Mexico uses the Mexican peso but all the large purchases are quite often US dollar denominated. When you buy real estate here, you will inevitably be quoted a US dollar price. Quite often if you are dealing with a more sophisticated businessperson who owns the property, they are going to want the money sent to their bank account in the Cayman's or Chase in New York. You are wire transferring the purchase price in US dollars to some bank outside Mexico. You are not paying in Mexican...
Mexico uses the Mexican peso but all the large purchases are quite often US dollar denominated. When you buy real estate here, you will inevitably be quoted a US dollar price. Quite often if you are dealing with a more sophisticated businessperson who owns the property, they are going to want the money sent to their bank account in the Cayman's or Chase in New York. You are wire transferring the purchase price in US dollars to some bank outside Mexico. You are not paying in Mexican pesos to a Mexican bank.
Day-to-day stuff is purchased and sold in pesos. I’ll tell you what I do here, however. I specifically use a credit card where there is no foreign transaction fee. I happen to have a Chase Sapphire Preferred but there are a number of credit cards, where no matter where you travel around the world, there is no foreign transaction fee. We have engineered that our monthly credit card bill is automatically paid by our checking account, which happens to be a Chase as well. Funds from our social security checks, my pension check, every once in a while from investments I have, I transfer to that account. This lessens the amount of cash that I actually have to have here in pesos.
There are a number of credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees. That is why I chose it. In contrast, the Chase United airlines card where I get miles charged me a whole bunches of transaction fees. It showed me the transactions I did in pesos that are then transferred into dollars. It also showed what I owe and their charge for the transaction. As a result, I got myself a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
(Banamex ATM inside a bank in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico pictured.)
What do I need to know when buying a house or other real estate in Panama?
Marla Diaz
When buying real estate in Panama, you need to know that, if done right, it’s a great investment. There are a lot of people who are talking about diversifying their money out of their home country, whether it’s Europe or the United States.
The government of Panama has made it really easy for foreigners to buy real estate in Panama. Not only have they made it easy, but also they’ve provided incentives. For example, if you...
When buying real estate in Panama, you need to know that, if done right, it’s a great investment. There are a lot of people who are talking about diversifying their money out of their home country, whether it’s Europe or the United States.
The government of Panama has made it really easy for foreigners to buy real estate in Panama. Not only have they made it easy, but also they’ve provided incentives. For example, if you buy real estate in Panama, you can get a property tax exemption for 5 or 10 years. Whether your property is eligible for the 5 or 10-year property tax exemption depends on the type of property, the price, etc. There used to be a 20-year property tax exemption, but it was reduced. However, under the right circumstances, you can pick up the remaining property tax exemption on a property that did have the 20-year exemption.
The price of real estate in Panama is a fraction of what it would be in the States or Canada, or Europe, for that matter, especially if you buy ocean front property.
The government of Panama has made buying property in Panama as a foreigner a simple process. Also, there’s plenty of infrastructure available, even if you don’t speak a lick of Spanish, for you to be able to understand the process, either through your attorney and / or your real estate agent, who will speak English. In addition, you can get a certified translation of the Spanish contract. (To see more about this, please see my answer under “If the sales contract for my real estate purchase in Panama is in Spanish and English and if there is a difference in the two contracts, which one controls?”).
How are Americans, British and Canadians in Algarve treated? How are expats in Algarve treated generally?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings.
From the economic perspective from the time of the discovery of the New World, Portugal has always been outward facing nation. This is reflected in the way that it receives foreign people. Most people who come to or go to Portugal immediately say that they are made to feel so very welcome.
As far as how Americans in particular in the Algarve are treated,...
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings.
From the economic perspective from the time of the discovery of the New World, Portugal has always been outward facing nation. This is reflected in the way that it receives foreign people. Most people who come to or go to Portugal immediately say that they are made to feel so very welcome.
As far as how Americans in particular in the Algarve are treated, it’s tough to tell because there are not that many residing here full-time. Generally, Americans are very interesting folk in that sense that Americans are very inquisitive. They love to understand the historical background of the region and they’re very interested in the details. So they pay attention and show interest in a lot of the traditional aspects of the country; the tiles, the road, the balconies, what happened to the river course and what it was used for in the past, whether a castle was inhabited or not—all these kinds of small details typically interest Americans. This attitude helps aid the integration because local people in particular like to talk about their little place in the world. So when they see someone with mutual interest, of course, they like to talk. The first way to break down the barrier is to engage with someone even if there is a slight language barrier.
So what you find is that Americans in particular integrate very well in the Algarve because typically Americans come with a very inquisitive mind. The Americans who travel here love Portugal and love the Algarve. They really do love it. I wouldn’t be overstating it by using the word “love.” It’s kind of a love affair that starts with a statement such as, “This is a place that I should’ve been in or I want to be in.” We often get that reaction from Americans.
(The George Pub memorializes fallen British solideris with poppies in Lisboa, Portugal)
In Nicaragua, do I have to worry about malaria, yellow fever and other diseases we don't generally have in North America?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
Nicaragua has both Dengue and Malaria as mosquito-borne diseases. Both are rare in Managua, but are prevalent in eastern provinces. We do not take any anti-malarial drugs.
Nicaragua has both Dengue and Malaria as mosquito-borne diseases. Both are rare in Managua, but are prevalent in eastern provinces. We do not take any anti-malarial drugs.
It is estimated at their peak by archeologists that 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of Belize. They built mighty cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai with small agricultural communities farming the land between. No one knows for certain what caused the disappearance of the Mayas. Perhaps it was war, loss of faith, famine or a series of natural disasters.
Christopher Columbus sailed...
It is estimated at their peak by archeologists that 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of Belize. They built mighty cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai with small agricultural communities farming the land between. No one knows for certain what caused the disappearance of the Mayas. Perhaps it was war, loss of faith, famine or a series of natural disasters.
Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of central America after and named the bay of Honduras which bordered the southern part of the barrier reef.
Various bands of shipwrecked sailors, buccaneers, and pirates established permanent base in Belize, harassing the Spanish galleons taking gold, silver, and hardwood from central America to Europe. It wasn't long before logging became the dominant occupation.
Spain continually attempted to expel these British buccaneers from the Spanish territory but finally signed a treaty allowing them to harvest timber in exchange for protection. The European settlers began to intermarry the free slaves, forming the Creole which is the dominant species today and from the bay island of Honduras, the Garifuna people migrated and settled along the coast of Belize.
Belize had about 40,000 people in the 1900's but a destructive hurricane in 1931 destroyed Belize and the economy was poor and began to call for independence. in 1973 the colony's name changed from British Honduras to Belize. On September 21, 1981 Belize gained its Independence.
(Thomas Vincent Ramos, a, Methodist, a preacher, hymn composer, leader and spokesman of the Garifuna was responsible for Settlement Day, which celebrates the Garifunas arrival in Belize, pictured.)
What are the best places in the world to retire? The answer to this question will obviously be different for each individual, so I'll just give you my own answer - make of it what you will.
For now, I have chosen to spend my time in beautiful Bocas del Toro on the sunny Caribbean coast of Panama. Take a look at the picture on the right, which shows Starfish Beach, a short bus or boat ride from Bocas Town. That might give you some suggestion as to why you...
What are the best places in the world to retire? The answer to this question will obviously be different for each individual, so I'll just give you my own answer - make of it what you will.
For now, I have chosen to spend my time in beautiful Bocas del Toro on the sunny Caribbean coast of Panama. Take a look at the picture on the right, which shows Starfish Beach, a short bus or boat ride from Bocas Town. That might give you some suggestion as to why you might consider Bocas as a possible retirement location.
I'm not sure that I can actually classify myself as retired, but I haven't done a stroke of paid work for anybody else for over five years now, and that's how I'd like it to stay. I'm a writer, and I wrote my second book right here in paradise. Now that certainly beats some writing in some chilly flat in wintry London, fingers gloved to keep them warm.
Bocas del Toro offers a cheap alternative to the rat-race, a place where the cost of living can be very low, but the quality of life disproportionately high.
The best things about living here?
1). The people - both the expat community and the local populace are wonderful people to spend time with. This place seems to draw interesting, and sometimes slightly eccentric people.
2). The weather - it can rain quite a bit, which is a good thing if you are off-grid and rely on rainwater collection. But when the sun comes out, which it does often, and there is no wind, the lagoon is so beautiful.
3). Wonderful restaurants - away from town, down in the lagoons there are some hidden gems which offer wonderful social scenes, awesome views and great food.
4). Dolphins - I live just outside Dolphin Bay, and when out and about in the boat it is rare not to see at least a couple of dolphins. They always brighten your day.
5). Swimming and snorkelling - I can do both right from my dock.
6). Clothing choice - one of my favourite things is that here the temperature is pretty constant. When you get up in a morning there is no clothing dilemmas:
"Will I take a jacket?"
"What shoes should I wear?"
You can be pretty sure that shorts, t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops cover all occasions.
I could go on, but instead I'll just suggest that you really need to come and take a look at this special place for yourself.
Ok, so I’m British, and for me it is all about good manners, I was coming to live in a Spanish speaking country, so the least I could do was to learn the language! “How hard could it be?” I asked myself! Well, when my family and I started this adventure back in 2012, we took Spanish lessons every time we visited Panama, because right from the start, it was apparent that English was not widely spoken and if we were to live here, we really needed to be able to communicate! Of...
The decision to move abroad and join the thousands of expats who are living in Bocas del Toro is an exciting adventure. It can also be a bit overwhelming.There are a million questions and many decisions to make before you actually find yourself living in your own tropical paradise. One of the biggest questions is housing. Where will we live?
Renting can be a good first option for those wanting to take their time finding a permanent place. It is also great if you...
Mexico uses the Mexican peso but all the large purchases are quite often US dollar denominated. When you buy real estate here, you will inevitably be quoted a US dollar price. Quite often if you are dealing with a more sophisticated businessperson who owns the property, they are going to want the money sent to their bank account in the Cayman's or Chase in New York. You are wire transferring the purchase price in US dollars to some bank outside Mexico. You are not paying in Mexican...
The price of real estate in Panama is a fraction of what it would be in the States or Canada, or Europe, for that matter, especially if you buy ocean front property. 
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings. .jpg)
It is estimated at their peak by archeologists that 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of Belize. They built mighty cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai with small agricultural communities farming the land between. No one knows for certain what caused the disappearance of the Mayas. Perhaps it was war, loss of faith, famine or a series of natural disasters. 
At each of the stops on our road trip through Mexico, there emerged a personal and unique theme for Jet and me. In Baja California Sur, it was the rugged beauty of the desert juxtaposed against the almost unimaginably blue and clear waters of the Sea of Cortez. In the little town of Lo de Marcos and Nayarit in general, north of Puerto Vallarta, it was the rich, verdant jungle, plunging into the Pacific in little bays bordered by volcanic outcroppings. In Jocotepec, it was our...