What are the recommended countries where US players can live just to play pokerstars.com?

When: As soon as a couple of months from now

Budget: Rent not higher than $500 per month

What you're looking for: Just to play pokerstars.com but living by the beach to surf is a big plus

Travel experience: Traveled Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, couple of Central Americas, England, Poland, Germany and Czech. However, I'm open to any other countries.

Thanks!

I vote Mexico. If you find the local classifieds you can get a decent studio for that much for sure. Lots of beaches in Mexico.


https://www.vivanuncios.com.mx/s-ren...098l105753q0p1


All the beaches in Mexico are public. But you'd probably want a city with better surfing. Cabo San Lucas?

Cool classified link! Thanks for the idea of Mexico beaches.. I was looking at Playa Montañita in Ecuador. Wonder if PokerStars allows Ecudaor?

As far as I know Ecuador is okay. You cannot play on PokerStars from Colombia unfortunately. Another advantage of Ecuador : they use the USD already, so no exchange fees.

You know what...nearby beaches of Cancun looks really nice! I wonder if those areas can't be beaten with a combo of beautiful swimmable beaches and affordable home rental rates?

I spent a few months in the city of Cancun and really enjoyed it. They have live poker (casino allows smoking unfortunately). Playa Del Carmen is also another nice option in that area. There is a little cartel violence but if you keep your head down / be polite and respectful I'm sure you will be fine. The people are generally really nice. Taxis are dirt cheap. Lots of great options for food. It is crazy hot and sunny during the day, so take care not to get skin cancer. Lots of cheap hotels you can check in to while you go apartment shopping. Don't trust google maps, but you can just put your cabbie on the phone with the person who wants to rent the place to you and they will tell them where to go. Get a local sim card and data obviously and make liberal use of google translate while you pick up the language.

Thanks for the tips! Took notes of them...got some questions:

1) What is the best way to transfer your money from U.S. Bank to Mexican HSBC Bank?

2) If correct, Americans are not required to get a tourist visa for up to 180 days stay, however how do you open a bank account at HSBC without a visa?

3) Are those good sources to find rental places:
Local realtor, AirBNB, 2playa.com, imexicorealestate.com, vivanucios.com, realestateyucatan.com, playa-rentals.com, andale.mx

4) Speaking of cartels, any areas to avoid in Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum & Akumal?

5) Is flying to Cancun from TJ airport for $120 airfare roundtrip the best deal to get there from San Diego?

6) Which home internet service provider should I get? Do you order their services via their website or visiting their office?

7) Should I get local sim card / data from the same company as home internet service provider to get a combo deal?

8) What kind of preparations I need to get approved with partystars such as proof of residency,etc?

I have been working on all this myself for months. I think I have internet figured out. As Poker Refugees US flat fee is 2500 for relocation taking care of everything. However being in Vegas not too far from border and no Visa necc. just thought I could money else where. So doing all the leg work myself. If want o collaborate. More then will to talk. I am going to Rosarito tho. Close to border if anything goes bad, easy trip back to states. Serves as a trial and error for when I go to Asia which I have been many times. Only for a week or two tho. Not this long. Banking, depends how long you are staying if you want a foreign account. I chose US capital one. No foreign trans or atm fees. Citi owns Banamex, but they still charge for this stuff if using a citi card. Have to have a Banamex account. For this reason I am staying away from Citi. Not that great of a bank. Maybe I would open in Asia as rules are different in the different countries. US Citi is horrible. Internet, from my research if staying in one location for awhile, I would get local service. If moving every couple months like me I would invest in portable unlocked hotspot then local source a data sim. This ensure a Mexican IP as I have seen in past that close to border might have an US IP preventing log on. I dont know necc. item for PS etcc.. Utility bill is enough they say on the site. Which is limited as is block from US. PM if wan to discuss. I am making my move next month if all goes well with the funds I am putting together.

Mexico border is closed man lol till end of July. You have to fly somewhere

Technically not closed. Just restricted. At the time of post I don't think it was extended. If full travel allowed after extension this is still in time frame. Just makes things a little more difficult as for doing research for apartments etc..I found out Philippines is only restricted and there is some allowed in country. I might be one of those people. So waiting on call back from visa place to see what I need to do if I choose to go to the Philippines until rest of Asia opens up. I was only going or thinking about MX do to the Asian borders being shutdown. Also depends on kind of travel. The land borders are restricted but air travel and sea other then ferry are not. This coming straight U.S. and MX travel. Ill give you a link. So not closed just have to do more work then drive across until extension over. Poker Refugees said they could get you in. They do some back door things tho. They know people everywhere. Their service is 2500. It is flat rate for anywhere in the world. IMO that is 2 months of living in countries I'd be going to. So trying to avoid it. I like Kristin but for MX no visas needed so I think too steep if same somewhere else you need visas is also 2500. Plus its only a 12 hr drive to border. So....https://mx.usembassy.gov/travel-rest...ns-fact-sheet/

Also just found out that it is only some border crossings. San Diego border where I would be crossing is open. Takes 4 hours apparently to get through crossing and inspection but is open for travel other then business or emergencies. My roommates girlfriend is Mexican. Her brother got back this week from this border and had no issues. He is a U.S. citizen. So is she for that matter. Also if you check the URL i sent there is one for the U.S. side with different dates. Coming into U.S. from MX if not a U.S. citizen is more restricted then if going to MX from U.S. Just let you know if you were also looking to go.