The Young Person's Guide to Emigration You couldn't do that today, because the Philippines has had a big boom, but if you got on a plane to Thailand or Cambodia, you'd find something similar. In these more frontier areas, you can live for almost nothing. You are inherently rich, and can go out and spend money like you never would at home. You have a great social life, and finding work is like picking money off the floor. These are countries with 40 years of growth ahead. Young people can sit in under-employed Britain facing huge competition if they want but the best opportunities are overseas. Two who have made the leap are Tim Ashton and Julie Brooks, 27, from Hertfordshire, who moved to Australia last year. Tim is an accountant with KPMG, while Julie is a vet. "I'd lived in London and Bristol all my life, and wanted a new challenge," says Julie. The doom and gloom of the British economy, as well as the weather, were also big parts in us wanting to leave. London property prices were another important factor. We were frustrated that we were both in the early stages of solid professional careers, earning a combined income above the national average, and yet in a position where not only were house prices prohibitive, but rental prices meant it wasn't possible to save anywhere near enough for a deposit. Australia wasn't the only country on their list. "We both love America," says Julie, "but I would have to take more exams to work there. I'd still consider a move to Asia - Singapore, or Hong Kong. But on weighing things up we decided an English-speaking nation would be easier to start with. "Moving to Australia is ridiculously easy," says Tim. There is minimal culture shock and you are surrounded by fellow Brits. But ironically, Australia's boom means that while wages are higher than they are in the UK, property prices are catching up. "For all our problems in the UK," Tom says, "Sydney was recently voted the most unaffordable place to buy property in the world!" Tom Barltrop, 25, moved to China two-and-a-half years ago, after a few months failing to get a graduate job in London. "The news in Britain was very negative," he says. I thought the best thing would be to get skills under my belt and try to learn some Chinese. But it's hard to learn, and without fluent Chinese it's hard to get a job out there. He came back for a year-and-a-half but is about to take up a position in Peru, after failing to secure a consultancy job. I've applied for some other work in London but been rejected. I had thought having a couple of years" experience would help, but the competition is overwhelming. I've spent some time in Peru before, so I know it a bit. I'm looking forward to improving my Spanish, surfing every day and having a much better lifestyle - for $600 [£381] a month I can get a two-bedroom apartment to myself. Not all the opportunities are so far away. Coral Leggett, 25, found a better life much nearer home after becoming disillusioned with London. "I had been made redundant from my job at Topshop and there were just no opportunities," she says. I'd been travelling after college, and was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into a career, but there was nothing. London's grimier side did not help. There's so much crime. I had my car stolen and burnt," she says. We were never going to get on the property ladder. Three-and-a-half years ago she took the plunge, moving with her boyfriend Stefan to the Dordogne, where her mother lives and works. She was quickly headhunted by a currency company, and Stefan found work as a pointer. "It was very scary," she says, "but I'm so glad we did it. We're paying €300 [£250] a month for a huge apartment with high ceilings and massive windows. In London the same thing would be £1,000. We're saving to buy a place and get on the ladder too. A two or three-bedroom flat an hour outside Bordeaux is €60,000 to €120,000 [£50,250-£100,500]. At first we were worried about the change, but we've got the same life. We've got lots of friends out here. There's music, shopping, events. You've just got to seek it out a bit more. It's just more relaxed, prettier, and the climate's much better. She says it has even had a positive influence on Stephan. He used to eat McDonald's and drink lager. Now when he goes home he drinks red wine and eats oysters and foie gras. It is not as if London is a distant memory, either. You do need your fix sometimes. But the Eurostar goes here, so you can be in London in five hours, or just over an hour on the plane. Montagu-Pollock says that the young Briton abroad has some clear advantages. "You speak fluent English," he says. Except for China and Japan, the world conducts business in English. It's the language of globalisation. Lots of Western companies are moving into these developing markets. They need someone on the ground to report back, and they're often reluctant to send senior staff. He says that even without a specific skill, British natives have something else going for them. You have experience of living in a modern Western country, and know what the expectations are. For example, lots of website design is now done in India and the Philippines. But they don't know. One young guy I know came over with an IT degree, but not much else, and within three years he was senior in a well-respected company, because he knew what people wanted from Western websites. I can't see how that could happen in Britain. He probably wouldn't have got his foot in the door in the first place. British people travel better than Americans, he adds. America is such a world unto itself. Only 14 per cent of Americans have passports, but most British people have been abroad at some point. He offers a word of caution about buying in less developed countries. "Renting makes more sense," he says. It's cheaper, easier, more flexible. Returns in Asia, for example, have almost always proved poor value. In European capitals there are strict regulations about building new property, but in many of these cities they just throw up more condos, so prices don't rise. If you're looking to buy, then there's a tremendous amount of money to be made by spotting the bubbles and surfing them. In parts of Florida, for instance, there has been a terrible recession, so there's bound to be a recovery at some point. In expensive cities - London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo - you'll end up spending 60 per cent of your salary on rent. Find somewhere where it's just 10 per cent, and you'll have a much better life. Tips for getting out of here Language matters Though most nations do business in English now, even a half-remembered A-level can come in handy for those first few tricky months. Buying is not the be all and end-all Living abroad in your twenties might let you have a better life and also save up, while renting. Look for work However beautiful the New Zealand countryside might be, it isn't a teeming hive of employment. Think climate Everyone likes the heat for a week's holiday, but going to work every day in 35C (95F) heat can be a very different prospect. Do your research Make sure that you've brushed up on local laws, taxes and traditions, to avoid nasty surprises. Go for it Living abroad means significant upheaval but if it goes pear-shaped you can always come home again, and it's much easier when you're young, childless and fancy-free. Your chance to win £1,000 Nominate your favourite place to win £1,000 towards a visit to your dream location. To enter, simply go to telegraph.co.uk/bestplacestolive and add your suggestions to our world map. Closing date: June 30. Terms and conditions apply.