Thompson vs Terre Haute, IN

Thompson is a tough sell for most expats unless you are dead set on the subarctic frontier. The numbers look cheap, with a one-bedroom downtown at $693/mo and a full budget lifestyle around $982/mo, but the average net salary of $1,604/mo barely covers the mid-range total of $1,400/mo, leaving almost no margin for savings or fun. The expat community is very few, safety is middling, and healthcare is only fair, so you are trading comfort for low rent in a town of 13,000 where winters run from November to March. If you crave isolation and can handle the cold, it is affordable, but most people will find the trade-offs too steep.

Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.