Dental care in Mexico is good. In fact, I can say it’s like what we have in the United States. From the perspective of a Mexican, dental care is expensive, but from the perspective of an American, it’s not. For example, a treatment my brother had would cost him 25,000 – 30,000 pesos ($1,470) in the United States, but it only cost him 5,000 pesos ($245) here in Mexico, and that’s a big difference. He had several teeth that were falling that needed to be fixed. ...
Dental care in Mexico is good. In fact, I can say it’s like what we have in the United States. From the perspective of a Mexican, dental care is expensive, but from the perspective of an American, it’s not. For example, a treatment my brother had would cost him 25,000 – 30,000 pesos ($1,470) in the United States, but it only cost him 5,000 pesos ($245) here in Mexico, and that’s a big difference. He had several teeth that were falling that needed to be fixed.
For paying 1/5th the amount that it would have cost in the United States, my brother got the same quality of service in Mexico that he would have gotten in the United States. If you go even cheaper than that, you take a risk. As an example, if we went to as low as 1,000 pesos ($50), we might not have gotten the best results. Sometimes paying for the cheapest alternative can cost you a lot of other expenses.
Dental cleaning here in Mexico costs about 500 - 800 pesos ($25 - $40). In the old towns in Mexico, the dental clinics don’t have modern facilities, but in Guadalajara, they have much better facilities.
The Mexican government is working on improving the dental insurance we have in Mexico. It’s not the best coverage yet, but it does cover you for the basic things. They need to do a lot of paperwork so that they can reimburse you with dental insurance, and that’s one of the reasons it’s not a good coverage yet, but they are looking into making it better. Generally speaking, dental services are not that expensive, so it’s not worth the trouble to insure.
(Dentist and assistant at Dr. Hector Haro's dental office, Riberas del Pilar, near Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
How are the roads in Boquete, Panama? Do I need a four wheel drive in Boquete, Panama?
Paul McBride - Inside Panama Real Estate
The main roads in the Boquete area are actually very good. For example, the highway between Boquete and David (the capital city of the Chiriquí Province and the main city in the area) was recently widened in a $120 million construction project. (See picture to the left.) Featuring two lanes in both directions and built to internationally accepted construction standards, this road may be one of the best highways in Panama. With the completion of the new...
The main roads in the Boquete area are actually very good. For example, the highway between Boquete and David (the capital city of the Chiriquí Province and the main city in the area) was recently widened in a $120 million construction project. (See picture to the left.) Featuring two lanes in both directions and built to internationally accepted construction standards, this road may be one of the best highways in Panama. With the completion of the new highway, the driving time between Boquete and David has been reduced to just under 30-minutes (previously it could take more than an hour). More importantly, a major road that used to be dangerous to travel at night and during rainy weather is now a safe and pleasant journey under all conditions.
Panama has spent a lot of money over the past five years improving infrastructure and roads throughout the country and Boquete has benefitted from these projects. Many of the people I’ve met who have been to other areas of Latin America are impressed with the overall quality of the roads in the country.
Once you get off the main roads, the story changes. Secondary roads can range from semi-improved asphalt roads (often with potholes) to gravel and dirt roads that can become almost impassable during the wet season. Roads to some of the more remote areas in Boquete can certainly be a challenge. That said, unless you’re living on a big farm or far away from the town center, most residents in Boquete have decent road access to their home.
Do you need a 4WD vehicle in Boquete? The short answer is “no” particularly if you’re going to be living in an area with normal road conditions. However, it’s a great idea to have a car with good ground clearance. Because of the heavy rain we get at times, roads that are normally easily passable can become flooded during downpours and having a higher clearance vehicle is helpful.
If you’re going to be living in Boquete on a permanent basis, my personal recommendation is to buy an SUV type vehicle with good clearance and with 4WD for those instances where you may want to go off the primary roads. Another tip is to consider purchasing a diesel-powered vehicle. Diesel is cheaper than gasoline and parts and good repair services are easily available.
What are the things I'll be most happily surprised by when moving or retiring abroad?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
The thing I was most surprised about when I moved abroad was how much I loved it. It takes a pioneering spirit to move overseas voluntarily and living overseas gives me a sense of adventure almost every day.
There are easy things to mention too. Having a maid and gardener means no chores ever. Living overseas has given our family more quality free time to enjoy our time together.
The thing I was most surprised about when I moved abroad was how much I loved it. It takes a pioneering spirit to move overseas voluntarily and living overseas gives me a sense of adventure almost every day.
There are easy things to mention too. Having a maid and gardener means no chores ever. Living overseas has given our family more quality free time to enjoy our time together.
In Portugal, people tend to eat out more than probably most countries in Europe because that is the lifestyle here. I have lunch near my office here and I get a 3-course meal for about €7 (US $8 or £5.20).
Sometimes it is even cheaper to eat out than to eat at home. An evening meal for a couple in a medium-priced restaurant would cost around €15 (US $16.50 or £11) per head.
The reason it is so cheap to eat...
In Portugal, people tend to eat out more than probably most countries in Europe because that is the lifestyle here. I have lunch near my office here and I get a 3-course meal for about €7 (US $8 or £5.20).
Sometimes it is even cheaper to eat out than to eat at home. An evening meal for a couple in a medium-priced restaurant would cost around €15 (US $16.50 or £11) per head.
The reason it is so cheap to eat at restaurants here in Portugal is because there is so much competition. It seems like there is a restaurant on every single corner here in Portugal.
(Restaurant Chez Lapin, Porto, Portugal, pictured.)
We just moved homes in Nicaragua so we have no TV, phone signal, or Wi-Fi. It’s nice to have the kids learn how to enjoy life without all the technology surrounding them. They’re playing with sticks and coconuts and are having fun and enjoying it. Our neighbors’ kids are doing the same thing here in Nicaragua. There are plenty of opportunities. For example, my daughter dances and goes horseback riding. She’s got some incredible dance instructors in Nicaragua...
We just moved homes in Nicaragua so we have no TV, phone signal, or Wi-Fi. It’s nice to have the kids learn how to enjoy life without all the technology surrounding them. They’re playing with sticks and coconuts and are having fun and enjoying it. Our neighbors’ kids are doing the same thing here in Nicaragua. There are plenty of opportunities. For example, my daughter dances and goes horseback riding. She’s got some incredible dance instructors in Nicaragua who come through northern Nicaragua. We’ve also got some horse trainers who come through for horseback riding.
On the other hand, my son is into tennis and football (what in the US, we would call “soccer”). There are amazing people traveling the world and moving into Nicaragua and Central America who are amazing tennis pros and are giving my son the help he needs to be the best he can. Nicaragua is a nice, relaxed area.
There are great schools in the area we live in that are extremely inexpensive. Both our kids are doing well in school. For example, my daughter just got her scores back. A third of her scores were 100’s, a third were in the 90’s, and the rest were in the 80’s. She’s doing very well in school and in extracurricular activities. She just started high school, which begins at 7th grade.
What hit me the most about moving to Nicaragua were that the conversations I had with people were all about family and have nothing to do with money, houses, or cars, which is what we talked about in San Diego. It’s really easy to converse with people in Nicaragua and get into important, meaningful conversations. That’s what my kids who are being raised in Nicaragua also learn.
(Barry Oliver's son playing tennis, Northern Nicaragua, pictured.)
Are there natural disasters like flooding, earthquakes, fire or hurricanes in Ambergris Caye?
Matthew Hoy - Pelican Properties
There are no earthquakes here in Ambergris Caye. Fire can happen anywhere but we don’t have forest fires like the ones that happen in places like California or Northern BC (British Columbia, Canada).
We are in a zone where we can get hurricanes but they are less frequent than in many other places within the Caribbean. The last major hurricane that hit Belize was in 2001. We get less hurricanes than the rest of the Caribbean because where Belize is...
There are no earthquakes here in Ambergris Caye. Fire can happen anywhere but we don’t have forest fires like the ones that happen in places like California or Northern BC (British Columbia, Canada).
We are in a zone where we can get hurricanes but they are less frequent than in many other places within the Caribbean. The last major hurricane that hit Belize was in 2001. We get less hurricanes than the rest of the Caribbean because where Belize is situated gives less opportunity for hurricanes to form. They tend to form out in the middle of the Atlantic and then progress westward and then northward, and Ambergris Caye is in neither of those places.
We have had some tropical depressions and hurricanes do occur and can happen in Ambergris Caye but the insurance companies here do offer hurricane insurance. If your property gets wiped out and you have the right insurance, they just write you a check to replace it. Hurricane insurance premiums are quite affordable compared to what people are used to in North America. If you have a 2,000 square foot apartment and you have hurricane insurance you would be looking to pay maybe 1% of the value of your property on an annual basis for full comprehensive insurance. Generally speaking, most apartment buildings have their own insurance and as an apartment unit owner, you would have your insurance as well on top of that. So your insurance covers your unit and there is also the building insurance that covers the entire development. If you owned an individual property and had a free standing home, you would pay 1.5% of your property value in annual premiums for insurance. If your house were to get completely flooded or knocked over they would cut you a check to rebuild it.
Hurricanes are not a day-to-day concern for people in Ambergris Caye. Hurricane season usually lasts only from June to November. Because of the infrequency of the hurricanes that have occurred here, it is a minimal concern to me. But of course it is a concern in general, so we pay attention to weather reports and forecasts and if we see something that looks like trouble, then we prepare accordingly.
(Veranda of first story condo on the beach in Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
Driving south on Highway 1 from after it intersects Highway 5 is fairly uneventful, if by “uneventful” you mean "the hundreds of times when you’re confronted with the fact that even a slight miscalculation on your steering wheel will result in certain death." A half inch to the left, and you’ll crash head-on into a semi barreling towards you at 60 miles per hour. A half inch to the right, and you’ll go over the roughly 12-inch shoulder to plunge either into...
Ex-patriots are one of the worst things about Panama. Why? Many people do nothing more than look at glossy magazines full of hype, vacation pamphlets filled with exciting activities and resort lifestyles. (Nothing wrong with those, by the way). However one should also do some research about the pros and cons of moving to Panama. Sites like this one have stories and questions answered by real people who have experienced expat live here. There are videos on YouTube that put you...
We took a day trip to Volcan and stopped by this school to see the entertainment. Costa Rican folk dancers performed for the children and we enjoyed watching them. ...
Dental care in Mexico is good. In fact, I can say it’s like what we have in the United States. From the perspective of a Mexican, dental care is expensive, but from the perspective of an American, it’s not. For example, a treatment my brother had would cost him 25,000 – 30,000 pesos ($1,470) in the United States, but it only cost him 5,000 pesos ($245) here in Mexico, and that’s a big difference. He had several teeth that were falling that needed to be fixed. .png)
.jpg)
The main roads in the Boquete area are actually very good. For example, the highway between Boquete and David (the capital city of the Chiriquí Province and the main city in the area) was recently widened in a $120 million construction project. (See picture to the left.) Featuring two lanes in both directions and built to internationally accepted construction standards, this road may be one of the best highways in Panama. With the completion of the new...
I moved abroad was how much I loved it. 
In Portugal, people tend to eat out more than probably most countries in Europe because that is the lifestyle here. I have lunch near my office here and I get a 3-course meal for about €7 (US $8 or £5.20). 
We just moved homes in Nicaragua so we have no TV, phone signal, or Wi-Fi. It’s nice to have the kids learn how to enjoy life without all the technology surrounding them. They’re playing with sticks and coconuts and are having fun and enjoying it. Our neighbors’ kids are doing the same thing here in Nicaragua. There are plenty of opportunities. For example, my daughter dances and goes horseback riding. She’s got some incredible dance instructors in Nicaragua...
There are no earthquakes here in Ambergris Caye. Fire can happen anywhere but we don’t have forest fires like the ones that happen in places like California or Northern BC (British Columbia, Canada). 
Driving south on Highway 1 from after it intersects Highway 5 is fairly uneventful, if by “uneventful” you mean "the hundreds of times when you’re confronted with the fact that even a slight miscalculation on your steering wheel will result in certain death." A half inch to the left, and you’ll crash head-on into a semi barreling towards you at 60 miles per hour. A half inch to the right, and you’ll go over the roughly 12-inch shoulder to plunge either into...
We took a day trip to Volcan and stopped by this school to see the entertainment. Costa Rican folk dancers performed for the children and we enjoyed watching them. ...