Best Places In The World To Retire

No one I know drinks the water out of the tap in the Ajijic / Chapala area.

 

Instead, people will either use garaafones (like a Sparklets or Arrowhead container of water), or they will have a house water purification system.

 

The garrafones cost about $1.50 for about a 5 gallon container, and we get free delivery.  We are renting our house, so we didn't opt for whole-house water purification, and instead, opted for one just under the kitchen sink.  I...

No one I know drinks the water out of the tap in the Ajijic / Chapala area.

 

Instead, people will either use garaafones (like a Sparklets or Arrowhead container of water), or they will have a house water purification system.

 

The garrafones cost about $1.50 for about a 5 gallon container, and we get free delivery.  We are renting our house, so we didn't opt for whole-house water purification, and instead, opted for one just under the kitchen sink.  I don't remember the exact cost, other than it was very reasonable.

 

I'm not certain how much whole house water purification costs, but I believe it is around $1,000.

 

None of this is a big deal, and you can choose which works best for you.  Just don't use that tap water!

 

 

We have never had a problem drinking the water at a restaurant, with or without iced cubes.

 

If you're interested in moving to the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area, check out Best Mexico Movers.

 

 

No, if you live in Portugal as a foreigner, you do not have to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship. Portuguese law allows you to accumulate Portuguese nationality with other nationalities, and it is very common for people Portuguese nationality to have two or three different nationalities.

 

(Tom Hanks, two grandparents on his mother's side were Azorean, Portuguese and two grandparents on his father's side were also Azorean, pictured.)

No, if you live in Portugal as a foreigner, you do not have to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship. Portuguese law allows you to accumulate Portuguese nationality with other nationalities, and it is very common for people Portuguese nationality to have two or three different nationalities.

 

(Tom Hanks, two grandparents on his mother's side were Azorean, Portuguese and two grandparents on his father's side were also Azorean, pictured.)

Yes, there are English-speaking doctors in Ambergris Caye. The entire country of Belize is officially English-speaking. You can go to any government office or any bank and you will find that English is the official language.
 
You can learn Spanish if you want to but you don’t have to. All the doctors on Ambergris Caye speak English. They are bilingual. Even the staff speak English well. Most people here on Ambergris Caye grew up with two languages. English is the major...

Yes, there are English-speaking doctors in Ambergris Caye. The entire country of Belize is officially English-speaking. You can go to any government office or any bank and you will find that English is the official language.
 
You can learn Spanish if you want to but you don’t have to. All the doctors on Ambergris Caye speak English. They are bilingual. Even the staff speak English well. Most people here on Ambergris Caye grew up with two languages. English is the major language taught in the school system, so the parents might be unilingual in Spanish but the children grow up bilingual with English and Spanish.  

 

(Barracks of British Army still conducting jungle warfare exercises in coastal Belize, pictured.)

There are banks in Panama that will accept direct deposit from the US, including B.A.C, Banco General, Banco Nacional of Panama, Banco Uno, Banesco, Banistmo, Banvivienda, BBVA, Cacechi, Caja de Ahorros, Credicorp, Global, MultiCredit, Stanford, and Towerbank. Yes, there is a small fee charged for having your direct deposit account, but its worth it. 

There are banks in Panama that will accept direct deposit from the US, including B.A.C, Banco General, Banco Nacional of Panama, Banco Uno, Banesco, Banistmo, Banvivienda, BBVA, Cacechi, Caja de Ahorros, Credicorp, Global, MultiCredit, Stanford, and Towerbank. Yes, there is a small fee charged for having your direct deposit account, but its worth it. 

We have a one-bedroom condo in Panama City.  For comprehensive insurance for it (about 900 square feet), we pay about $950 a year.  For a freestanding house with more space, I imagine it would be more.

We have a one-bedroom condo in Panama City.  For comprehensive insurance for it (about 900 square feet), we pay about $950 a year.  For a freestanding house with more space, I imagine it would be more.