Customer Service
E-mail: customerservice@internationalliving.com
Advertising
Tel. 410-864-1644
E-mail: lmytych@internationalliving.com
Classified Advertising
E-mail: jonflynn@internationalliving.com
Events
Tel. 1-866-381-8446
E-mail: events@internationalliving.com
Media Relations
E-mail: media@internationalliving.com
Magazine Editor
E-mail: editor@internationalliving.com
VIP Members
E-mail: pknowles@internationalliving.com
Publications
International Living Magazine
For nearly three decades, the monthly International Living magazine has provided a scope and depth of information about global traveling, living, retiring, investing, and buying real estate that is not available anywhere else at any price.
Subscribe now or view a sample issue.
Mexico Insider
Make your dreams of living or retiring in Mexico a reality. You'll learn everything you need to know to safely and affordably buy real estate in Mexico, the world's top retirement destination.
Panama Insider
To take full advantage of Panama, whatever you may be thinking about doing—investing, traveling, retiring, or starting a business—our Panama Insider publication will provide the up-to-the-minute, on-the-ground information you'll need to make it happen.
VIP Services
NEW: Real Estate Trend Alert
Real Estate Trend Alert is designed for a very small group of aggressive yet prudent individuals. It's for people who want to make serious money by taking advantage of situations long before they become common knowledge.
Publisher's Roundtable
As a member of the elite International Living Publisher's Roundtable, you are entitled to full access to every single resource ever produced or provided by International Living—for life.
Panama Roundtable
As a Panama Roundtable member, you'll have full access—for life—to every single Panama-related publication, newsletter, subscription service, teleconference, and investment alert...every single event, seminar, conference, workshop, and private meeting we hold in Panama...and much more.
Lifetime Society
As a member of the Lifetime Society, you'll enjoy savings and special benefits on every product and service we offer and every event we sponsor. Each member benefit has been designed to help you in your pursuit of profits, fun, and adventure in undervalued, appreciating overseas markets.
World Club
As a World Club member, you are part of a very special group eligible to explore many of the world's best opportunities in like-minded company, spending much less money than you dreamed possible in the process, and all the time enjoying the personalized attention, perks, and privileges reserved for our VIPs alone. Your World Club membership opens up the entire slate of International Living events to you in a whole new way.
Free Expat Advice
Learn From International Living's Expat Network
International Living's expat network is your key to a new life in a new country. Get real, honest advice from people just like you. Discover the tips, tricks, shortcuts, and strategies you can use to cut through red tape and improve your life overseas right away.
Read about and learn from real-life experiences our expats have had in their new home countries, from health care to taxes and much more.
Sign up for free IL Postcards to get more expat advice delivered right to your inbox.
Always cover your assets: Learn about offshore banking, investing, and asset protection. Now is the time to diversify your portfolio and move outside the U.S. and its sinking dollar.
Health care is one of the most important factors to consider if you move abroad. This is a hot topic right now, especially for the 40 million Americans who can't afford health insurance in the U.S.
Fund your new life in paradise! There are many opportunities for making money while overseas.
Save both time and money by learning the ins and outs of taxes overseas.
Tried-and-true tips for when you're traveling abroad.
Learn the ins and outs of expat life from our experts.
International Living has partnered with HTH Worldwide to provide access to global health insurance solutions.
Spotlight on...
2008 Quality of Life Index
Where to Find the World’s Best Quality of Life in 2008 It’s no easy thing to quantify something like quality of life. How do you attach a figure or a ranking to the experience of spending time in a place? You can’t.
The number of hospital beds and physicians per capita…the number of airports, the length of railway track, and the volume of cell phones, measured against the population…the gross domestic product and the average per-capita income…how much do these things have to do with “quality of life”? If your appendix bursts, sure, you hope the local hospital has a spare bed for you…and if you’re planning a weekend getaway, you appreciate a nearby airport. But are those things real measures of your life experience? Indeed, should you choose your place of residence based on tax rates, the cost of living, or the strength of the local economy? We’d say no and we base that on nearly 30 years of data collecting and number crunching. That’s how long International Living has been producing its annual Quality of Life survey.
You’ll notice as you review this year’s Index that the places International Living normally recommends you think about living or retiring fall nowhere near the top in the final rankings. Ecuador’s economy is a basket case and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Nicaragua’s tax rates aren’t particularly appealing for the foreign resident. Uruguay has zero miles of usable railway track. And, in the interior of Argentina, you could travel a long way in search of a hospital bed. On the other hand, Switzerland, for example, boasts 40 miles of railway track per 10,000 people over which the trains run quick and on time. Its GDP per capita is $34,000. And its female citizens live to the ripe age of 83 years. Should you contact your local Swiss Embassy to see if you might qualify for residency? We don’t know, but realize, before you do, that most of these details, when considered individually and out of context, are nearly meaningless. So which country wins this year’s Index? France and it takes this honor for the third year in a row. According to IL’s 2008 Quality of Life Index, France is the best place in the world to live. France has much to offer…the world’s best medical care. ..fast trains and its Eurostar service across the Channel. Paris blooms with too-many-to-count museums, cafés, galleries, antiques shops, restaurants, boutiques, jazz clubs, theaters, bakeries, and cheese shops, as well as her multitude of parks and gardens, some growing and tended for hundreds of years. Three capital city airports provide easy and cheap air access to the rest of Europe and the world beyond. And what’s not to like about the country’s four seasons, none too severe? On the other hand, France can be a very frustrating place to live and do business. Good luck opening a bank account without a letter of reference and bonne chance getting local cell phone service (the secret is to bring a local utility bill, preferably an electric bill). To apply for a visa or even to rent an apartment (legally), you’ll have to prepare an inch-thick dossier, notarized, sealed, stamped, witnessed… All those things are inconvenient and frustrating. But, just as a healthy gross domestic product and a lot of cell phones in circulation don’t necessarily translate to a good life, neither do an abundance of administrative red tape and restrictive systems for doing business necessarily mean a bad one. What, then, does make for a good quality of life? You’ll have to answer the question for yourself, and, when you do, here’s what we suggest: Place a premium on the things that can’t be plugged into a spreadsheet. A country (or a city or a region) may make great sense on paper but appeal to you not at all when you visit. And vice versa. What is it then that makes France, and particularly Paris, so special to so many people? Simply put, it’s beautiful. No city anywhere is as pretty as Paris. At all times of year, any time of day, in any weather, central Paris is lovely. Walk along its river, wander the twisting cobblestoned rues of its Latin Quarter, while away an afternoon watching the city pass you by from a café perch…and you’ll see what we mean. And no one can deny the cultural offerings of Paris. It’s a museum city, and its displays, in all directions, are world-class. Those who live here say that the longer they’re here, the less certain they are that they know the place. Paris is a tease. Like a lover savvy enough never to reveal too much too quickly, they say, Paris shows you a little leg, then covers up coquettishly, leaving you smiling and anticipating the next encounter. You may think you know Paris, but we promise you, there’s more to discover. Editor’s note: Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins in Merida, Mexico Here in Merida, the streets are clean. The stores are well stocked. Cafés and restaurants abound. At night in the city parks, bands play free concerts under the stars. Dinner can be had at a local café for $5. It’s safe to walk home after midnight. A visit to the doctor’s office costs $30, and the doctor takes medical histories himself. The doctor provides a personal phone number and says to call immediately with any questions or concerns…and means it. Just about everything necessary for a quiet, happy life is within walking distance or a $2 taxi ride away, and there are taxis on every corner, all the time. This may sound like life in a typical U.S. town in the 1950s, but this is our home in the old central district of Merida, capital city of Yucatan state in eastern Mexico. Merida is a prosperous middle-class Mexican city that works. With a population of about 800,000, it’s large enough to have everything I need, and small enough to be completely manageable. Merida has an international airport with regular direct flights to Houston, Miami, and Atlanta. High-speed Internet, satellite and cable television, first-run movies, and modern shopping malls exist here alongside ancient churches, hand-pushed ice cream carts, historic haciendas, and indigenous craft markets. Many of the people on the streets speak Mayan as their first language. The summers can be brutally hot…well into the 100s for weeks at a time during July and August. But just 40 minutes north of town on a modern highway are some of the best beaches anywhere along Mexico’s gulf coast. Summer temperatures at the beach average 20˚ F cooler than in the city. Restaurants there bring cold beer and freshly grilled fish right out to your table under a palapa in the sand. A long summer afternoon by the sea with a cool breeze, a lunch of the day’s catch, and a few drinks runs about $15…for two. The other nine months of the year, a ceiling fan is the only climate control needed in the city. Property around Merida is still affordable compared to U.S. prices, and taking into consideration the low taxes and other day to day costs, we can live here for about half what we lived on in the U.S. Mexico has problems, and poverty is foremost among them. Mexico’s wealth, though, is its hard working and generous people. Whenever we’re away, we can’t wait to get back home to Mexico.
Leigh Fergus in Paris, France On a typical day, I gaze at the Eiffel Tower from my window before going down to buy a newspaper. Everyone in the building says hello on the stairs—Paris is not the cold city you hear about. I read the funnies at a local café and enjoy flaking my warm croissant into a steaming espresso or hot chocolate. This neighborhood has one of the best boulangeries I’ve found, baking fresh organic loaves, outstanding baguettes, and an irresistible pear-and-chocolate dessert doused in liqueur. I don’t resist. I do all my shopping—from specialist stores, markets or supermarkets—within five minutes’ walk of my home. When I’m done writing for the morning, lunch could be half a fresh-roast chicken ($5) to eat at home with salad, or a two-course lunch in a workers’ café for $10. If I’m flush, I’ll go with a friend to a restaurant where the manager serves champagne from her grandmother’s estate. I’m spoiled for things to do: this corner of Paris alone has more than a dozen theaters, as well as a cinema screening the latest movies, and plenty of bars with live music. And I’m within striking distance of a great science museum and music school. The landscaped greenery of the Buttes-Chaumont park is close by, where lovers kiss, newly-weds pose for their photos, and kids can play ball. This district also has the highest concentration of artists’ studios in Europe, and there are always open days. When I’m done with the bustle of the main avenues, I dodge into a side street to indulge in people-watching from a café terrace over tea and macaroons or a glass of Pouilly-Fumé. If I have no evening class to go to (subjects on offer ranging from IT to yoga, and many are in English), I can hop on a bus or Metro for more bookstores, museums, and exhibitions or I can stroll the banks of the Seine in less than 15 minutes. The sunset on Paris’ skyline from the Pont Neuf is one of the most beautiful sights in the world—and it’s mine whenever I want. Jessica Ramesch in Panama City, Panama I’m accustomed to First-World convenience and infrastructure. Luckily, I moved back at a time when Panama could offer all this. I love my neighborhood and my four-bedroom apartment which costs me $550 a month in rent. The light of my life, Yariela, comes over Mondays. She does the laundry, cooks, cleans…and anything else I need. I pay her $15 per visit…she works from around 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., leaving everything fresh and clean. On the weekend I often go to Santa Clara with friends. This beach is close to the city and is clean, and the waters are turquoise. We each spend about $95 for the weekend, including gas, rental house with pool, and food and drinks—local beer, rum, wine, cheese, meat, and vegetables for the BBQ, salads, and more. I’m living just the way I wanted—easy, happy, uncomplicated.
Lee Harrison in Punta del Este, Uruguay From our home in a quiet, wooded residential neighborhood we enjoy a mild climate, clean air, and endless miles of beautiful beaches that we have mostly to ourselves. In the nearby town of Punta del Este—South America’s premier resort—we find top-notch shows from around the world, the country’s best selection of fine restaurants, and high-end international outlets, and art galleries where we can enjoy hours of window shopping. And for all this natural beauty, we don’t “pay the price” with hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, or tornados. Nor will you find panhandlers or people sleeping in doorways. The well-organized municipality keeps the streets free of litter and cleans the beaches daily. Within a few hours’ drive we explore regions of productive wineries, colonial cities, and vast stretches of rolling ranchlands, accessible on fast, well-maintained highways. Uruguay boasts pure, drinkable water throughout the country, fast and reliable Internet service, and an infrastructure that’s the pride of the region. Yet we still have the benefit of reasonable utility rates and low taxes. You won’t find a large number of North American expats here in Punta del Este, and there is little North American influence to interfere with the mostly-Italian customs and traditions. Few people speak English outside the tourist areas; something that, for us, adds to the charm of being here. Since moving to Punta del Este a year ago we enjoy long walks among the dunes and on the beaches, a yard with no fence or barbed wire, a reasonable cost of living and properties, and a relaxed, patient, and unhurried culture where aggression and violence are rare. Genteel conduct and courteous behavior are the norm. True, Punta del Este is not the most exotic or least expensive place to live in Latin America; but all in all, it’s an excellent value for a remarkable quality of life. |
Article
2007 Retirement Index
Date: 09/01/2007The World’s Top Retirement Havens in 2007
by Laura Sheridan
Whether your retirement is fast approaching or just something you find yourself often dreaming about, you’ve probably imagined spending it in some far-flung tropical haven. But moving to a country that you know little about is a lot of hassle, right? It’s probably not worth the time and effort, you think. Besides, all your family and friends are here.
Take it from us: it’s worth it. If you look beyond your own shores you’ll find that many countries around the world offer far greater benefits and advantages for retirees than those offered at home.
One of the simplest ways to improve your retirement lifestyle is to choose the retirement destination offering you more of what you want at the best price. It’s a question of priorities. What’s important to you? Is cost of living Number One on your priority list?
Maybe for you weather is the key consideration. Are your must-haves telecommunications and infrastructure? Proximity to the States and Canada may also be a factor.
Maybe you aren’t anywhere close to retirement. Nevertheless, it’s important to think about and plan for your future. Like every phase in your life, you’ll be surprised how fast retirement creeps up on you.
That’s why, once a year, in our Global Retirement Index, we look closely, specifically, at the best opportunities worldwide for retirement living. Where will the pensioner’s dollars go furthest? Which country is the safest? Where is the health care best? We give top priority to those things that matter most to anyone planning for retirement, including programs of special benefits for retirees (tax breaks, discounts, and freebies, for example, that various governments proffer to residents, sometimes specifically to foreign residents in an effort to attract investment and retirement dollars).
We can show you the opportunities and possibilities, the winners of our top retirement countries, but it’s up to you to decide what your main priorities are before you find your ideal retirement haven. The aim of our Index is to give you a good starting guide.
Mexico—Our New Winner
Moving up four places to take our top spot as the world’s top retirement haven this year is Mexico. Mexico offers the perfect mix of centuries-old traditions and contemporary lifestyles. Moving to Mexico means you can still have all of the amenities you grew accustomed to north of the border: cable TV, high-speed Internet, and modern home appliances. And if you prefer, when you move to Mexico you can even bring all of your favorite things with you without paying import taxes.
Goods and services cost less, so you can afford the kinds of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north: a maid, a cook, and a gardener for example. In your retirement here, you’ll have time to volunteer at the local school, time to golf in the mornings, time to relax on the beach…time to savor life.
Whether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping, fishing, sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining, in Mexico you can engage in all of these activities, and many more.
If health care is a concern, you should know that in much of Mexico the health care is first rate. Private clinics and hospitals are staffed by expert physicians (many of whom trained in the U.S., Europe, or in Mexico’s own world-renowned teaching hospitals), and medical care and prescription drugs will cost you only a fraction of what you would pay in the States. In our Index, Mexico scores 79 out of a possible 100 points in this category.
Mexico is such a diverse nation that everybody can find exactly what they want. You don’t have to choose between water or mountains; here you can have both. And because of geographic diversity, you can also choose the climate to enjoy during your Mexican retirement: from hot and dry in the north, to hot and humid in the south, to spring-like temperatures all year round in the Colonial Highlands.
You can also own the home of your dreams in Mexico—for much less than it would cost you most anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. The real estate market offers endless possibilities for your retirement. Mexico receives a high score of 84 in our Real Estate category. Despite what you may have heard, it’s not too late to buy real estate here.
You can own beachfront—not just ocean-view property—in Mexico for less than $100,000.
Once you decide to move to Mexico, it’s difficult to know where to go—it’s a big country. Below are the 10 places we think make the most sense for expatriate living in this country, based on criteria such as health care, climate, infrastructure, and housing costs. These are places our husband-and-wife team in Mexico, Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins, have personally scouted and personally recommend above other options in this great big country. They are: Rosarito Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Querétaro, Mazatlan, Mérida, La Paz, Campeche, Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Ajijic/Chapala, and Sayulita/San Pancho (San Francisco). Of course, we’re not forgetting San Miguel de Allende, one of Dan and Suzan’s favorite places in Mexico. Suzan recently reported of this town: “San Miguel is one of the prettiest towns in all of Mexico. Stepping into San Miguel’s Centro is like stepping back in time…but with all of today’s modern conveniences.”
You can read Dan and Suzan’s complete report on these primo Mexican destinations at www.MexicoInsider.com. For more information on living, retiring, or investing in Mexico, e-mail: Mexico@InternationalLiving.com or sign up for Mexico Alert, a free e-letter with the up-to-the-minute scoop on Mexico.
In Second Place…
Ecuador always does well in our Retirement Index, but this year it moves from 10th position last year to take second place this year. If you retire in Ecuador, every cliché you’ve heard about living large on little money—about settling into the lap of luxury on even a pensioner’s budget—is true. Ecuador gets 85 points in our Cost of Living category, making it one of the world’s cheapest places to live. Take $250 out of the ATM Monday morning and your expenses are covered for the week. In fact, we ranked Ecuador as the world’s best retirement haven in 1999, after it weathered the earlier economic, political, and natural problems of the previous two years, and went on to prosper.
Of course, low prices alone do not make for an ideal retirement or investment destination. There are plenty of places the world over where you can buy cheap land, but where you wouldn’t want to live; not so in Ecuador.
It’s hard to pinpoint the best reason for retiring to Ecuador, but one thing’s for sure: this is an affordable—and beautiful—retirement destination. Ecuador also offers a high quality of life. This is no isolated backwater. It’s a land of opportunity, where a middle class is forming. After waking from a long economic slumber, Ecuador is preparing to join the global economy.
Retirees aged 65 or older have an extra incentive to consider Ecuador: airfares to North America and Europe are half-price on several airlines; all in-country transportation costs are 50% lower, and big discounts apply to a variety of other expenses such as taxes, utilities, and entertainment.
And remember: Ecuador is one place where the U.S. dollar is not losing value, which makes an Ecuadorian retirement especially appealing. Following the late-1990s' debt default, Ecuador decided to adopt the U.S. dollar as its official currency, which eliminates currency risk. Inflation is less than 3% and most economic indicators are positive. For more on Ecuador, visit our page here.
Top for Europe
Italy comes third in our Index this year with high scores across the board. It’s difficult to figure out whereabouts in Italy you picture yourself living—there is probably more beauty per square mile here than in any other corner of Europe. It’s no simple matter to hit on the ideal location, even if you know for sure that you prefer big city life to the tranquility of the countryside. Right now, International Living recommends two places: Umbria in central Italy, and Calabria—situated in the toe of Italy.
“The green heart of Italy,” Umbria is just as alluring as its more famous next-door neighbor, Tuscany. With expats seeking farmhouses and other rural properties, prices are catching up fast. Although Umbria doesn’t possess a coastline, everywhere you look you’ll see rumpled hills crowned with fortified towns and higgledly-piggledly villages. From certain vantage points, you can see several hill towns at a time.
Many parts of the province are within an hour’s drive of Florence or Siena. Towns like Assisi, Todi, Spoleto, Orvieto, and Norcia are every bit as beautiful and as historic as any small town in Tuscany.
To give you an idea of property prices in the region, in Monteleone d’Orvieto, there’s a 968-square-foot apartment in need of restoration. Selling for $85,000, it has two bedrooms and one bathroom, plus a ready-made vegetable garden. There’s another apartment in the same town that’s habitable: 807 square feet, two bedrooms, and one bathroom. Price: $100,000.
Calabria’s shores are lapped by the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west, and the Ionian Sea on the east. What about property prices here? In the Calabrian seaside town of Scalea, an attractive second-floor apartment of 430 square feet is selling for $50,000.
Why Panama Fell From Glory
Panama won our Retirement Index for six years in a row. But it’s fallen from the top spot in 2007 and is now in fourth place. Why? Panama still has the same great retiree benefits…this hasn’t changed since last year. Still, unless you have a verifiable pension or pockets deep enough to afford a $40,000 investment in a forestry project or a $200,000 investment in real estate or a government bank CD, it can be difficult to get a resident visa in Panama. Since the government of Panama recently put a 30-day limit on its tourist visa, it has become more difficult for anyone seeking to rent a home or apartment and stay in the country for any length of time.
And it’s true that this country’s popularity has driven up real estate prices. Once plentiful real estate bargains—from $100,000 apartments in Panama City to $40,000 lots in Boquete—are getting harder to find.
Panama still has much to offer, though. Whether you’re enticed by the friendly people or the tropical climate, Panama is a great retirement destination (remember, it’s still in our top 5). For more on Panama, click here.
We don’t have print space here to talk about every country in our Index, but you can access information on all countries featured here at our website: www.internationalliving.com. In the search engine, type in the name of the country of interest to you to find out more.
Countries With Special Retiree Benefits
Mexico
If you’ve considered retiring to Mexico, you now have another good reason—foreigners who hold a valid residence visa for Mexico can now take part in Mexico’s senior citizens’ benefits program.
The program, for adults aged 60 and over, offers discounts on a wide range of services. These include discounts on health-related services (hospitals, doctors’ visits, lab tests, medical devices, pharmacies, and dental work); cultural activities like theater tickets and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites; travel-related costs, including airline tickets, buses, car rentals and purchase, and hotel accommodation. Discounts can range up to 50% off the full price of the good or service. Non-Mexicans who wish to take part in the program must go to a local office of INAPAM (Instituto Nacional de las Personas Adultas Mayores) to request a membership card. See: http://www.inapam.gob.mx/DirecINAPAM07.pdf for more information (in Spanish).
Malaysia
Three years ago, the government of Malaysia launched “Malaysia—My Second Home” (MM2H), replacing the former “Silver Hair” program introduced in 1987. MM2H provides incentives for foreigners, particularly retirees, to live permanently in this country. Successful applicants initially receive what is, in effect, a five-year visa with unlimited entry/exit privileges. There is no minimum annual residence requirement. After the first five years, you can apply for permanent residency. While you’re not guaranteed it will be granted, you can expect automatic renewal of your original visa if you continue to meet its conditions. Within six months of approval, MM2H residents may bring in household effects duty-free, and import or purchase one vehicle locally, tax free. Savings on auto taxes can amount to thousands of dollars on expensive models. Other benefits include exemption from Malaysian income tax on pension and other income remitted into the country, plus that on the interest from any fixed deposit made under the MM2H program (a savings of about 29%).
In addition, residents may purchase up to two properties with a value of not less than $40,000 each. Banks may advance up to 60%. For information on cost of living and many other useful topics, including domestic help, see www.mm2h.com. Registration at that website will also bring you updates on MM2H.
Panama
If you can document a minimum monthly pension of $500 (plus another $100 per dependent), you are eligible for a long list of perks in Panama, including:
Import duty exemption for household goods; tax exemption to import a new car every two years; 50% off entertainment anywhere in the country (movies, theaters, concerts, sporting events); 30% off in-country bus, boat, and train fares; 25% off in-country airline tickets; 50% off hotel stays Monday through Thursday; 15% off hospital bills (if no insurance applies); 10% off prescription medicines; 20% off medical consultations; 50% reduction in closing costs for home loans; 25% discounts on utility bills…and many more.
Ireland
If Ireland is your choice as a retirement haven, you can take advantage of the many retirement incentives this country has to offer, including free health care, free public transportation, a fuel allowance, and significant discounts on hotel and electricity bills. You’re even allowed to vote in local elections.
Belize
Expats in Belize can apply for status as a Qualified Retired Person (QRP), and, with that status, you can avoid Belizean income tax and also import your household goods tax-free up to a total exemption amount of $15,000. You can also bring in a vehicle (a car, light aircraft, or boat) tax-free. In fact, every five years you can import a new vehicle, tax-free.
SIDEBAR
Leisure for Less for IL Readers in Dublin’s Fair City
by Elaine Cooney
Fans of the Emerald Isle will be pleased to know that vacations in Dublin are about to become more affordable with a new discount program geared at the over 55s.
Dublin recently ranked 16th most expensive city in the Mercer Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, the price of a cup of coffee being more expensive than in New York, Paris, and London. This inflation deterred many visitors/locals from exploring the city’s cultural hives, the dining-out experience, and cut activities such as golf, shopping, and swimming from their itinerary.
Initially aimed exclusively at Irish citizens (to increase the involvement of older persons in leisure and recreational activities), the scheme has now been extended to you, our IL readers.
As well as free access to most leisure centers and swimming pools, the Passport for Leisure offers users discounts on recreational and leisure activities in Dublin City including eating out, swimming, golf/pitch and putt, travel, hair and beauty, shopping, sports halls/gymnasiums, and cultural events.
Some of the highest discounts are 50% at 115 Comfort and Quality Inns and Clarion hotels, from free to 50% off a round of golf (depending on what time you choose to go). There are many more discounts on things from car rentals to nights at the theater.
With so many cut-price leisure activities, you’ll come back from your next visit to Ireland in top shape, pampered, well-fed, with a healthy Irish glow.
P.S. IL readers can fill out an online application at www.passportforleisure.ie and send it with a €5 ($6.26) check/postal order to the given address. Alternatively you can call the hotline (011)353-1-8450090), and ask that an application form be mailed to you. Make sure you mail your application in advance of your trip as it takes 10 days from receipt of payment to process. Your Passport for Leisure and a brochure detailing applicable discounts will be waiting for you at the Dublin Civic Offices on your arrival.
How Our Global Retirement Index Is Scored
• Real estate: Countries where real estate prices are low and the purchase of real estate is relatively easy receive the highest scores. We use our own experiences plus reports from our contributing editors and real estate contacts around the world to rate each country. Weight: 15%
• Entertainment, recreation, and culture: This category considers the number of newspapers per 1,000 citizens, the number of museums and cinemas per capita, the number of university students, the literacy rate, and the variety of cultural and recreational offerings. Weight: 10%
• Cost of living: This score is based on statistics from the Indexes of Living Costs Abroad, Quarter Allowances, and Hardship Differentials, published by the United States Department of State, and on data published by Business International. We also use our firsthand experiences living and traveling in these countries. The lower the score, the higher the cost of living. Weight: 20%
• Safety and stability: This measure of unrest in each country is based primarily on Interpol data and State Department statistics. It also takes into account the civil liberties and political rights granted by each government. Our own experiences and reports from expatriates living in these countries also influence the safety scores. Weight: 5%
• Health care: Considered in this category are the cost of a typical visit to a general practitioner and the cost and coverage particulars of health insurance. Weight: 20%
• Climate: Countries with temperate weather throughout the year, moderate rain fall, and little risk of natural disaster come out on top in this category. We use data representing each country as a whole instead of favoring one region over another. Weight: 5%
• Special benefits: This category considers government provisions that make moving to and living in each country easier and more affordable for foreigners. Taken into account are property rights for foreign residents, property tax rates, duty-free imports on personal belongings, currency controls, employment restrictions, voting rights, and transportation discounts for seniors. Weight: 20%
• Infrastructure: This section considers the number of cars and telephones per 1,000 residents, the length of railroad track in usable condition, the number of airports, the quality of the country’s road and highway network, and the availability of telecommunications. Weight: 5%.
For Your International Health Care
The following companies offer international health care coverage:
* HTH Worldwide, www.hthworldwide.com
* AllNation Insurance Company, www.allnation.com
* Bupa, www.bupa.com
* InsuranceToGo, www.insurancetogo.com
* Expacare International, www.expacare.net
* IHI Danmark, www.ihi.com
* Goodhealth Worldwide Ltd., www.goodhealth.co.uk
Spotlight on...
If you would like to submit a classified for these pages, contact Jonathan Flynn here: jonflynn@internationalliving.com. The cost is $150 for an ad, which remains online for one month and it costs an additional $50 if you would like to include a picture with your ad.
NEW VIDEO: Live and Prosper in Panama
Brought to you by Today's Financial News.