Best Places In The World To Retire

WELCOME. WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT THE MAIN PARTS OF OUR SITE

Recently Answered Questions

What is the culture of San Miguel de Allende?

Rio de Paz Cuellar

I am not an expert in the culture of San Miguel de Allende, but I would say there are many cultures. I’m a bicultural person- my parents are from Mexico, and I grew up speaking Spanish. I speak fluent Spanish and English as well, so I fit in. That’s one of the reasons I love this town- because it’s a bicultural town. People get along very well, so I love that about San Miguel.

If you are a foreigner and don’t speak Spanish, people...

What's retirement in Coronado, Panama like?

Sarah Booth - Panama Holiday Homes & Buyer's Consultant with My Panama Real Estate

I am one of many people who came to Coronado to relax and take it easy but after a while, it gets boring. So I found myself wanting to do something more. We all want to give something to the community, but aside from that, there are also so many opportunities to have a sense of purpose here in Coronado or even to earn a little extra pocket money. Many expats in Coronado work because they want to have a purpose and make a difference. I know a lot of folks, even in their later years,...

What are the best reasons to retire to Portugal?

Ana Ferraz

One of the best reasons to retire in Portugal is the safety. Where I live here in Portugal, I can go to the café or to the supermarket around the corner and I don’t have to lock my front door. The neighbors know each other and if anything happens, everybody watches for each other. In contrast, in England, everybody keeps to themselves. They don’t trust anybody because of the crime. We don’t have that here in Portugal because you know your neighbors. In England, you can live on the same street and not know your neighbor next door.

Another good reason to retire in Portugal is the lower cost of living. My daughter lives in England but she comes here four times a year and she is constantly amazed by the prices here in Portugal. It’s very cheap.

The quality and taste of food in Portugal is another factor for retiring here. Food here has a flavor. We have very good cuisine. The fish is unbelievable. Meat is very good as well. You only need to You just haves to know where to buy your food. Once you know that, you will have food that is very tasty.

Healthcare in Portugal is good. I would recommend the private health system here in Portugal because of the good quality and fast service. Relative to the US, healthcare I Portugal is extremely inexpensive and it’s possible to get insurance for a couple in good health, without pre-existing conditions for around €60 to €100 (US $65 or £44 to US $109 or £73) a month. If you have insurance and you go to see a doctor, it would cost €30 to €40 (US $33 or £22 to $44 or £29).

The weather is great in Portugal. During December, we have sunshine and the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit). That is winter, so it’s great. We are not on the Mediterranean but we are by the Atlantic Ocean so we have mild temperatures. We don’t get snow or frost. In the winter, the temperature goes down to about 10 to 20 degrees Celsius (50 to 68 Fahrenheit).

The lifestyle here in Portugal is very nice as well. People are very friendly. There are a lot of outdoor activities so you don’t spend too much time at home. You can definitely keep yourself busy by going to the beach, golfing, horseback riding, playing water sports, etc.

So to me, those are the best reasons to retire in Portugal; the safety, everything being cheaper here, the food, healthcare, great weather, and the wine. What else do you want in life?

How much does food cost in Nicaragua?

Mike Cobb - ECI Development

Local food in Nicaragua is inexpensive. There is also quite a bit of organic food in Nicaragua. Our family receives about 20-30 pounds of fresh organic produce each week for less than US $10. Cheese, eggs and free-range chicken, beef and pork abound at a price about 1/3 US prices for comparable products. Processed food in Nicaragua like boxed cereal is about 50% more than in the US.

How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Ambergris Caye?

Matthew Hoy - Pelican Properties

Early hair dryer – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

As with any Caribbean tropical destination, mosquitoes and insects are always a concern here in Ambergris Caye. Mosquitoes and No-see-ums are a bit of an issue but one thing I always tell everybody is that there is a secret weapon to dealing with the bites-- use a hair dryer!

It sounds really ridiculous but what you do is you hold the hairdryer approximately 5 inches away from the bite and the hot air creates a convection heat effect that denatures the...

It sounds really ridiculous but what you do is you hold the hairdryer approximately 5 inches away from the bite and the hot air creates a convection heat effect that denatures the proteins that cause the allergic reaction and basically stops the itch in its place. For me, bug bites used to be a major issue but ever since I started using the hair dryer, I don’t even care about bug bites anymore. You still get the same amount of bites but the itch is totally gone. Some people are very allergic to insect bites. I am very allergic to them and now I don’t even care about them because I have a hair dryer.

I do tend to wear mosquito repellant during dusk. Dusk and dawn are the two worst times of the day to get mosquito or insect bites. If we have a lot of rain, mosquitoes multiply a bit more but the government on Ambergris Caye does a lot of different things in spraying for mosquitoes and people do as well in their properties and restaurants but mosquitoes are a fact of life pretty much everywhere you go in the Caribbean. It used to be so annoying for me that I just couldn’t take anymore until I discovered the hair dryer. One time I was showing a lot way up north, in a very desolate area, and I got around 150 mosquito bites. I just went home, blasted it with a hair dryer and I didn’t’ care anymore.

I also hear different theories from people on how they get rid of mosquito bites such as putting a wet washcloth into the microwave or put a spoon in hot water but the problem with that is the degrading heat source, so you would never know exactly what temperature you are using on the bite, but with the hair dryer it is always the same temperature. I found out about the hair dryer from another expat who lives here and ever since that time, when someone tells me that they have mosquito bites or flea bites, I tell them to use a hair dryer and it takes care of the bite and the itch right away.

(Early hair dryer, pictured.)

What are the worst reasons to retire overseas?

Mike Cobb - ECI Development

Two retired people walking towards the beach – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Some people are only happy when they are unhappy. Moving overseas to fix a happiness problem isn't going to work because "no matter where you go, there you are."

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Keeping Perspective on Panama

Presented with permission from Bob Adams of Retirement Wave

In the last eight and a half years, I’ve received thousands of emails from people all over the world interested in visiting and living in Panama. I’ve met with over 400 of you when you’ve come down and I’ve had the time available when you’ve contacted me and we got together to chat.

There are certain things that come up frequently. One of the most...

Bajareque (Ba ha rae kee), Panama

Bajareque in Panama refers to a mountain mist or drizzle…(similar to the Oregon ones) but a much finer mist which 'floats in the air' as it drops to the ground and when combined with the bright sunshine and the right angle you will see the most brilliant rainbows you can imagine. They can happen throughout the year. And Double and even Triple versions are common.

Here are a couple examples:

Bajareque Rainbow – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

"Cinta Costera in Panamá" (Boulevard by the Bay)

What defines a modern world? A modern country?

We can certainly say: their people. If the people of a country are not proud of what they have, nothing can be done properly. And that is the reason of this story.

Panamá has one of the Eight Wonders of the World..... the PANAMA CANAL, as well as buildings and places that have been named as "Patrimony of the Humanity" because of what they represent in history, like the "Casco Viejo", a place where old...