Best Places In The World To Retire

Overlaying all the best things about living or retiring in Puerto Vallarta is the weather. How can you possibly beat this weather? You’re not shoveling snow, scraping ice, or wearing mittens, boots, and anything you can think of that you would need to wear to stay warm if you were in some other place like Canada. Here in Puerto Vallarta, you’re walking around constantly in your flip-flops and shorts. These are also some cost of living savings- it’s just such a...

Overlaying all the best things about living or retiring in Puerto Vallarta is the weather. How can you possibly beat this weather? You’re not shoveling snow, scraping ice, or wearing mittens, boots, and anything you can think of that you would need to wear to stay warm if you were in some other place like Canada. Here in Puerto Vallarta, you’re walking around constantly in your flip-flops and shorts. These are also some cost of living savings- it’s just such a laid-back lifestyle. 

 

One of the best things about being in Puerto Vallarta is how relaxing and laid-back it is. Puerto Vallarta doesn’t have the hectic pace of a city, so if you’re looking for that New York kind of lifestyle, this is not it. The Puerto Vallarta lifestyle is more get back to nature and the pounding and the rhythm of the waves;  to slow down. 

 

The relaxed lifestyle is also what can drive you crazy, because, for example, when you want things done for your home, it’s not going to happen in 24 hours, in a week, or in a month. Owning a business in Puerto Vallarta has really opened my eyes to how caught up we get into having things done perfectly, and being meticulous about how things are done.

 

When you come to live in Puerto Vallarta, you learn a different culture, one in which it’s laid-back, and it’s also about not everything being perfect. The culture here is about just getting things done, and enjoying it. 

 

I have friends who come to Puerto Vallarta and ask me, “Can you please let me know when the delivery guy is going to come? I’d like him to come here Tuesday between 3 and 4 in the afternoon,” and I chuckle and say, “I can’t even tell you if they’re going to be here this week, never mind tell you that they can be here on a certain day between two particular hours. It will happen when it happens, and not a moment sooner.” You see stress on people’s faces when they’re trying to understand how to live here and they don’t relax and just let it happen. 

 

For people who can’t let go, living in Puerto Vallarta can be a struggle. You can’t control things here, which really teaches you that you can’t control life. You can only control how you react to it. So, to summarize, the best part of living in Puerto Vallarta is how relaxed it is, and the worst thing about living in Puerto Vallarta is how relaxed it is.

 

(Pictured: Sheryl Novak and friend Dave Petrishen‎ from Winnipeg.)

The Algarve is very safe.

 

I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is probably one of the world’s most dangerous places. I lived in San Pablo in Brazil, which is amongst the crime capitals of the world. I used to do a lot of business in Bogota when the drug cartels were more prevalent, where I used to have a personal code with my driver so that I wasn’t hijacked. I still remember when I lived in Miami that there were places in downtown...

The Algarve is very safe.

 

I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is probably one of the world’s most dangerous places. I lived in San Pablo in Brazil, which is amongst the crime capitals of the world. I used to do a lot of business in Bogota when the drug cartels were more prevalent, where I used to have a personal code with my driver so that I wasn’t hijacked. I still remember when I lived in Miami that there were places in downtown Miami that you couldn’t walk at night.

 

Compared to those places, it’s a complete and utter difference in the Algarve. I believe Portugal is the seventh safest country in the world. The Algarve is known as a place for people who do not wish to be necessarily in the limelight and who would rather be away from the media. Many famous people who could choose any location choose the Algarve because you don’t have the paparazzi running around.

 

If you walk around the Algarve, you will see the average middle class people who live here, among whom, the crime rate is very low. Historically there has been very, very little violent crime in the Algarve, which continues to be the case. There is no racial or social unrest. Portugal is generally a very homogenous country from a racial, a religious, and other perspectives. Most people are of the Roman Catholic faith. And even people who are not necessarily religious are very, very neutral and not in any way outspoken about their beliefs. What one finds in Portugal is a country that is very tolerant, which contributes in no small measure to the fact that not only is the country safe, but people feel safe. The comment that we often receive from people who are down here is, “I really feel safe. I can walk at night to a restaurant or into town and I don’t feel as though I’m being threatened in any way.” This is very important.

 

We had a single female client from the US living in London who was staying in one of our locations near Portimao in the Algarve and wanted to go to either a jazz concert or ballet that playing in a very large venue that was located in a bit of an industrial area on the edge of the river. She walked from the place where she was staying across a fairly deserted village to the performance, and then walked back. Later, I dropped her an email to ask her how it went.  She wrote back, “Absolutely fantastic!  If I had been in London I would have had to take a cab to stay overnight in a hotel and caught a cab to see the show, pay a fortune for the show, come back and have gone back home to my house. Instead, in the Algarve, I saw a top performance, and walked back. I felt completely safe and it cost me probably a tenth of what it would cost in London or New York.” I believe it’s important to live in a place that feels safe as opposed to just citing statistics that say it’s safe.  The important thing for most people is to feel safe.

 

In general, people don’t have burglar bars or big dogs for security in the Algarve.  Some of the traditional properties that are out in the countryside need some protection because they closed for months and so to just avoid anyone having the temptation to break in, sometimes people will put worked, ornate iron bars on the windows and the doors.  However, in the city and in the suburbs, it’s not that common to see burglar bars. On the contrary, it’s much more common to see big wide sliding doors to make the most of the views and the sunshine.

 

(In 2009 actress Angelina Jolie had been looking for property in the Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)

You don’t need to own a car in Ambergris Caye. Typically, people wouldn’t own a car and typically people might own or lease a golf cart. Golf cart rental is as expensive as renting a US car. It will be around US $400 to $500 a month to rent a golf cart. So if you are going to be here for a long time or if you are planning to retire here, you would probably buy a golf cart.

 

New golf cart costs around $15,000 to $25,000, which seems expensive,...

You don’t need to own a car in Ambergris Caye. Typically, people wouldn’t own a car and typically people might own or lease a golf cart. Golf cart rental is as expensive as renting a US car. It will be around US $400 to $500 a month to rent a golf cart. So if you are going to be here for a long time or if you are planning to retire here, you would probably buy a golf cart.

 

New golf cart costs around $15,000 to $25,000, which seems expensive, but there is duty on those things to bring them in. A used golf cart costs around US $7,500 up to around $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the features and the type of parts. If you are thinking of buying, that is the best course of action.

 

But you want to make sure that you can get a permit for your golf cart. Every golf cart has a requirement to have a permit and only citizens or residents can get permits for golf carts.

 

On the high end, there are also golf carts here that cost $30,000. They tend to be larger and are four-wheel drive. They are four-wheel drive with some type of storage on the back.

 

Typically, people do not own cars in Ambergris Caye; they own golf carts. Some people who have been here for a long time or have the need, would have a car. Personally, I have a golf cart.  I don’t have a car and I wouldn’t have a car.

 

(Four wheel drive golf cart, pictured.)

People are different. Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like orderly societies, others enjoy a bit of chaos. Some are obsessed with good food and wine, others don't much care what ends up in their stomachs. Some like to be surrounded by fellow  expats like themselves in gated communities, others prefer to blend into the local culture.

 

There is no one-size-fits-all best place in the world for everyone to retire. (And if there were, it would...

People are different. Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like orderly societies, others enjoy a bit of chaos. Some are obsessed with good food and wine, others don't much care what ends up in their stomachs. Some like to be surrounded by fellow  expats like themselves in gated communities, others prefer to blend into the local culture.

 

There is no one-size-fits-all best place in the world for everyone to retire. (And if there were, it would get crowded very quickly).

 

The real questions is: where is the best place in the world for you to retire?

 

And that depends on many factors, such as what you enjoy doing (e.g. surfing, snow skiing) and don't enjoy doing (e.g. drowning, getting frostbite). It also depends on what you can afford, your ability to learn new languages, and what you want to do in your new home.

 

Retirement is not death, or at least it shouldn't be.  When you move to your retirement paradise, you will quickly discover that a 24 hour day is exceedingly long if you have nothing to do. You will need to fill up up those hours with activities you enjoy, and that will influence where the best place is for you.

 

So, what have we got now? We have several criteria to be applied in choosing your retirement home: Ask yourself:

 

 

1) What are my likes and dislikes? What is important to me?

 

Make a list of the things that are important to you -- warm sunny weather, friendly natives, bird-watching. Then make another list of countries that fit with those likes and dislikes. If you hate seeing graffiti on walls and chewing gum on sidewalks, your list should include Singapore, because in Singapore you can be whipped with a cane for vandalism and thrown in jail for leaving gum on sidewalks. On the other hand, if you are big on personal liberty, Singapore is probably not the place for you. Similarly, if you are a Mormon missionary, you should probably not consider Saudi Arabia; and if you are a nudist, France is a better option than Iran.

 

 

2)  What do I want to do when I retire? How am I going to spend my time?

 

Golf? Hiking? Cross-country skiing?  Reading your Kindle? Surfing the internet? Sitting on a beach? Make a list of countries that excel in the activities you want to pursue when you retire. If you are a sport fisherman and live to catch yellowfin tuna, then Panama would be a good bet.  If you are an avid cross-country skier, then Canada and Norway should be on your list.

 

 

3)  Where can I afford to live when I retire?

 

There are lots of fabulous places to live on this planet -- Lake Como or Florence (Italy), Paris or Nice (France), NYC or The Adirondacks (New York), Laguna Beach or Marin County (California),  Barcelona or Ibiza (Spain) . These are all great places -- if you can afford them. If not, you will need to start thinking about other wonderful places with lower costs of living. This is the point at which places like Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Thailand come into view. These countries all have areas where English speaking expats live and thrive in substantial numbers, and they are all relatively inexpensive.

 

 

4) Can I learn the local language?

 

Understanding the local language is important for two reasons. First is the practical one that you will need to get around and do stuff in your new country, which is hard to do if you cannot talk to people (waving and pointing has distinct limits). Second, you will never really understand the local culture if you cannot speak the language.

 

Some languages are harder to learn that others. Spanish is relatively easy. Mandarin, Thai and other Asian languages are very hard for most westerners. This is one of the main reasons I moved to Panama instead of Thailand, Cambodia or China, which I also love.

 

 

You are now at the end of my short rant, but you are only starting the work you need to do if you want to retire overseas. You will need to consider a host of other factors that depend on your personal circumstances.

 

Are you healthy or do you have medical issues? If you do, then you may want to consider Panama, which has excellent health care, but not Cambodia, where you can die on the street and no one will notice.

 

If you worry about crime, Honduras is not the place for you (highest murder rate in the world) but Thailand would do nicely, as would Canada, England or Japan, which all have very low rates of violent crime.

 

Now is the time to start thinking and making your lists.  Do your homework. Do not rely for all your information on businesses that make money pitching one destination or another, or organizing retirement tours. If you are interested in a particular country or region, read everything you can on the internet. There is an enormous amount of information available on the internet. Use it. Make yourself the master of your own destiny. Start figuring out which retirement location is best for you! 

The crime level in Nicaragua comes down to where you are and your security measures.  For example, if you have a very nice car and you park it in a good area with no one to look after it, it could get vandalized.  But you could also have the same nice car and park it in a bad area, but with someone to look after it, and nothing will happen.

 

Compared with Seattle (where I used to live), the crime in Nicaragua is about the same, but Seattle and...

The crime level in Nicaragua comes down to where you are and your security measures.  For example, if you have a very nice car and you park it in a good area with no one to look after it, it could get vandalized.  But you could also have the same nice car and park it in a bad area, but with someone to look after it, and nothing will happen.

 

Compared with Seattle (where I used to live), the crime in Nicaragua is about the same, but Seattle and Nicaragua have different issues. For example, in Seattle, lots of people have guns, while in Nicaragua, you don’t see it that much.  I have never heard of an issue of guns in a school in Nicaragua.  People in Nicaragua would faint if they heard that.  You also don’t hear about a mall or bank shooting in Nicaragua.  In Seattle, you will see lots of drugs, while in Nicaragua, you won’t.  I keep reading how bad the crime is in Central America, that people are having guns held to their heads, etc.  I have never, never been mugged, and I’m "a girl in an SUV," living here from the age of 18 to 30.  I have, however, been pick pocketed in the public market, but that could happen in Seattle.

 

One of the differences about living in Nicaragua is that, in Nicaragua, depending on where you go, it can be a good idea to pay someone to look after your car.  If you don’t have someone with you, you just pay a person in the street whose “job” it is to watch the car in that area.  The most you would pay is a dollar.  If they look at you as a foreigner, they may ask for two dollars, but that’s about it.  In Granada and the better area of Managua called Carretera Masaya, I don’t pay to have someone watch my car.

 

You should always be aware in Nicaragua and avoid going by yourself to isolated places while carrying items like expensive cameras.