What's the cost of living in San Miguel de Allende?
Gretel Chazaro - Rancho Los Labradores
There is everything for everyone in San Miguel de Allende. If you want to go to a cheap restaurant where you want to spend US $5 for a full meal, you can do that. If you want to spend $100 at a fancy restaurant, you can do that, too. Your cost of living in San Miguel de Allende depends on what you want but overall it is cheaper than in Germany or in the States. Services like gardeners, housekeepers, and the like could be higher if you are living in a more upscale area. If you not very...
There is everything for everyone in San Miguel de Allende. If you want to go to a cheap restaurant where you want to spend US $5 for a full meal, you can do that. If you want to spend $100 at a fancy restaurant, you can do that, too. Your cost of living in San Miguel de Allende depends on what you want but overall it is cheaper than in Germany or in the States. Services like gardeners, housekeepers, and the like could be higher if you are living in a more upscale area. If you not very rich and you don’t live in a rich neighborhood, the charge will be lower.
The cost of living in San Miguel de Allende is about half or even less than half the cost of living in Southern Germany where I used to live. One of the advantages of living here in San Miguel de Allende is that utilities don’t cost you very much because the weather is very nice. There is only one month in the whole year where it gets really hot and you might need air-conditioning or your fan running the whole day. The coldest months of the year in San Miguel de Allende are December, January, and February and that’s when you would need a heater. Gas and electricity might be the most expensive utilities expenses.
We have villas that we rent to people who come here for a short term. Normally, a gas tank is filled for only 2,000 pesos ($105), which would last for 3 months during summer. In winter, it would last for only a month or even less because of the heater or the fireplace.
Relative to electricity, there are houses in Rancho Los Labradores that I know that pay around $250 to $300 for every 2 months (in Mexico, electricity is billed every 2 months). There are others that only pay $50 for every 2 months. The cost really depends on the size of the house, how much you use, or if you have other sources of electricity like solar panels. Some people who live in Rancho Los Labradores invested in solar panel installation and they pay around 10 pesos (55 cents) every 2 months on electricity.
The villas that we built here in San Miguel de Allende are ready with heating and cooling. If you have heating installed, the tank is run on propane or through a solar power system, which decreases the cost because we get a lot of sun here in San Miguel de Allende even if it’s cold. So the sun keeps your house warm during the day and you can use the power stored in the solar panels at night.
Property tax is also cheap here in Mexico. If you have a villa that costs around US $175,000 you’ll pay a property tax of about 5,000 pesos ($265) per year.
(Home in Rancho Los Labradores, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
How’s the kayaking, rafting, or canoeing in Portugal?
Juan Matias - BLUE Boutique Hostel & SUITES
We have three or four beautiful rivers that cross Portugal. Further south from Lisbon we have the Guadiana River, where I have rafted. Up north we have Mondego River and further north close to Porto we have Douro River, which is where the Porto Wine comes from. And this area Douro; the Douro River and the cliffs surrounding the Douro River, is where they plant the grapes to produce the world famous Porto Wine or “Port Wine” as you call it in America. We do not have the...
We have three or four beautiful rivers that cross Portugal. Further south from Lisbon we have the Guadiana River, where I have rafted. Up north we have Mondego River and further north close to Porto we have Douro River, which is where the Porto Wine comes from. And this area Douro; the Douro River and the cliffs surrounding the Douro River, is where they plant the grapes to produce the world famous Porto Wine or “Port Wine” as you call it in America. We do not have the very extreme classes of river rafting but we do have some mild intermediate class areas. People raft here in Portugal in the winter and spring. You can go in summer but the rivers are very low and it becomes a bit boring for people looking for some excitement.
We have sea kayaking in Portugal. I provide an excursion for my clients that is basically just a beautiful tour around our coastline around Cascais (near Lisbon) in a kayak. There are two levels of sea kayaking. You have the sea kayaking just to wonder around and you have the surf sea kayaking, which is on waves, which is for another level of expertise. You have to have a lot of experience to do that. But for the first timer, you have to do the traditional sea kayak and you’re only allowed to go when the sea is really, really calm. Portugal is close by the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean is quite rough. So 80% throughout the year we have waves in Portugal. The only two months of the year with light waves are July and August. You can go out throughout the year but then you have to go to protected bays, of which there are many throughout the country. The Algarve is the perfect place to do this because the Algarve gets the Mediterranean Sea so it doesn’t get as rough as it gets on the west coast, which faces the Atlantic. The southern coast is much more calmer than it is in the west coast.
(Sea kayaking provided by Blue Hostel and Suites, Cascais, Portugal, pictured.)
Immanuel Zerger - Solentiname Tours - Discover Nicaragua
Managua in general has a very cultural society. Everybody has some interest in culture. There are lots of painting galleries of different kinds. We have painting academies. You will also find lots of live music everywhere you go in Managua. You’ll see people playing guitars and marimbas in restaurants and bars.
There is also a society of the Spanish language in Managua, the Academia Nicaraguense de la Lengua Española. We also have a community of writers...
Managua in general has a very cultural society. Everybody has some interest in culture. There are lots of painting galleries of different kinds. We have painting academies. You will also find lots of live music everywhere you go in Managua. You’ll see people playing guitars and marimbas in restaurants and bars.
There is also a society of the Spanish language in Managua, the Academia Nicaraguense de la Lengua Española. We also have a community of writers and poets, which is because the world famous Nicaraguan writer and hero Ruben Dario (pictured) left the country of Nicaragua a legacy. There is a yearly poetry festival in Granada and there is a Ruben Dario festival in Leon every year as well.
The Nicaraguan culture is a “narrative culture,” which means everything is relayed in a story, including, for example, the directions to a house. The way Nicaraguans point to a certain direction is by making a description of that direction; but not via technical information. The description of the direction is given by mentioning places that are known to most people, such as big buildings or trees in the area. For instance, you are looking for a certain house near Lake Managua, people will give you directions by saying, “Go from the little tree, then turn three quarters to the west, and one quarter to the north and you will find the house you are looking for.” The Nicaraguans have a descriptive and narrative culture that some people find very odd, but when they get used to it, the directions become interesting, because it is different.
Even the Nicaraguan dances tell a story. We have legends, too. Nicaraguans are very open in telling their life stories. And when they want to sell you something, they will also tell you a story.
Some lady in the market selling oranges might sell the oranges by saying, “Oh my love, how are you today? I see you are a little bit tired. I can help you by making orange juice out of these fresh oranges and you will be happy, strong and fit for the day again!”
This is normal and it is part of the narrative culture of Nicaragua. People make a story out of everything.
Where are the best beaches in and around El Valle de Anton, Panama?
Roy Cannon - Gestoria Cocle - main office in Penoneme
El Valle de Anton lies 600 meters (1800 feet) above sea level and is supposed to be the largest village in the world (5000 inhabitants) that is located in an extinct volcanic crater. No beaches, but we do have some rivers where you can bathe.
The nearest beaches are on the Pacific Ocean 30 minutes by car from El Valle. There are many to choose from along a coast line of over 50 miles.
El Valle de Anton lies 600 meters (1800 feet) above sea level and is supposed to be the largest village in the world (5000 inhabitants) that is located in an extinct volcanic crater. No beaches, but we do have some rivers where you can bathe.
The nearest beaches are on the Pacific Ocean 30 minutes by car from El Valle. There are many to choose from along a coast line of over 50 miles.
How are the stores and shops in Belize? How’s the shopping in Belize?
Therese Jonch - Programme for Belize
We do not have malls in Belize. This is one of our biggest downfalls as a country, I think, because we could definitely use one. Recreation- wise, such as going to the movies or dining at restaurants, there is not much to do here in Belize. There are some restaurants, but not like in the US where there are just so many options.
I do not buy clothing here in Belize. There are a couple of stores downtown where you can get clothing, but the quality is not...
We do not have malls in Belize. This is one of our biggest downfalls as a country, I think, because we could definitely use one. Recreation- wise, such as going to the movies or dining at restaurants, there is not much to do here in Belize. There are some restaurants, but not like in the US where there are just so many options.
I do not buy clothing here in Belize. There are a couple of stores downtown where you can get clothing, but the quality is not the best. There are boutiques where you can buy really good clothing, but they cost an arm and a leg. So what I do is order my clothes from the US. You can buy online, or if you are going for a trip to the US, you can just buy there and bring them back.
If you really like going to the mall to buy clothes, Belize will not be your first choice. If you can afford it, you can just order online and have them shipped here, but for most Belizeans, they just buy whatever is available here in Belize.
The Indian people control most of the smaller stores in downtown Belize, and sell clothing and shoes. Most people just go down to that area to buy clothes, but if you are fashion conscious, you will not buy there. Some people go to Chetumal in Mexico, right across the border from the Belizan City of Corozal. I go to Chetumal sometimes, but I do not go there to buy clothes; I go to Chetumal for just recreation. The clothes they sell in Chetumal do not fit me because I have a different body type than they are used to in Chetumal. Their clothes and shoe sizes are small, so their clothing does not fit me.
Over the last 10 years, various cities in Australia (Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney) and Canada (Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto) have ranked among the best places in the world in which to live or work. But in-so-far-as retirement is concerned, where do you go? That answer will ultimately depend on what you, as an individual, value most. As a 40 year-old American who has lived outside the United States for almost 1/4 of his life, I can share with you what I...
Over the last 10 years, various cities in Australia (Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney) and Canada (Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto) have ranked among the best places in the world in which to live or work. But in-so-far-as retirement is concerned, where do you go? That answer will ultimately depend on what you, as an individual, value most. As a 40 year-old American who has lived outside the United States for almost 1/4 of his life, I can share with you what I believe to be some of the most important considerations when trying to determine 'what are the best places in the world to retire' for you!
First and foremost is language. At retirement, a great many Americans look to move south to warmer weather and consistent climates. But, unless you speak Spanish or Portuguese, you may not find the lifestyle as enjoyable when ordering at restaurants becomes a nuisance and trying to initiate a conversation over drinks at the beach is problematic. If you only speak English and have no real desire to learn a foreign language, then your top choices may be anywhere in English speaking Belize or St Kitts & Nevis, or (in and around) Panama City where large numbers of expats reside and tourism demands locals speak your native English language.
Second may arguably be the cost of living. If you are on a fixed monthly income of say $1,500 (USD) a month, then you will certainly want to stretch every dollar and countries which offer favorable exchange rates will be of tremendous value. While the Dominican Republic has a (fluctuating) exchange rate of around 40 Peso to 1 Dollar, Chile offers an exchange rate over ten times that amount at around 490 Chilean Peso to 1 Dollar. Other top favorable (fluctuating) exchange rate countries include the Philippines (42 to 1), Mexico (12 to 1), and South Africa (7.5 to 1).
Lifestyle and medical care might tie for third. If you live to snorkel or scuba dive, then you might want to live near a barrier reef in Australia or Belize. If you want hiking, back-packing and related outdoor adventures, then Ecuador, Argentina or Chile might be good possibilities. Ongoing medical issues could cause you stay within in direct-flight distances to Miami, Florida or Houston, Texas. Surprising to some, Costa Rica and Panama have excellent medical facilities and often allow for homeopathic remedies (prohibited in the United States) for cancer and age related maladies.
Notwithstanding any of the aforementioned concerns, and depending on which part of the world in which you wish to live, here is my list of the top 3 best places in the world to retire listed alphabetically by region:
Africa: Canary Islands, Republic of Seychelles, South Africa
Asia: Thailand, Philippines, Singapore
Central America / Caribbean: Belize, Dominican Republic, Panama
Europe: Estonia or Latvia, Ireland, Switzerland
South America: Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay
"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell (or) a hell of heaven."
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