10 best countries to retire - any been there?

[mrWinter]

Another top-10 list of best places to retire. This one focusing on foreign countries with low COL. Wondering if anyone on here has visited or even lived in any of these places and can chime in if they agree or not. Are these places that are so inexpensive also safe (there's been discussion of that RE Mexico lately)? Also curious which of these places would let you live long term rather than just visit as a tourist.

1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. Panama
4. Ecuador
5. Malaysia
6. Colombia
7. Portugal
8. Nicaragua
9. Spain
10. Peru

 

[Nemo2]

Another top-10 list of best places to retire. This one focusing on foreign countries with low COL. Wondering if anyone on here has visited or even lived in any of these places and can chime in if they agree or not. Are these places that are so inexpensive also safe (there's been discussion of that RE Mexico lately)? Also curious which of these places would let you live long term rather than just visit as a tourist.

1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. Panama
4. Ecuador
5. Malaysia
6. Colombia
7. Portugal
8. Nicaragua
9. Spain
10. Peru

I've visited 7 out of the 10, and of the ones I've seen, in any small degree, I'd only consider Spain or Portugal.

How about, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland?

 

[Oz investor]

Another top-10 list of best places to retire. This one focusing on foreign countries with low COL. Wondering if anyone on here has visited or even lived in any of these places and can chime in if they agree or not. Are these places that are so inexpensive also safe (there's been discussion of that RE Mexico lately)? Also curious which of these places would let you live long term rather than just visit as a tourist.

1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. Panama
4. Ecuador
5. Malaysia
6. Colombia
7. Portugal
8. Nicaragua
9. Spain
10. Peru

i have been to none of these countries

but from an economic viewpoint senior citizens with some wealth would help their economy without depriving the locals of jobs ( and might even boost local employment )

 

[W2R]

I've visited 7 out of the 10, and of the ones I've seen, in any small degree, I'd only consider Spain or Portugal.

How about, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland?

I've been to about the same number of them, 8 out of the 10 in my case, and personally I have no desire to live anywhere outside the US.

OK, if I absolutely HAD to live outside the US, I'd pick someplace in Polynesia. The weather, ocean, and laid back lifestyle there sounds good.

But I don't have to leave so I'll stay put.
(1) The weather here is to my liking (although too hot for many);
(2) The ocean is within a few hours' drive and Lake Ponchartrain is just blocks from my house; and
(3) New Orleans has about as laid back a lifestyle as anywhere.

With a paid off home and car, cost of living here is quite reasonable. It's even lower in the rural South.

 

[Retirement_Rookie]

Another top-10 list of best places to retire. This one focusing on foreign countries with low COL. Wondering if anyone on here has visited or even lived in any of these places and can chime in if they agree or not. Are these places that are so inexpensive also safe (there's been discussion of that RE Mexico lately)? Also curious which of these places would let you live long term rather than just visit as a tourist.

1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. Panama
4. Ecuador
5. Malaysia
6. Colombia
7. Portugal
8. Nicaragua
9. Spain
10. Peru

I've spent lengthy times, multiple visits, or lived in all of these places but Costa Rica, Ecuador, & Nicaragua. I like Mexico but the government situation is quite unpredictable now, violence is increasing, and there's a lot of general insecurity. Some spots in Mexico are fantastic (San Miguel de Allende comes to mind) and worth careful consideration. I lived in Panama a long time ago and wasn't a huge fan of the weather. Friends who currently live in Malaysia rate it highly. I spent four years in Colombia -- loved it! People are friendly, medical care is awesome, and country is lovely. But insecurity is an issue. I've had friends kidnapped leaving Christmas parties at my house in the best neighborhood in Bogotá. I recently revisited Portugal and would seriously consider relocating there had I not other obligations where I now reside (Germany). Spain and Peru are both great, with Spain first world, of course, and Peru, at best, second world (although really it's a third world country). A friend of mine who was working in Costa Rica until recently (and he's a very experienced traveller) recently claimed to me that Costa Rica is now more violent than Colombia (and he's lived and worked in both countries). I can't confirm that but it's what I was told by one well-informed person.

 

[flyingaway]

I cannot believe that Thailand is not on the list.

 

[NYEXPAT]

I have been living in Peru for 15 years and visited the other countries with the exception of Malaysia. I think Peru just made this list in the last year or two and I do not really understand why. Although healthcare is top notch (in Lima only) you can not get private insurance unless you bought the policy prior to turning 65. Housing prices are up 300% and a typical apartment in a nice district is $250,000 . Food is amazing if you eat out and cheap if you are into fresh fruit and veggies. The women keep their figures and are very passionate. People are extremely friendly and accepting of all cultures. The country is amazing but distances are far and roads are dangerous. Large expat population, but they are very diverse and somewhat transient.

 

[orangehairfella]

Spain is wonderful, but the wealth tax is a killer if you’re planning to live off your portfolio and not a pension of some sort.

 

[Helena]

.

Plenty of places in the USA with low COL.

 

[97guns]

I’m surprised there’s only 1 Asian country on the list, there’s a lot of affordability in many parts of Asia

 

[Oz investor]

was the report biased towards security and Western style health care

sometimes selection parameters really impact the result

 

[LARS]

was the report biased towards security and Western style health care

sometimes selection parameters really impact the result

I hope so! Because who needs crime or crappy healthcare.

I can stay right here in the US and get all that without the hassle of moving... ;-)

 

[Oz investor]

*** I hope so! Because who needs crime or crappy healthcare.***

there are worse things to avoid ... civil wars , bad food , bad government

but travel is not on my list before 2022 or otherwise i would be typing this in New Zealand ( but well away from the father's side of the family )

 

[LARS]

*** I hope so! Because who needs crime or crappy healthcare.***

there are worse things to avoid ... civil wars , bad food , bad government

but travel is not on my list before 2022 or otherwise i would be typing this in New Zealand ( but well away from the father's side of the family )

Well I can think of a lot worse places to run out the string than NZ. Accepting of course that old Aussie joke about NZ. You know. Where the men are men, the women are men and the sheep are nervous. Or so my OZ mate told me...

 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Been to Spain 3 times while country shopping. Three things deterred me. First was the climate. Most of the country is like the US midwest. The coastal Mediterranean climate is OK, the seasonal resort nature of the towns there isn't. Areas inland from the Mediterranean are HOT. The mountain areas would be nice in the summer, but too remote. Second was that I'd have to move all my daily habits 4 hours later to fit their conventions. Third was the visa process seemed to be designed so as to be as difficult as possible. Make a single mistake and you start over. ALL government sourced documents, translations, notarizations, and anything dated must be obtained again. My visa info is from 2015.

Around 2012 a friend looked at Malaysia. Don't remember why he thought the visa requirements made it a non-negotiable NO, or why I agreed with him.

 

[Oz investor]

Well I can think about a lot worse places to run at the string than NZ. Accepting of course that old Aussie joke about NZ. You know. Where the men are men, the women are men and the sheep are nervous. Or so my OZ mate told me...

my father left New Zealand ( after WW2 ) to get away from the Kiwis ( New Zealanders ) and was very disappointed to find so many Kiwis had arrived before him .

NZ is fairly boring ( in area i would select ) but they have volcanoes , and earth quakes and my closest relatives ( who have been feuding with me since 1954 ) , Queensland has floods , cyclones and bad government


very little in life is perfect .

PS i spent some time in New Zealand in 1970 ( it was a nice place apart from the intra-family litigations )

 

[Nemo2]

NZ is fairly boring

I remember the old joke: "I spent a year in New Zealand one day"

 

[Oz investor]

i am on enough meds to keep my heart at 64 bpm ( down from 140 bpm ) not 5 more not 5 less ...

the meds shouldn't have to work so hard over there ( LOL )



but it could be worse share yields are more stable .. i hold about 15 New Zealand companies

there are plenty of jokes in Australia over 100 of them got elected to Federal Parliament

 

[kcowan]

Mexico
We chose Mexico back in 2007 when we purchased our condo. It has been great. No safety issues. Great COL at 60% below Vancouver. But mostly expats as friends.

Malaysia
When I worked, my VP Marketing was a native Malay and his brother lived in KL. We were doing business with Telekom Malaysia. The country was a former commonwealth country and so had an interesting mix of traditions. The muslims are given preference for government positions. Elections are not democratic. They are more like the US than Britain. Business is driven by Chinese and Indian heritage Malays.

I would not hesitate to retire there. I would check out visa requirements. It seems to be a moving target. I would probably choose one of the coastal towns. It is on the equator so the weather is very consistent. Be aware that Malaysia includes a territory in northern Borneo. That is a much different experience. I have visited Brunei but not Sarawak.

Spain
We have visited here as tourists but our friends from SoCal were living there for 3 years in Antequera. They liked it although their friends were all expats, mostly British. They still own the house they lived in. Even though it is far south, the weather can get cold in the winter.

 

[CaliKid]

I think it's mostly a grass is always greener mentality. Not sure it's really that much better overall once you move to this new "paradise."

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Been to half the countries on the list but none long enough, with the possible exception of Spain, to provide me with enough of an impression of whether or not I'd want to retire there.
The central American countries have never really appealed to me for a longer term stay, partly due to my lack knowledge of the countries. But they do seem to be popular retirement destinations.
I have a few friends from central and eastern Canada whose parents have retired or take extended stays during retirement in Spain. Spain as a retirement destination is appealing to me due to the food and culture. Would be a great launching pad for trips to other parts of Europe. I could do without the political unrest in the Catalonia region though.

Thailand is an obvious omission from the list but a lot of SE Asian countries like Vietnam with their rapid development as quickly becoming retirement options also.

 

[aja8888]

I've been to a good number of those places. I decided years ago to live in a place that was a consolidation of most of them that are south of the U.S. border: Houston, Texas.

And with the drug trade and high crime rates, it's even more like Mexico here!

 

[brett]

We have spent time in six of them-several of them for weeks at a time.

I do not understand why Malaysia is on the list. We would rank Thailand far above Malaysia. We have spent 4 of the past 5 winters in this part of the world.

Of the ten listed, we would only consider Portugal and Spain. We very much like both.

 

[boatfishandnature]

One word of caution about deciding where to live based on COL is currency risk. Brazil (where I currently live) was very expensive in 2010. It is cheap now, due to devaluation. I have little doubt that it will become more expensive (perhaps not as much as in 2010) in a future cycle.
Here is a full list of current COL in cities throughout the world
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings.jsp

From your list, I have lived in Mexico and Portugal in the past. Portugal is great retirement location, especially in coastal locations. Very low crime (no terrorism, either, making this one of the safest countries in the world), nice, welcoming people, good weather and reasonably low COL ...went up a bit in the past 24 months as the Euro strengthened against the US$ and the inflow of foreign retirees drove up property prices in the most popular places, like Lisbon and Cascais. The Euro strengthening also impacted Spain, of course.
Mexico also has friendly people, great weather in some places and (currently) even lower COL. As you already know, crime is real worry.

 

[WestUniversity]

I love Costa Rica. Been there once. Beautiful country, friendly people, slower pace, about a 3 1/2 hour flight from Houston to Liberia. I’ve watched a lot of programs about expats who now call Costa Rica home. I believe I could do it as well but there is no way DW would...