Hi. Any senior expats here?

[Smarmie Doofus]

Trying to get a sense of what it takes to get by... financiallly speaking... in different locales.

The big day is not that far off.


Currently ruminating about England, Ireland, Mexico, VN, Cambodia.

But the list need not end there.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

1. Kicking because...

I'm ready to start planing as well and don't want to spend the end of life
living in this country.

My sister and brother in law have settled happily on the north shore of
the Dominican Republic.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. DR is good 'cause it's close.

And... presumably a lot of English speakers.

Mi espanol es so-so.

What about health care?

Do your sister and BIL live on just SS... or do they have other resources. ( Don't you hate that word.... "resources"? Biggest weasel word of all time, imo. What I mean to say is: does it take a lot of cash to retire there?)

[EmeraldCityGrl]

6. They have other resources but not alot. The cost of

living in the DR is very cheap. I was there last Dec. and fell in love with
the people. they love American's which is something to consider because
we are not well liked in many other countries. There's a great deal of poverty,
but my in-laws have gotten involved in a lot of volunteer work ( they were teachers)
with kids and building a library. The food is wonderful, lots of fresh fruit, and
humble dishes if you like rice, chicken, fish etc.

Due to the earthquake in Haiti there are now concerns of disease and other
problems that can spill over to the DR since they share an island.

It's still at the top of my list of possibilities.

[Iolanthe15]

14. Retire

Look for somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere . Australia is in better condition fiscally than anywhere else

[demosincebirth]

16. I heard Australia is expensive. This is what I was told by one who goes often.

[Warpy]

2. Consider Argentina and parts of Colombia, too

Argentina's economy is fucked, but whose isn't? Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city with beautiful French architecture and an incredibly cheap cost of living. Expats are hardly noticed, it's a world class city.

It's on my list.

Parts of Colombia, like Cartagena, have huge expat communities and all sorts of seaside amenities in planned resort communities. The drug violence there is largely over but the government is right wing and corrupt, but whose isn't? Since the expat dollar is important to keep the economy on life support, expats are kept safe.

I don't fancy expat ghettos, myself, so it's not on my list.

Brazil would be on my list had I ever been able to make sense of Portuguese, but there's some kind of mental block there.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Interesting. What about health care in B.A. and Colombia?

Is it pay as you go?

If not, are US insurances of any value there?

[Warpy]

5. The US is the only country in the western hemisphere

that doesn't have government health insurance.

Even Haiti has it, or had it, although they couldn't afford to make it universal.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

7. Hey Smarmy...

I've been ruminating about this subject alot myself. (geee, wonder why?)

[BrklynLiberal]

8. I wish I was.....

[donco]

9. I think I will stay put

and not run away, seeing, as I put four year of my youth fighting for this country(USMC).Why should id quit now.Life’s pretty good in the showme Mo. I think that if I can get a few more Dems elected it will be perfect.

Now that the quitters are bailing,good riddance, don’t let the door…...

[applegrove]

10. I knew a girl whose grandparents had retired to Morocco. They lived very well there. This was

about 25 years ago.

[newfie11]

11. Have you considered Ecuador

The climate choice is varied depending if you live near the ocean or up in the mountains.

[Smarmie Doofus]

13. Not til now.

Seems a bit remote.


Any sense of what the cost of living is like?

Are there other expats?

What's the gov't like?

[newfie11]

15. The cost of living is very low and their currency is US dollar

Yes there are quite a few expats living there.

The country goes from the high elevation of the Andes to the ocean so any temperature you like can be had.

This link gives information on the government.
http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/html/government_and_economy.html

[billlll]

12. Nursing Homes overseas.. anyone had relatives ovr's's in a NH there?

How was it? With no relative near, did that make for NH living difficulties?

So many abuses here I wonder if NHs overseas don't have similar difficulties.

[old mark]

17. Saw good things about Panama and Costa Rica, but we are just starting to investigate...nt

[DCBob]

18. I am thinking about the Philippines..

I am married to a filipina and I love the place even with all its problems. Cebu is my primary choice. Its a large modern city but with less of the problems that Manila has. Cost of living is really low compared to US. Still trying to work out all the details but I think I will do it withing next few years.

Here is a great resource..

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/forum/

[Smarmie Doofus]

19. Interesting link. Thanks. n/t