Best Places In The World To Retire

You can for sure buy furniture in Panama, and there are quite a few furniture stores where you can find really good pieces. There are some that sell really cheap furniture but may not be of the best quality, and the rest can be very expensive but you can always look out for their sales that are usually done in most stores every couple months.

You can for sure buy furniture in Panama, and there are quite a few furniture stores where you can find really good pieces. There are some that sell really cheap furniture but may not be of the best quality, and the rest can be very expensive but you can always look out for their sales that are usually done in most stores every couple months.

Worst places to retire?
 
Firstly, I note that many responders have replied to a different question- that of living abroad, not retiring abroad. Retirement for those relying on [usually, modest] pension funds poses a different set of issues. My 'standard of living' had to be drastically reduced- but I found many positives from this, including ego-reduction (!) and simplification. Consumerism is now a non-event and life is better for it; the more 'stuff', the more...

Worst places to retire?
 
Firstly, I note that many responders have replied to a different question- that of living abroad, not retiring abroad. Retirement for those relying on [usually, modest] pension funds poses a different set of issues. My 'standard of living' had to be drastically reduced- but I found many positives from this, including ego-reduction (!) and simplification. Consumerism is now a non-event and life is better for it; the more 'stuff', the more problems.
 
Taxation, for instance, is likely to be a non-issue without significant income. As the majority of expats are non- US citizens they are not liable for tax on worldwide income AFAIK.
 
Age- if you are not of retirement age [generally 65+] then your comments may not be entirely relevant. Some countries do not allow retirees to work since this takes jobs from their citizens. Property ownership can again be an issue but it's less common than the jobs issue...
 
As others have noted, countries that are especially corrupt, lawless and violent are non-starters except for those with a love of danger! My personal number one problem is the Islamic world; as an infidel you will most certainly be at risk in Saudi Barbaria where a casual remark or on-line post will result in jail or worse. I note Saudi law has been updated to make atheism a crime equivalent to terrorism. Women in particular are discriminated against most viciously- don't go! UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and others are heading the way of anti-west sentiment...
 
Even in the so-called 'moderate' Muslim countries the risks are increasing daily with jihad on the rise; so many people don't understand what is going on, despite daily attacks all over the world.  They are being lied to by politicians and media, accepting the official line about the 'religion of peace'. The Islamic world is in turmoil and exporting its problems- times they are a'changing.
 
In an earlier piece I wrote of Turkey and its many attractions. Loved living there but the AKP government promotes Islam and opposes secular values, leading to astonishing anti-Semitism. Therefore one begins to fell less secure and wary of what you say in public places, or to people you consider friends.
 
Even here in Thailand Islam is on the move, from the 'insurgency' in the south to recent bombings in Bangkok and two resort islands. That said, the way things are going in Europe one wonders what the future holds...
 
Climate- warmth and sunshine are well and good but often tropical areas are worse than cooler places; constant sweating and tropical diseases are not to be ignored. Air conditioning is an expensive alternative to putting on extra warm clothing! Again, increasing age or infirmity must be considered with health costs.
 
Conclusions- the list of places ideal for retirement is shrinking. Security, corruption, cost-of-living, oppressive regimes... perhaps Cuba might be the next Panama!
 
(Turkish flag, pictured.)
 
 
 
 

Living abroad, be it Nicaragua or anywhere else, does not mean you have to give up your loyalty to your country or pledge your loyalty or "allegiance"  to another.

 

Personally, we feel no need to become a citizen of our host country, Nicaragua, and enjoy all the rights of a Nicaraguan except for voting and earning Social Security benefits that translate into a pension at retirement.  The retirement pension in Nicaragua is around US $100 a month or...

Living abroad, be it Nicaragua or anywhere else, does not mean you have to give up your loyalty to your country or pledge your loyalty or "allegiance"  to another.

 

Personally, we feel no need to become a citizen of our host country, Nicaragua, and enjoy all the rights of a Nicaraguan except for voting and earning Social Security benefits that translate into a pension at retirement.  The retirement pension in Nicaragua is around US $100 a month or less so there is no need to work into that system.

 

You should maintain your US citizenship and apply for your residency once you have made the decision to relocate.

 

There are benefits in residency.  You can ship your household goods duty free. Bring in an automobile duty free and buy and ship a new car or truck every 5 years duty free.

 

And that is just a few of the benefits in obtaining residency.  There are things you can't do if you are not a resident. You can't open a bank account without your residency is one of  the biggest challenges.

 

Residency is simple but not easy.   What is needed are copies of every certificate or legal document that applies to you and your life such as: birth certificates, marriage licenses, health certificates, police records, and a few more items.  But don't take my word for this, talk to an attorney that specializes in immigrations.  Some charge thousands of dollars but you can find the same tasks performed for under $800 per person if you shop around.

 

The financial requirements in Nicaragua are some of the lowest in Central America and time from application to Residency Card is usually under 6 months.  Some documents are time sensitive, like police records and health certificates so once you have those, get the process started ASAP or you may find you have to supply more updated  documents and that will slow down the process.

 

The entire process is painless. You simply have to check off all the items required on the list and submit the entire package in a timely fashion and.... Wait! 

 

So don't worry about citizenship.  Focus on residency and start your lives anew with us here in Nicaragua. Our expat community is growing quickly and there are always more folks showing up at our Friday night gringo cocktail parties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best place to retire in Belize is Ambergris Caye. (See picture above.)  It is by far the most easily accessible, the most affluent, and most developed. It offers easy access to healthcare in Belize City.

 
Next to Ambergris Caye would be the Cayo District because it is mountainous and cooler. It also has a lot to offer as far as the other side of not being an island or being in the jungle.
 
Down south in Placencia, the rainfall is a hundred...

The best place to retire in Belize is Ambergris Caye. (See picture above.)  It is by far the most easily accessible, the most affluent, and most developed. It offers easy access to healthcare in Belize City.

 
Next to Ambergris Caye would be the Cayo District because it is mountainous and cooler. It also has a lot to offer as far as the other side of not being an island or being in the jungle.
 
Down south in Placencia, the rainfall is a hundred inches more a year than up here in the northern part of the country. In Ambergris Caye, we get about 60 inches of rain a year and Placencia gets at least 160 inches of rain per year, so they have much longer wet season. It starts earlier and ends later. In addition, the other thing that I dislike like about the southern part of Belize is the reef migrates considerably away from the shoreline. So if you are going to do anything on the reef, be it fishing or diving, you need to take an hour or two-hour ride from the shore to the reef. That gets very difficult and expensive. The water that’s inside the reef is chalky, not nearly as translucent as it is up here in the north. You do not get the turquoise-colored water down south. The water over there is a thick green color and you get a lot of trash. The current brings the trash south and there is much less of a concerted effort to clean it up.
 
The city of San Pedro in Ambergris Caye keeps the beaches clean. The government put out 20 brand new trash bins and they hire people to clean the beach.  They have decent garbage services to remove trash from the streets, and we work really hard to keep the island clean. It is not perfect but it is much improved compared to some of the other places in Belize.
 
Also, down south in Belize, because the reef is so far from the shore, you get a lot more wave action and that brings in more trash.  As a result, the beaches are lined with old oilcans, shoes, pop bottles, and diapers. It is so unfortunate. They are just not actively working towards cleaning the water down south, perhaps just because the area is less populated.

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