Best Places In The World To Retire

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Recently Answered Questions

What are the best and worst things about living and retiring in San Miguel de Allende?

Mary Agnes McKay

Rental with a pool and view, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The best thing about living in San Miguel de Allende is living among the Mexican people and being able to experience their gentle spirit, and their calm attitude about life and life’s predicaments. I’ve discovered that everything has a solution, and the solution doesn’t necessarily mean spending a great deal of money to have to purchase a piece of equipment for your house. For example, in a plumbing situation or just regarding the appearance of something, a Mexican...

As an American, I would think, “I don’t have any cabinets in this kitchen. I don’t have anywhere to put my dishes and my glasses so I’m going to have to go and buy furniture, but there’s nowhere to even put it.” Instead, here in San Miguel de Allende, an iron worker who knows my needs calmly comes in and immediately says, “Well we could make shelves with this and this… and then I could add these decorative touches to it so it would be attractive,” all for a minimal amount of money.

I like living in the calm environment of San Miguel de Allende with gentle spirited people. Of course, the climate is a plus in San Miguel de Allende, because we don’t have the heat and humidity that the coastal areas have.

San Miguel de Allende is unique and I suppose that’s why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. Also, it has the Spanish colonial aura as evidenced by the cobblestone streets and the painted houses. I feel like I’ve been dropped into a beautiful environment where I can appreciate the natural art and the natural beauty. I could go on forever about what I like about San Miguel de Allende. The difficulty is thinking of what I don’t like.

Here’s an example of a situation that I didn’t like in San Miguel de Allende. Early on, I was frustrated because I kept saying, “She (a helper or a housekeeper) said she would be here to do this tomorrow; he (some other service provider) said he would deliver that tomorrow,” but they don’t. He just doesn’t show up, or she never came.

And someone then said to me, “Well ‘mañana’ doesn’t mean ‘tomorrow.’ It just means ‘not today.’” My life changed drastically with that new concept because then I didn’t feel people were lying to me, or not showing up and being lazy, or not keeping their word. Then I absolutely knew, eventually, it would be taken care of, maybe on the day after tomorrow, or maybe in a week and a half. That was frustrating at first, but then that ties in to what I like is about the calm pace of things here.

(Canopy bed that was designed for Mary Agnes McKay complete with carved footbed, Los Labradores, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)

What is the typical Belize church like? What is the religion of Belize?

Giancarlo Vega

Belopan Belize Babtist Church – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

There are plenty of religions in Belize. The most common one is the Seventh Day Adventist. Their church buildings are not very old; unlike the Catholic churches, which can be very old.

The picture to the left is of the Belopan Babtist Church. (Belopan is the capital of Belize.)

What are the worst places in Nicaragua to live and retire?

Valeria Espinoza - Gran Pacifica

Gran Pacifica Nicaragua as viewed from the air – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Which are the worst places in Nicaragua to live and retire depends on what you like.

For example, most of the expats I’ve met don’t like the central city area of Managua, because it’s too crowded, disorganized, the traffic is terrible and it gets messy very easily. By the way, I live in the city area of Managua, but I totally understand how some people feel about living there, because many people are looking for a peaceful and relaxing...

What's retirement in El Valle de Anton, Panama like?

Mark Hurt

THEN WHY DON'T YOU POST ON YOUR HOME TOWN AND KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF OURS.. BOQUETTEEEEEE IS A OVER PRICED GRINGO LAND. YES IS IS COOLER, TO THE POINT ITS DONW RIGHT COLD. AND THE GRINGOS THERE HAVE RUN THE PRICE UP ON EVERYTHING.. AND YES YOU ARE ON THE END OF PANAMA SO IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE CITY AND TRUST ME YOU WILL, ENJOY A 10 HOUR BUS RIDE AND A FEW DAYS STAYING OVER TO GET WHAT YOU NEED DONE.

What are the best reasons to retire overseas?

Zach Smith - Anywhere

The best reason to retire overseas is the curiosity and the willingness to try something new. Most people don’t live in multiple places or multiple cultures so it is a leap of faith to do so later in life. However, the rewards of at least going through that process to deciding whether it’s right for you or not, is a courageous one and there is a payoff. The opportunity to reinvent oneself should not be underestimated.

Running from anything should not be a reason to...

How much does it cost to go to the movies in Portugal?

Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant

The movie poster for Lisbon, starring Ray Milland – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

If you’re retired or a senior citizen, the cost to go to the movies in Portugal is €4 (about $4.20 / £2.80). If you are not a retired person, it would cost you €5 (about $5.30 / £3.50).

Sometimes we have concerts here directly from the Royal Opera or from the ballet for €10 (about $10.60 / £7.00), whereas in England you’d pay £45 (around $64 / €68.) for it.

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Recently Posted Expat Stories

Tips and Observations About Driving Through Baja California, and the Release of Your “Inner Mexican”

Driving…

in …

Mexico.

These three words are enough to strike fear into any news watching / Internet reading American. We are led to believe that we would either be kidnapped or just plain murdered within minutes of crossing the border. Even Mexicans who lived in the US advised us against driving in Mexico.

So, in order to add some firsthand experiences into the mix, and at the risk of contradicting...

Watch What You Say, You May Be Taken Seriously

Across from our high rise in Coronado was once a small hostel, and its owner was a friend of ours. But he had some quirks. He liked animals. Once he bought two large roosters, and they loved to crow at all times of the day. One week I had a Colombian painter in my place doing some work, and the roosters started crowing. I told him I wished those things would get lost. Next morning he arrived with a box of doughnuts. I figured that was nice of him,...

Wall of house being built in Panama – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

What does it take to build a house in Panama?

This is what I was able to get done in the last 12 months:

Paint on the exterior walls.
Interior walls erected on the second floor.
The building permit, occupational permit, the power lined dropped and hooked up.
Purchased a car!

It was a productive year, apparently. Although I didn't realize that until I took a look back and made a list of the year’s...

Best Places In The World To Retire

Recently Answered Questions

What are the best and worst things about living and retiring in San Miguel de Allende?

What is the typical Belize church like? What is the religion of Belize?

What are the worst places in Nicaragua to live and retire?

What's retirement in El Valle de Anton, Panama like?

What are the best reasons to retire overseas?

How much does it cost to go to the movies in Portugal?

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Tips and Observations About Driving Through Baja California, and the Release of Your “Inner Mexican”

Watch What You Say, You May Be Taken Seriously

Building a House in Panama Part 2- A Christmas Miracle!

Best Places In The World To Retire