A 29-year-old American professional’s story is piquing interests globally after it emerged she now earns $140,000 year after relocating to Bahrain and working remotely for an American company.
Mikayla McGhee, a senior performance marketing manager at an IT firm, says her decision to move abroad was shaped by a childhood spent moving between military bases.
Both of her parents served in the U.S. Navy—her mother for 30 years and her father, who remains on active duty after four decades.
Describing herself as a “military brat,” McGhee told CNBC Make It that growing up overseas, particularly in Japan, shaped her desire to build a life outside the United States.
“Once you’ve experienced growing up abroad and you’re exposed to that, you continue to search for it,” she said, noting that she always wanted the freedom to live and travel anywhere.
From Short Visit to Permanent Move
McGhee was living in Atlanta when she visited Bahrain in 2020 to see her parents, as her father was stationed at the U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The Persian Gulf island nation hosts one of the U.S. Navy’s key overseas bases.
Despite initial misconceptions, McGhee said her first experience in Bahrain was overwhelmingly positive.
“The culture shock was that things were better, not worse,” she explained, adding that she felt welcomed and at ease as an expatriate. After a three-month stay, she returned to the U.S. determined to relocate permanently.
In December 2022, she made the move, initially living with her parents before renting her own home near the capital, Manama.
She now resides in a three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house with a pool and garage, renting for about $2,200 per month. She shares living expenses with her partner, allowing her to save aggressively and travel frequently.
Working U.S. Hours from the Middle East
McGhee earns her income in U.S. dollars while working Eastern Standard Time hours, meaning her workday typically begins in the early evening and ends after midnight local time. She said flexibility was a key factor in choosing her role.
“That was my biggest thing—finding a place that would let me live anywhere and work across time zones,” she said.
Although she lives abroad, McGhee continues to pay U.S. taxes and uses her employer-provided health insurance, which also grants her access to Bahrain’s healthcare system. Her living costs include groceries, personal care, a U.S. cellphone plan, and a storage unit back in Atlanta.
Life Abroad and Future Plans
Outside work hours, McGhee spends time exercising, shopping, and creating digital content. She documents her life in Bahrain on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 64,000 people.
“It is my duty to make sure that Americans know how great this country is,” she said.
While uncertain about settling permanently, McGhee has expressed interest in investing in Bahraini real estate and maintaining a long-term base in the country.
“My life is 10 times better here,” she said, citing improved happiness and quality of life.
Her story highlights a growing trend of young professionals leveraging remote work to live abroad, a shift that continues to reshape global mobility and work-life balance in the digital economy.
