Best Places In The World To Retire

 I’ve remodeled and built several houses in Yucatan. The cost depends on the construction material that you use. It depends on the architect that you us. I’d hate to say this, but sometimes, it depends if you’re Gringo or not. That’s why it’s always best to learn what the local rates are in pesos, never in dollars or in euros, because you’ll never ever realize if you’re getting ripped off or not. And if you’re always converting from...

 I’ve remodeled and built several houses in Yucatan. The cost depends on the construction material that you use. It depends on the architect that you us. I’d hate to say this, but sometimes, it depends if you’re Gringo or not. That’s why it’s always best to learn what the local rates are in pesos, never in dollars or in euros, because you’ll never ever realize if you’re getting ripped off or not. And if you’re always converting from dollars and euros to pesos or comparing what a particular house would cost in New York or in Paris or Santa Barbara, everything’s going to seem cheap to you and you won’t know if you’re overpaying for an item. Average cost of construction depends on what you want, including your amenities, whether you’re in the city, on the beach, or in the country.  All those prices vary in addition because you have to bring materials sometimes from different regions. A fair honest price would be around 5,000 Pesos (US $312.5) to 8,000 Pesos (US $500) a square meter to build a home (approximately $29 / square foot to $47 / square foot), for roughly track home quality. 

 

The difference is, in Mexico, they build with concrete and blocks so I can say that the quality of the construction is much better than it would be if they used the standard stucco and plastic house like in the US. Here, the houses are built just like the Mayan Temples, where you build out of concrete and stone. Houses in Yucatan tend to last a very long time.

 

The materials and style of your home depends on the region of Mexico. Some people like using granite, or marble tiles. You probably know the very famous, beautifully decorated Spanish houses in some regions of Mexico that become quite popular in California. But here in Yucatan, they’ve gotten so good at working with cement that they make kitchen counters, bathrooms, and floors out of it; everything is made out of cement. They’ve learned how to decorate the concrete with glass and so many other composites that they put into it – paint, different polishes, acids, etc.,--  that you wouldn’t even know it was cement.  It’s quite amazing what they could do with cement here that I don’t see a need why, unless you’re going for a certain architectural style, someone would want marble or granite when they can have something that it much more functional and to some degree much more beautiful, all at a much lower price.

 

(One of Alfanso Galindo's properties on Sisal Beach in the Yucatan Riviera, Mexico, pictured.)

If you are going to Belize City or Belmopan from Placencia, there are different travel options for you. You could rent a car, you could take a bus, you could fly, or you could mention your trip on Facebook and I am sure that you will find another one who will go to Belize City or Belmopan with you. Or you will find someone who does tours and has a big van and you can share the trip with them.

 

If you are just going around Placencia Village, you need nothing...

If you are going to Belize City or Belmopan from Placencia, there are different travel options for you. You could rent a car, you could take a bus, you could fly, or you could mention your trip on Facebook and I am sure that you will find another one who will go to Belize City or Belmopan with you. Or you will find someone who does tours and has a big van and you can share the trip with them.

 

If you are just going around Placencia Village, you need nothing but your feet to get around. If you need to get out of the village there are so many ways to travel such as getting a taxi, sharing a trip with someone by announcing your trip on Facebook, you could rent a car, take a bicycle, or you may take a golf cart. A taxi ride to Maya Beach from Placencia costs US $25. It may be expensive for the distance but you might go there just once a month.

I, personally, don’t participate in adventure travel or activities here in Nicaragua, but I can tell you what other people do.

 

Overall, adventure travel and activities are very popular in Nicaragua.  The diversity of Nicaragua, with the volcanoes, lagunas, beaches and rivers is very attractive to people who like outdoor spots.

 

The TV show Survivor is here right now and they’ve been coming here for several years...

I, personally, don’t participate in adventure travel or activities here in Nicaragua, but I can tell you what other people do.

 

Overall, adventure travel and activities are very popular in Nicaragua.  The diversity of Nicaragua, with the volcanoes, lagunas, beaches and rivers is very attractive to people who like outdoor spots.

 

The TV show Survivor is here right now and they’ve been coming here for several years to shoot their programs.  Discovery Channel is here as well.

 

The amount of tourists who come here to Nicaragua is increasing 5% to 10% per year, and we see a lot of people doing different adventure sports.  As a result, a lot of different types of adventure businesses are growing rapidly.  Here’s a rough list of the most popular: