Best Places In The World To Retire

Mexico does not quarantine pets. We’ve been travelling for the last twelve years with our pet. The only thing you need in order to bring your pet to Mexico is a health card from your vet in Canada stating that your pet is healthy with no parasites.

 

If you drive into Mexico and cross the border from the US, they would sometimes ask for your pet’s health certificate, but most of the time they don’t. If you fly into Mexico, at the airport...

Mexico does not quarantine pets. We’ve been travelling for the last twelve years with our pet. The only thing you need in order to bring your pet to Mexico is a health card from your vet in Canada stating that your pet is healthy with no parasites.

 

If you drive into Mexico and cross the border from the US, they would sometimes ask for your pet’s health certificate, but most of the time they don’t. If you fly into Mexico, at the airport they will ask you for the paperwork- proof that your pet is healthy. When you go back to Canada from Mexico, you need proof that your pet is healthy, too. They do the same thing when you arrive in Canada- just make sure to take care of the paperwork and you’ll be fine bringing your pet in and out of Mexico.

 

(Yvon Marier and his dog, pictured.)

 

The best place in the world to retire is someplace you really want to be.  Will your retirement destination give you what you want?  And what is it, that you really want?

 

Do you have a retirement destination in mind?  Can you imagine yourself spending years and perhaps decades there?

 

If you simply wish to escape from things you don’t like (high taxes, over-regulation, cold weather, etc.) then any...

The best place in the world to retire is someplace you really want to be.  Will your retirement destination give you what you want?  And what is it, that you really want?

 

Do you have a retirement destination in mind?  Can you imagine yourself spending years and perhaps decades there?

 

If you simply wish to escape from things you don’t like (high taxes, over-regulation, cold weather, etc.) then any place that has lower taxes, little or no regulation and warm weather, might work for you.  But getting away from things you don’t like alone isn’t enough to have a happy retirement.  You also have to get things that are important to you, beyond merely safety, great infrastructure, internet access, etc.  Are you planning a retirement within easy walking distance of a hammock and a beer cooler?  Or do you wish to be active in retirement and want lots of things to do like hiking, riding, white water rafting, deep sea fishing, etc?

 

There are many places in the world where you can retire at reasonable cost.  The question is whether you will be happy there.  And that is a matter not so much of where you go but what your tolerance is for change.  If you want to live in a place that is ‘just like home’ your choices are dramatically reduced   But if you want to live just as you have been in your working years, why do you want to leave home and travel to another country?

 

I like Panama as a retirement destination because it has things that are important to me:  English is widely spoken, the economy is booming, the currency used is the American dollar, there are lots of North American and other English-speaking ex-pats to interact with if I wish, and the locals are friendly and welcoming.  But there are also things that are frustrating for escapees from any go-go society.  Everything takes longer to get done.  Having anyone show up to an appointment on time is always a welcome surprise.  On the other hand, prices are relatively low, there is a lot to do, and life slows down enough so that you can actually take the time to enjoy everything you do.

 

I like change.  I like adventure.  If you do too, then Panama might be a good retirement choice for you.

Granada, Nicaragua has private doctors that are fine.  As evidence of that are the wealthy people who stay in Granada to visit the general practitioners. There are good obstetricians in Granada as well. 

 

Granada has a good public hospital as well, which is a good place also to go for emergencies. 

 

If you live in...

Granada, Nicaragua has private doctors that are fine.  As evidence of that are the wealthy people who stay in Granada to visit the general practitioners. There are good obstetricians in Granada as well. 

 

Granada has a good public hospital as well, which is a good place also to go for emergencies. 

 

If you live in Granada, Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas is the closest private hospital, located in Managua, about half an hour to 45 minutes away by car, on the same road that goes from Granada to Managua.  This is the largest hospital in the country. 

 

The doctors in Granada are good for general medicine, but for specialist care, you could go to Managua, which is not that far away. 

A  nanny here in western Azuero is cheaper than a nanny in Panama City. Nannies in Panama City are probably getting US $500 per month, whereas here, you could probably find a young mother who can take care of two kids for $200 a month.

A  nanny here in western Azuero is cheaper than a nanny in Panama City. Nannies in Panama City are probably getting US $500 per month, whereas here, you could probably find a young mother who can take care of two kids for $200 a month.

We do not have malls in Belize.  This is one of our biggest downfalls as a country, I think, because we could definitely use one. Recreation- wise, such as going to the movies or dining at restaurants, there is not much to do here in Belize. There are some restaurants, but not like in the US where there are just so many options.
 
 I do not buy clothing here in Belize. There are a couple of stores downtown where you can get clothing, but the quality is not...

We do not have malls in Belize.  This is one of our biggest downfalls as a country, I think, because we could definitely use one. Recreation- wise, such as going to the movies or dining at restaurants, there is not much to do here in Belize. There are some restaurants, but not like in the US where there are just so many options.
 
 I do not buy clothing here in Belize. There are a couple of stores downtown where you can get clothing, but the quality is not the best. There are boutiques where you can buy really good clothing, but they cost an arm and a leg. So what I do is order my clothes from the US. You can buy online, or if you are going for a trip to the US, you can just buy there and bring them back.
 
If you really like going to the mall to buy clothes, Belize will not be your first choice. If you can afford it, you can just order online and have them shipped here, but for most Belizeans, they just buy whatever is available here in Belize.
 
The Indian people control most of the smaller stores in downtown Belize, and sell clothing and shoes. Most people just go down to that area to buy clothes, but if you are fashion conscious, you will not buy there. Some people go to Chetumal in Mexico, right across the border from the Belizan City of Corozal.  I go to Chetumal sometimes, but I do not go there to buy clothes; I go to Chetumal for just recreation. The clothes they sell in Chetumal do not fit me because I have a different body type than they are used to in Chetumal. Their clothes and shoe sizes are small, so their clothing does not fit me.