Best Places In The World To Retire

Yes you can get your Social Security Cheques deposited in Panama.  There is a fee as they are being deposited into a foreign bank account.  On another note you can Self Direct your IRA to an investment in Panama while you wait to retire.  Banking in Panama was once a huge challenge but has become a lot easier in recent years.  I have had two clients as of late that opened up a bank account in less than 24 hours.  All you need are two bank reference letters and...

Yes you can get your Social Security Cheques deposited in Panama.  There is a fee as they are being deposited into a foreign bank account.  On another note you can Self Direct your IRA to an investment in Panama while you wait to retire.  Banking in Panama was once a huge challenge but has become a lot easier in recent years.  I have had two clients as of late that opened up a bank account in less than 24 hours.  All you need are two bank reference letters and proof of income but is some cases proof of income was not necessary but a minimum balance of $1,000 is.

In Ambergris Caye, you will see the mayor every day. The mayor is my neighbor. There is really nothing to worry about. The authorities here are just like anybody else who is from here. There is nobody who you cannot reach, as opposed to how it is in the States. The government system in the US is more complex.  Here, my representative is my half cousin, and you could see him every day. The people in the government and other places of influence or authority really stop and talk to you and make you feel welcome. You have a relationship going on and that goes for anybody who comes to live in Belize. You can see the mayor today. You can talk to them in the middle of the street and nobody will tell you that you can’t do that. It’s pretty laid back. You could pretty much do anything that you like.  

The expats in Granada have different levels of income.  We have middle class and middle-upper class.  We have some wealthier people who are looking to invest in a second home for rental income.  Also, we have people who are ready to retire and want to live full time in Granada.

The age of the expats in Granada will range mostly around the 50s to the 70s or so.  We have single expats and expats who come as a couple.  In the last two to three years, I have seen more families coming to live in Granada, trying to experience it, who bring their kids.  Now we have three bi-lingual schools in Granada that are filling that space where a family can bring their kids.

Also we have another group of Americans who perhaps work in Managua but who like to have a house in Granada, so they live in Granada.  These people commute from their home in Granada to their office in Managua.  The drive is a rather pleasant 45 minutes by car.  (I know this because I commute from my home in Managua to my office in Granada.)

About 6 out of the 10 expats who settle in Granada are people who have done a good amount of traveling prior to moving to Granada and people who have more experience with Latin countries.  Many have lived in another Latin country, so they don’t feel afraid or intimidated.  Generally, these expats are well educated.  Many are a bit bohemian or eclectic, have been working in different countries, and perhaps they are more familiar with Spanish.

The other 4 out of 10 expats who move to Nicaragua are a mix of people who:

• perhaps saw Nicaragua on House Hunters International, on Survivor, read an article in the New York Post or one of the magazines about moving overseas;

• married a Nicaraguan while in the States; or

• traveled to another Central American country such as Costa Rica and then by accident or on purpose visited Nicaragua and decided that they liked it and wanted to settle here.

Dental care in Portugal is all privately provided. The public healthcare system doesn’t contribute to dental care. There are numerous dental clinics here and lots of them have foreign dentists. I know some dentists who come from Denmark, England, Brazil, etc. They also have orthodontists and they are all really good. 
 
To have a filling here in Portugal costs around €60 to €80 (US $65 to $87 or £44 to £58). A root canal costs around €200 (US...

Dental care in Portugal is all privately provided. The public healthcare system doesn’t contribute to dental care. There are numerous dental clinics here and lots of them have foreign dentists. I know some dentists who come from Denmark, England, Brazil, etc. They also have orthodontists and they are all really good. 
 
To have a filling here in Portugal costs around €60 to €80 (US $65 to $87 or £44 to £58). A root canal costs around €200 (US $217 or £145). A ceramic tooth costs around 600 euros (US $650 or £430). I am very happy with the quality of dental care here in Portugal.

 

(Malo Clinic for dentistry, Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)

The cost of renting a home in the Volcán and Cerro Punta area depends on several factors.

 

First, if the home is offered through agencies, and the advertising is aimed especially at gringos (expatriates from the States or Europe) - that is, if it is offered in English and/or on the internet, the price for the same kind of property is almost surely going to be higher. If you are budget-conscious, then your best bet is to visit the area and talk to Panamanian...

The cost of renting a home in the Volcán and Cerro Punta area depends on several factors.

 

First, if the home is offered through agencies, and the advertising is aimed especially at gringos (expatriates from the States or Europe) - that is, if it is offered in English and/or on the internet, the price for the same kind of property is almost surely going to be higher. If you are budget-conscious, then your best bet is to visit the area and talk to Panamanian residents (some of them will speak some amount of English, but if you speak Spanish you will not only gain more information from more people, but better information, since Panamanians tend to be more friendly and willing to help gringos who treat them with respect - and such respect includes not expecting Panamanians to speak English, and shouting impatiently at them in English when they don't understand).

One can rent a nice little casita (that's a "mini-house") with one or two bedrooms, fully furnished, usually with some utilities included, for $250-$500. These casitas are usually on the property of someone's home; you're not fully isolated, if that's a major factor for you, but it's private, and it's nice to have someone who looks out for you as you grow accustomed to life in this region.

A full house, with more bedrooms, will of course cost proportionally more. And, again, asking regular folks instead of agents is not unlikely to turn up some very nice possibilities for surprisingly low rents.