How much does food cost in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Thomas Hellyer - Chapala Home Sales
The cost of food in Chapala and Ajijic depends on where you purchase it and at what stage of processing it is.
You can buy well-priced food at the local markets or shops such as the butcher shop and the street markets. We also have grocery stores and the big box stores such as Costco, and we have specialized markets where people pre-prepare foods at a higher cost.
Fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, and other...
The cost of food in Chapala and Ajijic depends on where you purchase it and at what stage of processing it is.
You can buy well-priced food at the local markets or shops such as the butcher shop and the street markets. We also have grocery stores and the big box stores such as Costco, and we have specialized markets where people pre-prepare foods at a higher cost.
Fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, and other fresh foods, they are very well-priced. You can get avocados for about 10 to 20 cents each, depending on what time of the year it is.
We have fresh fruits and fresh vegetables all year round in Mexico. They are not imported so that keeps the prices low. The area around Chapala and Jalisco, in general, is very much an agricultural area. Also helping to keep costs low in Chapala and Ajijic is that we are close to Guadalajara, which means that we have a huge distribution center close by, enough to handle the 8 million people who are in Guadalajara.
Our vendors have access to very well-priced fruits and vegetables from all over Mexico. For meats, you can go to the butcher shop and get meat that was butchered that day. There are also some places, where if you have the stomach for it, you can select your chicken and come back 20 minutes later to pick up the chicken meat from that same chicken that was alive 20 minutes earlier. My wife doesn’t like to do that but you can if you choose, and the prices are good.
Compared to back in the States, the cost of food here is about 70% less for the basic things. If you buy at the big box stores, you would still get about 40% savings compared to how much it costs in the US. If you go to Costco and buy the same Costco chicken breast in the States, they are about the same price here. They are available here, too. You can also go to Costco and buy chicken breast with a brand from Mexico and it will cost less.
(Tortilla dishes at a restaurant in Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Is it safe to drink the water in Managua, Nicaragua?
Sergio Corrales - E. CASTILLO ADVISORS
Tap water in Managua is safe to drink. However, if you are not a native Nicaraguan you may get sick the first time you visit if you drink tap water. Nicaraguans drink (including myself) tap water all the time, but we always recommend tourists to not take chances and drink bottled water, which by the way is cheap compared to prices of bottled water in North America.
Tap water in Managua is safe to drink. However, if you are not a native Nicaraguan you may get sick the first time you visit if you drink tap water. Nicaraguans drink (including myself) tap water all the time, but we always recommend tourists to not take chances and drink bottled water, which by the way is cheap compared to prices of bottled water in North America.
How many Americans and Canadians and other expats live in Ambergris Caye?
Josh Buettner - Ambergris Seaside Real Estate
My understanding is that the number of expats in Ambergris Caye varies depending on the time of year but it usually around 3,000 to 5,000 out of 18,000 to 20,000 people total on Ambergris Caye.
There is a large group of expats who are here permanently and there is a large group that spends extended periods of time here, especially in the winter months. You might refer to them as “snowbirds.” Snowbirds are mostly Canadians and other people who do not really need to...
My understanding is that the number of expats in Ambergris Caye varies depending on the time of year but it usually around 3,000 to 5,000 out of 18,000 to 20,000 people total on Ambergris Caye.
There is a large group of expats who are here permanently and there is a large group that spends extended periods of time here, especially in the winter months. You might refer to them as “snowbirds.” Snowbirds are mostly Canadians and other people who do not really need to work. For Canadians, it is a little bit different because they have to be in Canada for 6 months out of the year or more in order to qualify for their Canadian health insurance, which is an important factor for them. Americans generally do not have that kind of restriction.
(Caribbean condos outside of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
Do I still have to file my US income taxes if I retire, work or just live abroad?
John Ohe - Hola Expat Tax Services
All U.S. citizens and permanent residents (Green Card holders) are required to file U.S. income tax returns if they have gross income that exceeds certain minimum thresholds – see below for 2016 tax year:
Single, Under 65: $10,300
Single, 65 or older: $11,850
Married, Filing Jointly, Under 65 (both): $20,600
Married, Filing Jointly, Under 65 (one): $21,850
Married, Filing Jointly, 65 or older (both): $23,100
...
All U.S. citizens and permanent residents (Green Card holders) are required to file U.S. income tax returns if they have gross income that exceeds certain minimum thresholds – see below for 2016 tax year:
Single, Under 65: $10,300
Single, 65 or older: $11,850
Married, Filing Jointly, Under 65 (both): $20,600
Married, Filing Jointly, Under 65 (one): $21,850
Married, Filing Jointly, 65 or older (both): $23,100
Married Filing Separately, Any age: $4,000
Head of Household, Under 65: $13,250
Head of Household, 65 or older: $14,800
Qualifying Widow(er) with dependent child, Under 65: $16,600
Qualifying Widow(er) with dependent child, 65 or older: $17,850
U.S. expats are required to report worldwide income (regardless of location). Unfortunately, many are not aware of this fact, and do not file – only be audited by the IRS, at which point they are subject to penalties and interest.
Is there racial tension, acceptance or diversity in Panama?
MANUEL GRANADOS - MEDICAL SERVICE PANAMA, S.A. (MS PANAMA, S.A.)
There is no discrimination here in Panama. Everybody gets along with the people from other places or other countries. Here in Panama, there are many Colombians, Venezuelans, Mexicans, Canadians, Europeans, and Spanish but the original people in Panama are indigenous people. There is no discrimination here in Panama; there’s no such thing.
Indian people marry Indian people. Jewish people tend to only marry Jewish people here...
There is no discrimination here in Panama. Everybody gets along with the people from other places or other countries. Here in Panama, there are many Colombians, Venezuelans, Mexicans, Canadians, Europeans, and Spanish but the original people in Panama are indigenous people. There is no discrimination here in Panama; there’s no such thing.
Indian people marry Indian people. Jewish people tend to only marry Jewish people here in Panama, but sometimes you would see a Jewish woman marry a Panamanian guy here. They are also Panamanians but they are a part of a different race.
In Panama, it is very common here to see black person with a white person and it does not matter.
How reliable is the water supply in Algarve? Are there water disruptions?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
The Algarve may have a disruption in the water supply once every two to three years; certainly no more often than the typical US city.
Whenever there is a problem with the water supply in the Algarve, it is typically a water main bursting because of a fluctuation in the summer or winter. During this time, they may cut off your water for a few hours while they repair it.
(The pool at Algarve Senior Living, Algarve,...
The Algarve may have a disruption in the water supply once every two to three years; certainly no more often than the typical US city.
Whenever there is a problem with the water supply in the Algarve, it is typically a water main bursting because of a fluctuation in the summer or winter. During this time, they may cut off your water for a few hours while they repair it.
(The pool at Algarve Senior Living, Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)
One more time, Panamá honors its history of being "World Center and Heart of the Universe", as his canal slogan says.
Since 1960 when this idea was taken in consideration, mainly in the United States, lately, due the great success in sales, several countries have adopted the idea to increase their economies. But the phenomenon was Panama this past Nov. 29, so called: "Black Friday".
The first time I visited Panama I was on a mission to see as much of the country as I possibly could on that trip. I was a Real Estate Broker in Las Vegas, Nevada (so I knew properties and values fairly well).
I found that Panama was similar in many respects to what I knew about Las Vegas. Different areas had different values depending on various factors. On my first trip I wanted to see the Southern Caribbean Coast as well as the rest of Panama.
Surfing has been here in the Pedasi area for a long time. The waves in Venao (about 30 minutes away by car) were discovered a long time ago. The first time I came here to Pedasi, which was about 10 years ago, Venao was a very quiet place where the only things you will see are cantinas. During that time, beer only costs US $.40 per bottle and one meal was only about $2 per surfer. The surfers were happy because they came here in the summer, set up their tents at the beach, the...
The cost of food in Chapala and Ajijic depends on where you purchase it and at what stage of processing it is. 
My understanding is that the number of expats in Ambergris Caye varies depending on the time of year but it usually around 3,000 to 5,000 out of 18,000 to 20,000 people total on Ambergris Caye.
There is no discrimination here in Panama. Everybody gets along with the people from other places or other countries. Here in Panama, there are many Colombians, Venezuelans, Mexicans, Canadians, Europeans, and Spanish but the original people in Panama are indigenous people. There is no discrimination here in Panama; there’s no such thing. 
The Algarve may have a disruption in the water supply once every two to three years; certainly no more often than the typical US city. 
