Best Places In The World To Retire

What are the best and worst things about living and retiring in San Miguel de Allende?

Ian T. Clement - Clement and Associates

Street in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The best things about San Miguel de Allende and retiring here is that there’s a definite warmth in coming to this town. Most people who come to San Miguel de Allende are looking to make friends and be recreationally involved in things that are going on in the city. In San Miguel de Allende, you can usually find a group of people who are like-minded. Most of the people who move to San Miguel de Allende are liberals, so if you’re very strongly politically conservative, there...

The best things about San Miguel de Allende and retiring here is that there’s a definite warmth in coming to this town. Most people who come to San Miguel de Allende are looking to make friends and be recreationally involved in things that are going on in the city. In San Miguel de Allende, you can usually find a group of people who are like-minded. Most of the people who move to San Miguel de Allende are liberals, so if you’re very strongly politically conservative, there is that ilk here, but it’s not such a strongly predominant demographic.

To say that San Miguel de Allende is a walking town is a double-edged sword, because people who move here absolutely love the fact that you can walk anywhere, but as you begin to perhaps lose mobility as you age, the cobblestones can be a deterrent to going out, and to driving. San Miguel de Allende is really built that way. When I was younger, you could pull your car up to anywhere and park it. Now, everybody’s got a car, leaving no more room for parking. Now that driving is more on a limited basis, it forces people to walk, or take a cab.

People who move to San Miguel de Allende and tell me about their experiences tend to fall in love with the town. There is an immediate reaction that people who move from the First World to the Third World have. They’re either very much turned off by the fact that things are slower and people have a different energy, or they fall in love with that aspect of Latin America.

Most of my clients have already lived a life of 10-hour days for years. My clients just love that in San Miguel de Allende you can let your hair down. Mexico drives some people nuts, and it’s a perfectly valid stance because sometimes things just seem surreally dysfunctional. I love it. I think that it’s fun. I think that if I worked and lived in a place that was a perfectly well-oiled machine and everything looked the same, it would drive me nuts. When I fly over to the United States, it’s frightening to me how everything looks- so homogenized.

I like the fact that Mexico is very accepting. As foreigners, if we try to move somewhere else in the world, locals would probably think, “What are you doing here? Why would you want to be here? Why are you coming to our place?” Mexicans almost never have that sort of a feeling, or they never voice it. They have an accepting and embracing culture that people really love.

The positive aspect of San Miguel de Allende tends to be mostly based on the same virtues that the city has, but the negative aspects tend to be all over the place. Sometimes somebody will have an experience where they’re very turned off because they didn’t understand something that took place, or they feel that they have been duped.

Some of the expats’ kids may be in the States, in Canada or in Europe, and they won’t be able to see eye to eye with the decision that their parents have made about moving to San Miguel de Allende. Psychically, the fact that there’s disapproval coming from their children can also be an annoying thing. Given that I have finite years to live the rest of my life, do I really want to have this friction between my kids and me, or should I just yield and move back to the States where I really don’t want to be but my kids will be happier?

(Street in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)

What's the best way to get around in Nicaragua?

Estefanía Calvet

There are several ways to get around in Nicaragua, depending where you are and where are you going.

Managua

You can use taxis. Rates are from US $1.50 up to US $20.00 depending where your going. Also eleven of them have POS so you can pay with a credit or debit card.
Private drivers that pick you up from the airport or hotel and take you around cost from US $10.00 up to US $100.00 for one day, with a bilingual driver.
...

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

RICH Novak - RE/MAX Beaches & City! INC.

With regard to Panama - here's how things are working as of December 28, 2012. You do NOT repeat NOT need a second passport to retire or work in Panama.

Panama is a great place for you to retire. Many experts say that Panama's Pensionado (Retirement) Program is the very best. I am a Panama Pensionado. You need a Panama lawyer to help you with becoming a Pensionado. The Panama law firm that I recommend is Panama Relocation Attorneys is Panama City.

...

With regard to Panama - here's how things are working as of December 28, 2012. You do NOT repeat NOT need a second passport to retire or work in Panama.

Panama is a great place for you to retire. Many experts say that Panama's Pensionado (Retirement) Program is the very best. I am a Panama Pensionado. You need a Panama lawyer to help you with becoming a Pensionado. The Panama law firm that I recommend is Panama Relocation Attorneys is Panama City.

At this time, a Pensionado can NOT legally work (have income), but a Pensionado can - however - own a Panama Corporation & the Panama Corp can have income. Be very careful here because certain types of business can only be owned by Panamanian citizens. You need to be represented by a competent Panama lawyer.

Being able to legally work in Panama is much more complicated. Panama protects its citizens and makes it very difficult for foreigners to obtain a Panama work permit. However, recently President Martinelli issued Executive Order 343 & this Executive Order may make it easier for foreigners to obtain work permits... but because all this info is so brand new - the mechanics of this Program are still being sorted out by Panama's Immigration Department.

The economy & tourism industry are absolutely booming here in Panama & recently I read that 10,000 additional workers are needed because of all the new Panama hotels that are currently under construction.

Maybe I should also mention that when a citizen of North America comes to Panama as a tourist, this person may remain in Panama for up to 180 days... before the 180 days are over a tourist then needs to leave Panama for 72 hours, but after the 72 hours the tourist can return to Panama for another 180 days. And you can do this over & over & over again & again I personally know of people who have in effect been Perpetual Tourists (PTs) in this manner. In fact my wife & I were PTs before we became Panama Pensionados. A tourist and/or PT can NOT legally work (have income) here in Panama, but even a foreign tourist can own a Panama Corporation & the Panama Corp may have income.

Come To Panama & Turn YOUR Frown Upside Down!

How are the rules of etiquette or customs different in Portugal?

Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant

1836 sketches of women of Portugal – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The Portuguese language is a very formal language, but like everything else in the world today it’s becoming more and more relaxed.

There is a generation of Portuguese who are “old school” who would stand up when elder people come in to a room, and that, in Portuguese would never refer to their mother or father using the informal of “you”, “tu.” Today, in general, young children today will be less formal but...

The Portuguese language is a very formal language, but like everything else in the world today it’s becoming more and more relaxed.

There is a generation of Portuguese who are “old school” who would stand up when elder people come in to a room, and that, in Portuguese would never refer to their mother or father using the informal of “you”, “tu.” Today, in general, young children today will be less formal but in certain levels in Portugal there are still very strict rules of who you are, where you are, where you’ve been, and how you live.

On average now it’s a lot easier going than it used to be. I was talking to a friend of mine today about the time when girls would go out there would always have to be chaperone because the parents wouldn’t let it be any other way. These days if you told a 12 year old they needed to have a chaperone, they would say, “Are you crazy?”

In America, even if you’re the president of the company, people would say to you, “Hi, Bob,” whereas here in Portugal it would always be “senior doctor” or “senior professor” or “mister engineer.” You would never use the more informal way of speaking; until you became friendly with them, there’s always that formality. So you would never say, for example, “Senior Bob” you would say “Senior Johnson,” you wouldn’t say the first name. So there are small things like that that would be a faux pas.

The Portuguese are really, really impatient when they get behind the wheel of a car. They drive like lunatics on the motorways and you wouldn’t think it was the same race of people that gets behind the wheels of their cars and they sit on your bumper or don’t let you in. For them, it’s “me first, me first,” which is odd, because they’re not like that we’re they’re chatting to you, but behind the wheels of their cars, you do have to be careful, or, alternatively, you just do what they do.

(1836 sketches of women of Portugal, pictured.)

What's it like to live in Boquete, Panama?

Bonnie Williams

My husband and I have lived in Boquete for seven years and are very happy here. That is not to say that there are not challenges, some of which we have overcome with diligence and patience, and some of which we live with every day. Obtaining our pensionado visas, opening a bank account, building a house, buying and registering vehicles, obtaining Internet and t.v. services, and securing driver's licenses are among the former. Ongoing challenges include power outages, lack of...

What are the best reasons to retire to Belize?

Victor Gomez

Beach in Belize with chairs and palm trees – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

One of the best reasons to retire in Belize is the ability to purchase property. There are no restrictions on foreigners coming into Belize, purchasing property in Belize and building their dream home in Belize, on the Cayes, near the beach, and I think that's what a lot of retirees want. They want to leave their cold, windy, rainy, environment and come and build a dream house in Belize on the water.

There are no death or inheritance taxes in Belize. ...

One of the best reasons to retire in Belize is the ability to purchase property. There are no restrictions on foreigners coming into Belize, purchasing property in Belize and building their dream home in Belize, on the Cayes, near the beach, and I think that's what a lot of retirees want. They want to leave their cold, windy, rainy, environment and come and build a dream house in Belize on the water.

There are no death or inheritance taxes in Belize. In addition, let's say that they are still in business and they're retiring and somebody's taking care of the business; when they get dividends or whatever profits, there are no taxes on any income outside of Belize.

Another good reason to retire to Belize is that almost anywhere in Belize, people speak English or a form of English. English-speaking foreigners coming to Belize can get around almost anywhere in Belize without any problem.

Belize is also just a 2-hour flight away from the US, so retirees like that. There's no 18-hour flight getting here and you can get back to Miami in 1.5 hours or to Houston in 2 hours. It’s just that quick--- they hop on the flight and they're back in the US.

In addition, every day there are more and more flights from different places to Belize. Such as Miami, Dallas, Houston. There are also direct flights from Los Angeles and New Jersey. In October they will have Southwest coming from Houston. This is the thing that we can do and people can come and coordinate from here. Let's say they want to go to Mexico, to Cancun, or Guatemala, In that case, Belize could be the center of where they can come so they can catch other flights. We are going to be able to get more and more different places directly from Belize

The cost of living here is also lower, so your money is doubled when you come here. If you are someone who is preparing your own meals, buying your own basic fruits and vegetables, there are markets that carry a wide array of produce and it's fairly cheap. If you're preparing your own food, it can really cost you far less when living here. They say in Belize, "You will never starve; there's always something to buy for a dollar." It's very cost effective.

Belize is a former British colony and that is a good advantage. We have the school system similar to what they had in their country set up here. It is good because they know that we are English-speaking, and we teach English in schools from day one. And not only that, there’s the court system. We have a parliamentary system that really works and people like to know this and we have laws that protect the people, including tourists and expats.

The lifestyle is another good reason for you to retire in Belize. When you come here, you could keep your own lifestyle. If they want to have a vehicle there is an incentive that if you come here as part of the retirement program, you can buy any kind of car and bring it to Belize duty free. And duty free is a big thing because it is almost 50% more than the price there. The government prefers that you get new vehicles so that they could last longer, and you don’t have to pay the import tax. And these vehicles can be gotten here in Belize. We have lots of different dealers that sell new cars.

You can buy a new car, duty free once you qualify on the retiree program. It’s a program you must apply for and submit documentation. It's a not so rigorous process. Interpol checks and the like will be done to make sure that you're clean. Once you qualify, you will be able to travel back and forth to Belize on that retirement status and be technically a resident and not have anyone bother you about being legal because you would have legal status in Belize.

Recently Answered Questions

What are the best and worst things about living and retiring in San Miguel de Allende?

What's the best way to get around in Nicaragua?

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

How are the rules of etiquette or customs different in Portugal?

What's it like to live in Boquete, Panama?

What are the best reasons to retire to Belize?

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