Best Places In The World To Retire

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Recently Answered Questions

What are the expats like in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?

Luzma Grande - Ajijic Concierge Services

The malecon in Ajijic, Mexico – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

You will find different kinds of expats in Chapala and Ajijic. There are expats who came here because of the cheaper cost of living. There are expats who came here to learn more about Mexico, to learn Spanish, and to experience living the Mexican way. There are expats who came here for the nice weather.

And there are expats who are very happy to be here because they have friends here. There are people who never had so many friends in their life as much as...

How much is it to build a house in Corozal?

Tony and Beth McClure

Elevated house, Belize – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The cost to build a house in Corozal is between $85 and $100 per square foot for all concrete and steel construction. This would include granite countertops but not air conditioning. Where we are out on the coast, where we’ve got that sea breeze and it’s just not an issue.

The home would be concrete and steel, tile floors, probably 10-12 feet above sea level so you can take a little bit of a surge without having any issues. It...

The home would be concrete and steel, tile floors, probably 10-12 feet above sea level so you can take a little bit of a surge without having any issues. It would have a flat roof so that at the same time you’re building the ceiling for your top story, you’re building the floor for your vista deck.

Typically you want to overbuild and then just self-insure. You can probably build for less, but then you may have some misgivings about the ability of your home to withstand high wind. I would prefer overbuilding and then just self-insure and not have to worry about sustaining damage in the unlikely event of high winds.

The house would have nice fixtures. We’re off the grid so you’re going to have your own solar system and system for water. Your utilities would amount to whatever you pay for a satellite dish for your entertainment and Internet. There would be no landline, no electricity, no water bill; nothing like that. The cooking is done with Butane gas. I’ve been in several houses that are off the grid that are just as comfortable as anything you’d see in the States.

This price would include the solar system. No one I know has a backup generator. Everybody that I’ve visited has more than adequate power with his or her solar system. Relative to water, they actually have to pull water off of their system because in Corozal they get about 50-60 inches of rain a year, which is more than adequate to supply your water for your system. In southern Belize, they get upwards of 200 inches.

There will be some minor ongoing expenses for the solar system. At some point in time you’re going to be changing out batteries. I don’t know if the converter itself has a lifespan, but overall the ongoing expenses are relatively minor once the solar system is up, installed and running.

For people who may just be looking at Corozal as an investment and maybe not really ever intending to relocate there, in Corozal you pay virtually no property tax, so you could you’re your land without it costing any money per month. Also, Belize has no capital gains tax. Someone can go into the Corozal area, purchase property, have virtually no expense and sell at a profit at some point in time with a significant gain and not pay taxes on the gain.

If your home doesn’t have six feet elevation above sea level on grade, then you’re going to need to bring in soil and fill your lot. Your actual lot is 6 feet above sea level. And then you want the design of your house to give you at least another six feet, and that gets you 12.

While you’re looking, one thing that I’ll mention that is available – for those who may have some interest in Belize, or anywhere else for that matter, there is a method where you can pool funding out of your IRA or your (401K) and you can purchase and hold property in Belize inside of your IRA. So you could actually buy property with tax-deferred funds, and then as long as you don’t build on it and use it and live on it, you can leave it in your IRA. If you do want to develop it, then you’re going to have to pay all of the expenses and everything out of your IRA, which could get a little labor intensive because you’re going to have to be moving money into it to fund all of that. But for someone that just wants to say, “Hey, I may want to retire to Belize one day. I’m 50 years old now, I’ve got a pool of several thousand dollars out of my (401K), so I want to buy a lot,” you could do that. You’re not actually spending money, you’re just moving money. You’re just moving some money that you already have and it’s not a taxable event.

(Elevated house, Belize, pictured.)

How much do restaurants cost in Portugal?

Ana Ferraz

Lunch with wine in Portugal – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The cost of food in restaurants in Portugal varies. I can have lunch for €6 (US $6.50 or £4.32) at my local café for a meal that includes a glass of wine, dessert and coffee. It’s cooked in the morning, served for lunch and you have a choice of two dishes. Grilled fish could cost about €15 to €20 (US $16.27 to $21.70 or £10.81 to £14.42) per person.

It’s very important to note that in Portugal, they have set menus. They have what...

Are there American-trained doctors in Bocas Del Toro, Panama?

monique born - Tesoro Escondido Eco Lodge and Cabinas

Right now, we do not have a private clinic in Bocas Town / Bocas Del Toro. The only medical facility is the state run hospital and their doctors have not been trained in the US. They are perfectly fine for garden variety illnesses, but for anything serious, you need to go to the city of David, on the mainland, and 3.5 hours away by car.

What are the worst reasons to retire to Nicaragua?

David Smith - Nicaragua Sotheby's International Realty

Fruit and vegtable stand, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The only thing that comes to mind for a bad reason to retire to Nicaragua is thinking that you’re going to live off the land. I keep meeting people like me who thought I was going to come here and super simplify my life. I would have my chickens and grow my corn and I was going to be completely self-sustainable and get back to the basics of life growing my own fruit and vegetables.

Certainly I do that but the reality is once you get here,...

Do I need a second passport if I retire, work, or live abroad?

Allen Rosen - Chiriqui Coastal Real Estate

Different countries have different rules about needing a second passport to retire or work abroad. In Panama you do not need a second passport to work or retire. You will, however, need a permanent resident visa to live here long term. You can also get a work permit if you have skills that are in short supply here -- eg. engineering or computer programming..

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Apology- sort of!

Editor's note: Written in response to Is an Expat Living Abroad a True American?

1. In my view, being an American is more than the happy accident of how the geography of your birth bestowed upon you citizenship, or even where you physically reside. In my view, being an American is subscribing to a set of shared American values. “America” is more than a piece of paper or a place. “America” is an idea.

2. In my view, the first principle...

Red wine drinkers delight in proclaiming the benefits of red wine over white wine. Although some new studies indicate there can be some benefits to drinking white wine, red wine wins out above the sweeter white flavors. Some of the important features red wine offers above the lovely whites are:

Red wine has a score of 7 as cited by Prevention; white wine has a score of 1
Red wine has less sugar content
Red wine has more antioxidants
Red wine...

Map of Panama, showing Gulf of Chiriqui – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Panamá has beautiful natural resource areas, especially its outstanding beaches and mountains, which invite visitors to enjoy and relax. This is not to mention the great opportunities for exploring Panamá’s rainforest, bird watching and exceptional natural reserve areas, like “Cerro Campana” (city of Panamá), Volcán (Chiriquí and Bocas delToro provinces), Coiba (a beautiful very lightly explored island), and “Barro Colorado”, which is run by the Smithsonian Institute.
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Best Places In The World To Retire

Recently Answered Questions

What are the expats like in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?

How much is it to build a house in Corozal?

How much do restaurants cost in Portugal?

Are there American-trained doctors in Bocas Del Toro, Panama?

What are the worst reasons to retire to Nicaragua?

Do I need a second passport if I retire, work, or live abroad?

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Apology- sort of!

In Panama the Benefits of Red Wine vs White Wine on Health

Province of Chiriquí, Republic of Panamá

Best Places In The World To Retire