Best Places In The World To Retire

I don’t think we would have enough time if I would tell you all the best things about living and retiring here in Yucatan. I love living here!
 
Some people come here to retire and when they get here, they realize that their life is no different than what it was in the US and they become really disenchanted. They have a language barrier. All the products that they are used to in the US aren’t here and that makes them disenchanted. Other people come here to literally...

I don’t think we would have enough time if I would tell you all the best things about living and retiring here in Yucatan. I love living here!
 
Some people come here to retire and when they get here, they realize that their life is no different than what it was in the US and they become really disenchanted. They have a language barrier. All the products that they are used to in the US aren’t here and that makes them disenchanted. Other people come here to literally explore and to live. I didn’t come here to retire. I came here to live.
 
I love working, so working is life. I love going into a store and not having to pay ungodly prices for things. I love having a plumber come to my house and not charge me $150 just for showing up and $75 for every half hour. On the other side of that, I don’t like when a plumber comes and he doesn’t know what he has and he doesn’t have any parts in his truck or if he doesn’t have a truck, he has a motorcycle or a bike. So there is good and bad on everything. Do not come here with high expectations because if you do, you are going to be let down. Come to Mexico with open arms, embrace the community and you can have an incredible life. 
 
What I don’t like about living in Mexico is paying the high price of the gasoline but that made me realize that maybe I do not need big SUVs. I don’t have a lot of “I don’t likes” here.
 
Spay and neuter clinics were big in the last few years but there are still lots of animals walking on the streets. We do a lot of adopting and fostering ourselves. That is probably the biggest thing I don’t like. I still don’t like some of the garbage, too. Go back to the 1960s before Americans were literally educated on not littering, and you’ll find that American streets were pretty littered. A lot of the streets on the beach are the same way. If you go to Merida, it is much cleaner. The Mexican people need to be educated on littering; they still need to be educated on all the things that we needed to be educated on. That is the downside of Mexico and that is one of the very few. The upside totally outweighs the downside.

 

(The staff of Yucatan Beach Homes taking a sieta after lunch, Merida, Yucantan, Mexico, pictured.)

The answer in most cases is no, Medicare will not pay for health care outside the U.S. However, if you’re in the U.S. and during a medical emergency a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital, Medicare may pay for these expenses.

It is always recommended that individuals who have Medicare and live abroad secure an international policy. These policies will typically provide coverage anywhere in the world, free choice of doctors/hospitals and guarantee the...

The answer in most cases is no, Medicare will not pay for health care outside the U.S. However, if you’re in the U.S. and during a medical emergency a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital, Medicare may pay for these expenses.

It is always recommended that individuals who have Medicare and live abroad secure an international policy. These policies will typically provide coverage anywhere in the world, free choice of doctors/hospitals and guarantee the renewal of the policy for life. International catastrophic policies for those 65 and older are relatively affordable and cost as little as $90 per month. It is important that retirees secure these policies before age 74; as this is the maximum age one can apply for a new international policy.

Homeowner's insurance is available in Belize and there are several reputable insurance agencies that offer it.

 

One of the main concerns many expats have is coverage caused by tropical storms and hurricanes.  This "all peril" insurance is available and is priced based upon location and building style and materials.  For a well-built concrete house near the coast, a premium of US$1,000 per $100,000 in coverage is typical.

 

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Homeowner's insurance is available in Belize and there are several reputable insurance agencies that offer it.

 

One of the main concerns many expats have is coverage caused by tropical storms and hurricanes.  This "all peril" insurance is available and is priced based upon location and building style and materials.  For a well-built concrete house near the coast, a premium of US$1,000 per $100,000 in coverage is typical.

 

Contents riders are available as well.

 

As with all insurance policies, one should read the policy carefully to understand the coverage, exclusions and limits of the policy.

If you are moving your things to Portugal, it is best not to bring your electrical appliances because we have a different voltage here in Portugal than in the US. We use 220 voltage here, which is the same as in England.
 
You don’t really have to bring a lot of your stuff here because you can purchase everything here in the Lisbon area. You can find nice furniture, wonderful linen, wonderful china, etc. so you don’t need anything else. The same is true for the whole...

If you are moving your things to Portugal, it is best not to bring your electrical appliances because we have a different voltage here in Portugal than in the US. We use 220 voltage here, which is the same as in England.
 
You don’t really have to bring a lot of your stuff here because you can purchase everything here in the Lisbon area. You can find nice furniture, wonderful linen, wonderful china, etc. so you don’t need anything else. The same is true for the whole country of Portugal.
 
It costs pretty much the same in Portugal as in England to buy things. England is a bigger country so it has a lot more variety and a lot more competition. Here in Portugal, the Swedish have opened up a new chain for us called IKEA. They are here now and everybody shops in IKEA. The prices are pretty much competitive here.
 
If you want to buy some Portuguese furniture, you will find it a bit more expensive but it is because it is of higher quality and of good craftsmanship. When I moved back here from England, I didn’t bring my stuff over. I sold them in England and just bought everything new here in Portugal.

 

(Roof patio, Tavira, Portugal, pictured.)

There is only one airport in Bocas Del Toro; a small one located in Isla Colon. They have Air Panama flights from Panama City to the Bocas airport.

 

Even though there are only about three flights a day during the High Season, no matter where you are, you cannot get away from the airplane noise. In some areas, the planes fly over the houses. They are small planes that can hold about 30 people.

There is only one airport in Bocas Del Toro; a small one located in Isla Colon. They have Air Panama flights from Panama City to the Bocas airport.

 

Even though there are only about three flights a day during the High Season, no matter where you are, you cannot get away from the airplane noise. In some areas, the planes fly over the houses. They are small planes that can hold about 30 people.