Best Places In The World To Retire

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Recently Answered Questions

How's the hiking and camping in and around San Miguel de Allende?

Carlos Williams

Picacho Mountains near San Migel de Allende, Mexico – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

There is some camping and a lot of hiking in San Miguel de Allende. Horseback riding is also very common here, which is a pretty cool experience. You can go horseback riding out in the Picacho Mountain Range. I’ve gone horseback riding there is it’s really fun. The horses are tame and it’s quite an experience. We also have a botanical garden that you have to hike to before you reach it. Just being in nature is the best thing. Most people go there during Semana...

Can I buy furniture in Nicaragua?

Tanya Hartill - NicaTour Group

Most definitely you can buy furniture in Nicaragua. If you're on a budget, you could possibly furnish a three bedroom house with a washer and dryer for a couple of thousand dollars.

High-end furniture will cost you more obviously.

If you look around, you can find some wonderful dark wood furniture made by Nicaraguan furniture makers for reasonable prices.

How much does food cost in Ambergris Caye?

Rachel Jensen - Grand Baymen

Food taken out and eat at Grand Baymen, Ambergris Caye, Belize – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Like many other cities and towns, Ambergris Caye's restaurants and food prices vary widely depending on the shop and the season. There are a plethora of delicious and incredibly cheap food options on the island, including street food and locals' favorite spots. In Central Park you'll find cheap food stands that offer everything from burger to burritos for around $5. You'll also find authentic Belizean food at Boogie Belly's on Middle Street for under $5. Fruit and...

Can I use my Medicare outside the US, and if not, what are my alternatives?

John Ohe - Hola Expat Tax Services

medicare – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

For the most part, Medicare cannot be used outside the US by permanent expats. There is some travel coverage with the Medicare policy, but it is not a significant coverage level. As far as US expats are concerned, Medicare is really designed for coverage when you go back to the US and have routine checkups or you have a condition that you want to be treated for in the US. Medicare is not designed for coverage in another country.

For expats who live...

For expats who live abroad, the basic options are: 1) pay out of pocket; 2) pick up a health insurance policy that is local in nature and get into the "nitty-gritty" of what that coverage would be locally; 3) get international health plans that are out there with a few vendors like Cigna, Bupa, and a couple other smaller companies, but these policies tend to be very expensive; or, 4) evacuation insurance, which will only cover a US expat to get back to the US.

I have clients who rarely go back to the US. They have cancelled their Medicare coverage. However, Medicare is not that expensive. If you can afford the physician coverage, I would recommend keeping it. Part A is the hospital coverage. Part B is the physician coverage. Now there's also Part D, which is the pharmacy coverage. Drug costs are much lower outside the US. The fourth part of Medicare is the Medicare Supplemental, which fills in the gaps that Medicare has and that you buy from a private medical insurance company.

I would maintain the hospital and basic physician coverage on Medicare even if you live outside of the United States. Let's say you are a young retiree living abroad for a decade. Anything could happen. You might need to go back to the US. Healthcare costs are so expensive in the US. If you think about what you pay in premium for Medicare versus the benefits, it is a highly-subsidized insurance coverage provided by the US government, so why not take advantage of it?

To drive in Portugal, do I need Portugal automobile insurance?

Luis Rodrigues - Gouveia Pereira, Costa Freitas & Associates, Law Firm, RL

Mazda 818 DeLuxe in Portugal, pictured – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Under Portuguese law, each car needs to have a third party’s liability insurance to cover the damages that you may cause to other people in case of an accident. All risks insurance is also possible and common although not mandatory. Please note that these insurances relate to each car and not to the driver.

(Mazda 818 in Portugal, pictured.)

Is there religious freedom and religious tolerance in Panama?

Jesahely De Janon - Panama Property Attorneys

Traditional Jewish feast for New Year Rosh Hashanah (meaning “head of the year”) – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

There is religious freedom and religious tolerance in Panama. We have the freedom to practice any religion, as per the constitution of Panama.

Nowadays, there are lots of religions in Panama. There are many foreigners in Panama. The two most practiced religions in Panama are Protestantism and Catholicism.

There are also lots of Jews in Panama, especially in Panama City. The Jewish people recently celebrated the High Holidays or their New Year, also known as Rosh...

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Israel Meets Lebanon

Flag Pins for Israel and Lebanon – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

"Come sit next to me", said Sheyla. I followed her, wondering if it would calm my anxiety. Immediately I knew that we were going to be good friends. Our families were in countries far away, and this tropical land, its language and people was all we had. I was 12, did not speak any Spanish, but I knew this experience would change me forever.

Before arriving to Venezuela, I had studied in Jewish schools, and for the first time I was surrounded by students from all over the world. I...

How I Fund My Life in Panama... Real Estate, Rentals, and a Happy Happy Lifestyle!

I purchased my first rental property in the ski resort village of Whistler, BC, Canada, when I was 23-years-old with a very small down payment.

At the time, I was working as reservations manager for a property management company so I had first-hand knowledge of the strong returns that could be achieved through rentals. Over the following eight years, I proceeded to buy, renovate, rent short-term and ultimately sell nine Whistler properties.

...

The End of the Road At Playa Venao, Panama

The Divisa to the south of the Panamanian Highway is not a scenic ocean drive, except when you get near the terminus, in the Azuero Peninsula, where there is a ledge only big enough for two lanes, between the mountains and the coast with its tiny little coves. The road turns, and with each bend the ocean is glimpsed where the density of trees have become sparse. The water, unlike others parts of Panama, can finally be seen at the speed of a cruising car, in that uncommon...