No matter where you choose to live in the country that takes top honors in IL’s 2012 Annual Global Retirement Index, there is no better retirement haven in the world. Across all eight of our crucial categories it scores strongly. It outright wins two.
What makes a place “easy?” First, it’s not too far from home. If you need to get back for an emergency or friends and family want to visit, it’s not a chore. When you can still get many of the same goods and services you’re used to, culture shock won’t disorient you.
Americans considering retirement in sunnier climes can now determine exactly how much their new life would cost in seven of the most popular Central and South American destinations—before they set foot on a plane.
As we know from the e-mails readers send, the “what ifs” can be paralyzing. What if I’m single? What if I can’t speak Spanish? What if I don’t meet other people with my interests? Spend too much time fretting, and you’ll never head for better shores.
“The easiest places in the world to retire” didn’t strike me as controversial. So the riot of emails from our editors surprised me.
Three ex-pats in three different countries tell the story of how and why they made a new life for themselves abroad.
I retired abroad almost 10 years ago. And since then, I’ve re-retired and relocated a few more times, just to continue the adventure I started back in 2001. I’ve accumulated a large body of personal knowledge about where to retire…and how to evaluate retirement destinations.
Gary and Julie discovered that learning how to sail, buying a sailboat, and cruising from island to island isn’t as difficult – or expensive – as they once believed. In fact, they wound up spending eight full years sailing the Caribbean on their own boat, without any major problems, and spent only $1,000 a month to do it.
We talk about a straightforward idea here at International Living — you can live better for less overseas.
They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. I know that’s not true.
We’re constantly on the look out for those countries around the world where you can live cheaper, enjoy better weather, pay less tax, be healthier, happier… where you can start a new life, start a business, retire…
We have a winner…a place where smiles come so naturally that friendliness seems genetically wired. Here 12,400-foot mountains shade verdant-green rainforests…and five-mile-long stretches of Pacific sands sit nearly undisturbed (for now).
Imagine if every day was “your time” to relax…or to do whatever it is that helps you unwind.
See the video for Dan Prescher’s weekly wrap-up of InternationalLiving.com postcards for the week ending June 28. This week, Dan is reporting from Quito, Ecuador.
These days, one of your biggest health expenses will likely come late in life: long-term or assisted-living care in your twilight years.
I’ll always think of Cuenca as the city where women wear pants and dogs wear skirts.
A friend says the ratio of women to men in Cuenca is 2:1, and everywhere you look you’ll see female shopkeepers, waitresses, salespeople, business owners, police officers, etc.
Where are the best places to find an easy retirement? InternationalLiving.com staff pick their Top Six destinations for smooth, trouble-free retirement.
One of the most common questions we get from IL readers is: Where in the world is it easiest to retire or relocate? The answer? It depends.
In July 2006, after searching for five years, we found a property in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. In that community, we found everything we wanted, including a low cost of living: We manage quite comfortably on $500 a month.
Pensioners Carl and Pat VenderHeide ignored all objections in their desire to move abroad, opting for one more adventure instead.
Every move abroad will come with a number of inevitable surprises—things that detailed planning just won’t prepare you for.
If your goal is to live within your means…and your means aren’t as meaningful as they used to be…I have good news for you. You can live well in Mexico on a small budget.
I live in a condo in Manta, Ecuador, where I wake up to the Ecuadorian surf right outside my door. In season, I watch whales play almost daily, and I kayak, surf, body board, ride my Portuguese Andalusian horses, hike, bike, watch movies at one of our local Cinema 8 Theaters, and eat out at hundreds of restaurants with same-day fresh seafood.
If you want to retire while you’re still young, moving overseas can make it possible. And choosing a country with a good list of social benefits can raise your standard of living even beyond what you expected. But you may be entering a different political world…
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