Best Places In The World To Retire

There is no more more important question about living in a place than "Is it safe?"  If you don't feel safe, nothing else really matters.

 

Also, safety is a personal, "feeling" issue; statistics and other people's opinions are not as important than how one feels.  As founder of Best Places in the World to Retire, I've interviewed hundreds of people living in the Ajijic / Lake Chapala area, and none of them are more worried about violent...

There is no more more important question about living in a place than "Is it safe?"  If you don't feel safe, nothing else really matters.

 

Also, safety is a personal, "feeling" issue; statistics and other people's opinions are not as important than how one feels.  As founder of Best Places in the World to Retire, I've interviewed hundreds of people living in the Ajijic / Lake Chapala area, and none of them are more worried about violent crime than they would be in their home country; some quite less so.  I have seen and interviewed 70- and 80-year-old single frail-looking women, who move around Ajijic with no feeling of being unsafe, and without any incidents whatsoever.  Many have lived here decades.

 

That doesn't mean that you can do stupid things and have no consequences.  Just like anyplace, it is not wise to flash a lot of cash, be extremely drunk by yourself and walking through dark allies.  Common sense applies here just like any other place.

 

 

I must admit, though, that when I first came to Mexico, with my eyes more attuned to how things looked when they were dangerous in the US or Canada, it looked very unsafe.  I saw lots of high fences, barbed wire, security guards with guns, etc.  To me, all this shouted: Unsafe area!  Beware!!

 

However, all these items are not generally to deter violent crime; they are to deter theft, which is higher than I am used to in the US.  If you don't have these measures, there is a higher chance that you will have something stolen than if you lived in a safe suburb of the US or Canada.

 

Also, I should point out that the Mexicans in Mexico (certainly in Ajijic) are not at all like many of the Mexicans you may meet in the US.  Mexicans in Mexico are much more traditional and much less aggressive, to the point of being perhaps overly non-confrontational and even a bit passive.  They tend to be very gentle people.

 

So, to summarize and personalize, I don't worry at all about violent crime, but we do take measures to guard against theft.  If you do the same, you should feel extremely safe here.  We do.

 

The picture is of a typical person you might meet in Ajijic.  This woman did some sewing for me.  Here's the video.

 

If you are considering moving to Mexico, contact Best Mexico Movers.

Short answer:  NO

 

Panama does offer a passport to people who comply with a series of regulations.  One is available almost immediately with an investment of $300,000 - which can be in property if desired.  Generally people who have an indefinite visa that is non-Pensionado, and who have lived in Panama for five years, can apply for citizenship....which does not automatically revoke your US citizenship.  There are a number of options that...

Short answer:  NO

 

Panama does offer a passport to people who comply with a series of regulations.  One is available almost immediately with an investment of $300,000 - which can be in property if desired.  Generally people who have an indefinite visa that is non-Pensionado, and who have lived in Panama for five years, can apply for citizenship....which does not automatically revoke your US citizenship.  There are a number of options that will lead to Panamanian nationality.  You will need a lawyer who is experienced in this area to advise you.

 

There are advantages to having a second passport, for banking and travel purposes. (Don't get stuck in the Moscow airport without one.).

 

Take professional advice.
 

You can drink the water straight from the tap here in Placencia. We have good clean water. It all depends on where you are. Placencia has very good natural water coming from the underground aquifer that runs parallel to the mountains, where all our water is from.
 
There’s an underground aquifer that runs parallel to the Maya Mountains, which is about 5 or 10 miles in distance.  The water that gets pumped from there is piped to the Placencia peninsula, so you can drink...

You can drink the water straight from the tap here in Placencia. We have good clean water. It all depends on where you are. Placencia has very good natural water coming from the underground aquifer that runs parallel to the mountains, where all our water is from.
 
There’s an underground aquifer that runs parallel to the Maya Mountains, which is about 5 or 10 miles in distance.  The water that gets pumped from there is piped to the Placencia peninsula, so you can drink the water straight from the tap and it is very clean and safe.
 
There are certain areas in Belize that I’m sure do not have good water but I think overall Belize has very good, clean water. We have trees and plants and there is not a lot of big industries here so there is nothing polluting the water.

Prices for turnkey properties in Nicaragua vary greatly depending on the location, size and finish of the property.  

 

We are based along the southern Pacific coast in the Tola region (often referred to as the Emerald Coast).  Prices for turnkey properties here are on the rise, but are still less expensive than those in San Juan del Sur.  Home prices here range from $150,000 up to $1,700,000 and condo prices range from $250,000 to...

Prices for turnkey properties in Nicaragua vary greatly depending on the location, size and finish of the property.  

 

We are based along the southern Pacific coast in the Tola region (often referred to as the Emerald Coast).  Prices for turnkey properties here are on the rise, but are still less expensive than those in San Juan del Sur.  Home prices here range from $150,000 up to $1,700,000 and condo prices range from $250,000 to $500,000. As you can see, prices cover pretty much the entire spectrum.

 

There are many nice homes outside of the larger, up-scale developments that range from $150,000 to $300,000.  These homes generally have nice finishes and offer good value.  Once you start looking inside the developments, homes generally start as low as $300,000 and go up to $800,000.  These homes are all very high-end and have anywhere from 3 to 6 bedrooms, pools, garages, etc. 

 

When searching for a home or condo, it is very important to do your research on the local market where you are interested in purchasing so you can determine what properties are a good deal and which ones might not be.  It's good to compare the cost of purchasing a lot and building yourself versus buying a completed home, too.  If you have the time, view every home that meets your criteria (budget, size, etc.) so you can make an educated decision - whether you decide to buy or not.

 

(Second-story porch covered with a thatched roof, Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua,pictured.)

 

 

 

 

 

There are many mosquitoes in Panama, but disease transmitted by mosquitoes, such as malaria and yellow fever, have been completely eradicated.  Other bugs and insects are mostly not damaging to your health.

 

There have been a few cases of dengue here in Panama, but the numbers are much smaller than in adjoining countries like Costa Rica.  The government of Panama is taking aggressive action to rid the nation of dengue by doing away with mosquito...

There are many mosquitoes in Panama, but disease transmitted by mosquitoes, such as malaria and yellow fever, have been completely eradicated.  Other bugs and insects are mostly not damaging to your health.

 

There have been a few cases of dengue here in Panama, but the numbers are much smaller than in adjoining countries like Costa Rica.  The government of Panama is taking aggressive action to rid the nation of dengue by doing away with mosquito breeding areas.

 

Like other people who go about their daily lives not worried about dengue transmission, I am not worried about acquiring dengue because I live and socialize in areas that are not inhabited by dengue transmitting mosquitoes.

 

Just because Clayton is next to the Panama Canal is not a reason for there to be more mosquitos in Clayton.  Running water is not favorable for mosquito breeding.  It is the pools of water or standing water that are the places most favorable for mosquito breeding.  In general, the higher income areas have the least amount of standing water, so they have the least mosquitos and the least transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.