Best Places In The World To Retire

Yes, you can buy furniture in the Yucatan Peninsula and there are very nice stores here. You can find furniture here that are for different purposes such as the ones used for the beach, furniture for the home, etc. We also have interior designers that are great. The major department stores also sell furniture. There is a boom of furniture stores in the Yucatan, which are very attractive. There is a wide range of furniture shops here. You can go for the very cheap ones up to the very...

Yes, you can buy furniture in the Yucatan Peninsula and there are very nice stores here. You can find furniture here that are for different purposes such as the ones used for the beach, furniture for the home, etc. We also have interior designers that are great. The major department stores also sell furniture. There is a boom of furniture stores in the Yucatan, which are very attractive. There is a wide range of furniture shops here. You can go for the very cheap ones up to the very expensive ones. 
 
Handmade furniture is also available in Yucatan. Another thing that is known here in Yucatan are the pasta tile floors. These are tiles that are of antique design but are very common in Yucatan. Most expats here love pasta tile floors because they are just beautiful. Expats fall in love with things that are common to the Yucatecan architecture. There are also lots of handicrafts in the area. Yucatan is well known for that.
 
The prices of furniture here in Yucatan vary depending on its type. There are also some people that you can go to and have them make furniture for you. You can just give them the design that you want and they will make it for you. I have seen interior designers who are quite impressed by the craftsmanship of the people here. They say, “If we have this kind of furniture done in the US, it will cost a fortune.” A lot of expats have taken advantage of that because they have seen that there is a huge potential in the furniture industry. There are lots of people here in Yucatan who work very well making furniture for a fraction of the cost if it were to be made in the US. Most of the furniture here in Mexico are made of wood and other fibers. We don’t use a lot of leather because it is too hot.

 

(Tile in the Hotel Sevilla, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, pictured.)

It is a very good way of life and I could never live in a “civilized” country again. I mean “civilized” like North America or Europe.  Here, it’s nice and it’s easy.  

I enjoy gardening in my greenhouse and around my property, but I have too  big of a property to maintain myself.

 

Gardeners are a big help and I have a really good one that has been with my family for a long time and is like family. 

 

The going rate in Panama for a gardener is $20/day.  Some people pay $15/day but I think that is too low and some people pay over $20/day and that is too high.  The right rate for a good...

I enjoy gardening in my greenhouse and around my property, but I have too  big of a property to maintain myself.

 

Gardeners are a big help and I have a really good one that has been with my family for a long time and is like family. 

 

The going rate in Panama for a gardener is $20/day.  Some people pay $15/day but I think that is too low and some people pay over $20/day and that is too high.  The right rate for a good gardener is $20/day. 

 

Remember also in Panama whether your gardener works part time or full time you must pay vacation pay and "decimo" (which is the 13th month paid quarterly).

 

If you are planning to move here and hire domestic help PLEASE check with an accountant on what the workers should be paid on top of the daily, weekly, bi weekly or monthly salary.

 

Photos, from top:

 

Avocados in my garden

Pineapples, bananas and platanos in my garden

Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.

Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.