, so you can just take care of the retirement!

Costa del Sol:

Costa del Sol in the Andalucian province is Spain’s most popular retirement destination. Probably because it’s home to some of the country’s best medical facilities, schools and real estate. Meaning you’ll find many other English speaking retirees and professionals to help you make the transition. The lack of sales tax and a low property tax make this an economically feasible move for many.

Costa del Alhazar:

The Costa del Alhazar, or the Orange Blossom Coast, is about an hour’s drive north of Valencia and one of the most gorgeous and as-yet untapped areas of the country you could hope to find yourself. Filled with orange blossoms (obviously), almond trees and white sand beaches. The population is only around 12,000, meaning you’ll get a quiet, small town feel that’s distinctly Spanish.

Spanish Countryside:

As the big cities of Barcelona and Madrid can be very expensive, a retirement in the countryside might be the way to go for many retirees not looking to break the bank. Cities like Salamanca, Granada or Santiago de Compostela, are great spots to get city amenities without paying city prices.

Beach-side:

While the first two locations on this list certainly have an abundant beach life to offer, there are other, cheaper and more off the path places you can retire that won’t upend your bank account. Look at places on the island of Gran Canaria–which will also give you an island retirement inside an international retirement–or the less populated beach town of Menorca.

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Written by Jason Lowder

Studying abroad is a great way to get an education and go on an adventure. Part of the education you receive will be that adventure as well as diving into a new geography, language and culture.

As an international student entering a new country with a new, and likely unfamiliar language, you’ll have to pick a school that caters to the needs and abilities of US students. Here are the best colleges in Italy for US students.

Moving abroad can be tricky as well.  Luckily, Schumacher Cargo can help make the move to Italy a little less worrisome. So all you will have to worry about is the which site and food you’ll experience first!

Italy’s 5 Best Schools for US Students

John Cabot University:

What makes John Cabot University so great for US students in Italy is that it is a US school. The University is an American accredited institution that teaches in English and offers students 4 year Bachelor degrees and 2 year Associates degrees. You will be in classrooms of about 15, filled with many other international students studying in the heart of Rome.

University of Milan:

This gorgeous city renowned for its fashion and football is a dream destination for many US students. And thankfully the University of Milan is very accommodating to making that happen. The University offers several classes taught entirely in English as well an entry program that allows students to take their first 45-60 credits in English, allowing them to boost their Italian before digging into the harder classes.

The University of Rome:

Another great school for US students in Rome is the University of Rome, or La Sapienza (the Knowledge). The school has a wide variety of clubs, sports, theater groups, and even career services for English speaking students. The fact that they even offer a Masters degree in English should speak volumes about how at home US students could feel here.

The University of Bologna:

Though this school only has a handful of classes in English and might not be the best for people who have difficulty learning new languages, it is the first University…ever. Which is reason enough.

The University of Florence:

One of Italy’s most iconic and historic universities, the University of Florence is an international student’s dream! Learn in the same classrooms where legends of the Renaissance like Dante and Boccacio used to teach! However, at this university only those who know Italian may apply.

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