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Recently Answered Questions

How are Americans in Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico treated? How are expats in Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico treated generally?

Paul Clark - East Cape Homes

Driving around Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Mexicans are always helpful and always open. Over the years, my fellow expats and me have seen that the lifestyle in Mexico has improved tremendously. Mexicans have come to respect the Americans and Canadians in the past 20 years. I don’t see any animosity from Mexicans towards Americans and Canadians anymore.

In Mexico, if someone needs help, there is always someone there who will help. For example, there’s no question that if an American’s car broke...

What’s the cost of living in Portugal?

Duncan MacGregor - Duncan MacGregor Accounting

Rua Augusta Lisboa, Portugal – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The cost of living in Portugal is probably the lowest in Europe, but on the other hand, the salary rate here is also among the lowest in Europe. Somebody coming from a more prosperous country or a person who is coming from a country with a strong currency will find Portugal to be incredibly cheap place in which to live, to rent a house, as well as for day to day living.

Compared to the UK, living in Portugal is probably half the cost but of course, the UK...

What's the crime rate against Americans and other expats in Placencia, Belize?

Wayne Robbins - The Placencia

Judge a person by the content of his character and now by the color of his skin, sign, Belize – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The crimes committed toward Americans and other expats in Placencia tend to be crimes of opportunity. When I’m in Placencia, I typically hear about break ins of some homes and minor things taken. I rarely hear of muggings or Americans being attacked.

The people in Placencia are pro-American because Belize promotes tourism and tourism as well as real estate, which are very important factors contributing to the well being of the local population. Another reason why the...

How much does it cost for a gardener in Panama?

Michael A. Martinez - B & B Real Estate Nicaragua / Panama Real Estate Information

Fried corvina and patacones – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

For a full sized home, you can have a full time gardener for around US $200 per month. Full time here in Panama is not exactly like full time in the US, so do not expect that they will work exactly 8 hours a day. Here, they can start at around 6 AM and end at around noon, depending on your arrangement. Overall, the cost for a gardener is around $15 to $18 for a day, depending on how long their day will be. It is the general average across the country, but as you get closer to...

In through the coastal areas of western Azuero having your maid come in every day, the cheapest rate here is probably $15 to $18 per day. But I think maids can be gotten for $10 a day; that low, if you give them enough work.

It is very different here compared to the more upscale and trendier areas of Azuero or the beach communities outside of Panama City. Yesterday I was at a restaurant in a little town here called Mari Hato, which is about 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) off the beach. The beach in that area is called Playa Reyna. We just opened a real estate office here in Torio. It is a brand new building where we built a restaurant, which will probably be opening in the next 90 days in March.

I talked to a woman who has a restaurant there. I had whole fried fish, rice with patacones, which is fried plantains (pictured above), and lemonade and my bill was $4. Where can you get a meal like that for only $4?

I asked that woman how much I would have to pay for someone to cook at my Mexican Taco Grill. She said $15 per day. That is what they get per day. The cost also depends on what they will do for you.

When you are talking about a company like ours, and starting a new restaurant, our cost will probably be a little more because we fall under the scrutiny of taxes and have other considerations with which me must comply, as a business. We also probably have to add some money to Social Security and all the other things that a business has to do in order to pay their legal employees, so if you open a business here, your labor costs will be a little higher.

Do I lower my US income tax liabilities if I retire or work abroad?

David McKeegan

Nicaragua resort near Santa Maria beach – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Whether or not you lower your US income tax liabilities if you retire or work abroad really depends on your personal situation and where you choose to retire.

If you are paying taxes locally you can use the Foreign Tax Credit to get a dollar for dollar tax credit on your US taxes.  If you are in a zero tax country you can use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion to exclude the first US $100,800 (tax year 2015) of your income from US taxes.  This can...

What's the cost to rent an apartment in Granada, Nicaragua?

Janice Gallagher - Granada Property Services

Good news! The Apartments Sofia have recently opened and they offer one and two bedroom fully furnished apartments in a secure building. There is also a swimming pool and laundry facilities. These are great for long or short term and are right in the heart of Granada. Check out our website for more info.

Recently Posted Expat Stories

How the Rotary Club, Cold Beer, Beauty and Opportunity in Belize Combined to Lure Mark Leonard to a Tropical Paradise

Excerpts of an interview with Mark Leonard, June 29, 2016

Chuck: Thank you for joining us, Mark. Your posts have always been so genuine and colorful. Please tell our readers how you happened to come to Belize.

Mark: It’s all because of the Rotary Club.

I was living in Northern California when a friend in my Rotary Club went to Belize on a contract and came back saying that Belize is looking for economic development assistance, so I went down...

Driving…

in …

Mexico.

These three words are enough to strike fear into any news watching / Internet reading American. We are led to believe that we would either be kidnapped or just plain murdered within minutes of crossing the border. Even Mexicans who lived in the US advised us against driving in Mexico.

So, in order to add some firsthand experiences into the mix, and at the risk of contradicting...

Oasis In Panama

Panamá is a charming city. Bordering the warm Pacific Ocean and at only an hour and a half from Colón on the Atlantic Ocean on the northern side, the breeze embracing your body is one of the most comforting things you can experience, day or night.

If you add the biggest park in the city to your neighborhood, San Francisco is blessed to have an oasis, where you can go from 4 AM to 10 PM to do exercises like yoga, tai-chi, sports, walking, jogging,...

Best Places In The World To Retire

Recently Answered Questions

How are Americans in Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico treated? How are expats in Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico treated generally?

What’s the cost of living in Portugal?

What's the crime rate against Americans and other expats in Placencia, Belize?

How much does it cost for a gardener in Panama?

Do I lower my US income tax liabilities if I retire or work abroad?

What's the cost to rent an apartment in Granada, Nicaragua?

Recently Posted Expat Stories

How the Rotary Club, Cold Beer, Beauty and Opportunity in Belize Combined to Lure Mark Leonard to a Tropical Paradise

Tips and Observations About Driving Through Baja California, and the Release of Your “Inner Mexican”

Oasis In Panama

Best Places In The World To Retire