I lived a ‘nomadic life’ in a car and traveled Asia – 4 apples were $25 but my ‘expat’ tip saved me so much money

AN avid traveler has ditched his life in the Netherlands to take on an exciting nomadic lifestyle with his wife, son, and two cats, moving around from country to country.

The family has settled in a number of countries, including China, Iraq, and now South Korea, with exciting and scary experiences under their belt as well as a number of money-saving tips.

Chris Oberman

Travel enthusiast Chris Oberman packed up his life in the Netherlands to explore the world[/caption]

Chris Oberman

Oberman moves countries every few years with his wife, son, and cats[/caption]

Chris Oberman

Oberman is a full-time traveler who has been to over 40 countries[/caption]

Chris Oberman has been traveling full-time since January 2019, packing up his life every two years or so and moving to a different country with his family.

Originally from the Netherlands, the family has so far lived abroad in China and Iraq, and since July 2024, the Obermans have lived in Seoul, South Korea.

They have also visited a number of unique remote destinations along their journey, including Oman, Taiwan, Lebanon, Turkey, Thailand, France, and more.

The Obermans have even done a fair share of overlanding, a self-reliant form of travel to remote places that often involves off-roading and camping in a vehicle, calling it “an amazing way to find unknown spots in countries.”

They spent some time in a car with a rooftop-tent in Oman and recently booked a van for a one-month road trip in New Zealand in early 2026.

Oberman – a father, former DJ, and full-time traveler who has been to over 40 countries – spoke exclusively with The U.S. Sun about his traveling lifestyle and even shared some money-saving tips for life abroad.

BEIJING & SHANGHAI

Oberman’s love for travel traces back to his 15 years working as a DJ, performing at hundreds of festivals and clubs across the globe.

Although he loved entertaining crowds around the world, he felt like something was missing.

“The constant travel schedule and long studio days left little time to actually experience the places I visited or connect with local people, which is what I truly wanted to do,” the avid traveler shared on his blog named Moving Jack.

He and his wife ultimately made the life-changing decision to move abroad to China in 2019 when she was offered a job in Beijing.

Oberman was eager to make the move even though he had never visited the country and knew little about China.

The couple lived in Beijing for two years, which opened up Oberman’s eyes to all of the possibilities and experiences that a life abroad offered, and they both eventually got job in Shanghai and moved.

“I worked at two different Chinese companies in the entertainment industry and did over 100 shows in 40 different cities in China,” Oberman told The U.S. Sun.

After a few months in the new city, Oberman’s wife was offered a new position that required their family to relocate every two to four years.

Oberman explained that his wife is able to apply to work in different countries and, when it comes to deciding where to move, the family is “up for anything, as long as it isn’t too dangerous.”

Instead of returning back to their home country of the Netherlands, the adventurous family opted to venture on the nomadic path that had been presented to them.

IRAQI KURDISTAN

His wife’s job next brought the couple to the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, in northern Iraq.

The young couple discovered his wife was pregnant during their time in Iraq, so they packed up three suitcases and decided to temporarily head back to the Netherlands, where the healthcare was more optimal.

Once their healthy baby boy was born, the young family returned to Iraq after 2.5 months – an exceptionally challenging flight as they had to juggle a newborn, two cats, and “enough baby gear to supply a small village,” Oberman shared on his blog.

While the couple felt safe raising their newborn in Iraqi Kurdistan, considering its low crime rate and friendly population, they were aware of political tension with nearby countries like Turkey and Iran.

Although drone attacks happened occasionally, they were rarely close to the city – until that changed.

In what was “the scariest moment of our time abroad,” the family experienced a missile attack just three kilometers from their home when Iran targeted a villa in Iraqi Kurdistan, hearing a series of loud explosion-like sounds late at night.

While they had experienced quite a shake-up, it did not stop the couple from immersing themselves in their new home and appreciating all that it had to offer.

“I went to mountains close to the border of Iran where drone attacks happen occasionally, and did many more trips around the region,” said Oberman.

The traveler was pleasantly surprised by the natural beauty of the land in Iraqi Kurdistan.

“I hiked through nature and mountains, which are beautiful there, as well as snow-peaked mountains, waterfalls, and much more,” he said.

“I never expected that before we went there – I expected a desert-like landscape!”

SEOUL

When Oberman’s wife’s work contract ended, the family packed up their life in Iraq and made a quick stop in the Netherlands before their next move to Seoul, South Korea.

The family has been living there for over a year now and plans to stay for a few years, with their next destination up in the air.

Oberman shared that South Korea is “totally different than China and Iraq,” calling it a “one-of-a-kind destination where ancient traditions meet futuristic vibes.”

His family, living in the country during its bout of martial law, is still in awe of South Korea’s food, culture, and all of the opportunities for adventure.

MONEY TALKS

Oberman and his family have funded their nomadic lifestyle with their savings, income from his wife’s job, some money from DJing gigs, as well as income through his blog and royalties from the music he produced over the years.

While their current home country, South Korea, has a lower cost-of-living compared to a number of other countries – ranking as 26th, according to online database Numbeo – Oberman’s family has noticed that certain expenses can be higher.

“In South Korea, fruit is very expensive. Four apples can easily cost 25 dollars in the supermarket!” said the traveler, advising others to shop at local markets. 

He also suggested familiarizing oneself with local apps to save money, such as the Korean version of Uber, Kakao Taxi, and the food ordering app the South Koreans use, Coupang.

Another app in South Korea the Obermans use is Karrot, a secondhand marketplace, and they also take advantage of expat groups online.

“Sometimes people need to get rid of things when they’re relocating so they give it away for free. These group chats are a great way to get stuff affordably, and also to connect with others,” said Oberman.

He also noted that some things are cheaper in their home country, so whenever friends or family visit, they ask them to bring certain items. 

The U.S. Sun has previously reported on other venturesome individuals living abroad, including the family of four that moved from the US to France and now pay just $2,235 for everything.

Plus, one man from California escaped the US for a cheaper and safer city across the world – he saves $2,300 a month on rent and food costs have plummeted.

Chris Oberman

While living in Iraqi Kurdistan, Oberman and his family experienced a missile attack close to their home[/caption]

Chris Oberman

The Obermans are currently living in Seoul, South Korea[/caption]