Use “free” Google services so that any pseudo-governmental entity can get full access to your mails, backups, photos, contacts, location … but worry about stuff in device memory. Yes. A sane approach.

Because the one is legal while the other is not. That’s all we need to know about the system we live in, no?

Use 500k to get my foot in the door at one of the 0% tax havens (they often require >=500k investment to get a legal entity representation). Use the other 500k + my savings to rake in the expended 500k at 0% tax via investments. Pay you back on time and be left with a 0% tax haven foothold that’ll make me +20-30% on anything I’ll invest in the future, compared to what I’d gain on investments right now due to taxation in my country.