I didn't realize the purchasing power of USD is 9.5 to 1 over there. I can't find the original thread. But whoever brought that to my attention - thank you.
Anyone think of retiring to Mexico? In Northern NJ I'm still a decade a way. But it sounds like in Mexico I'd be wealthy right now.
Can’t buy property, but make sure wherever you go tye medical care is good and the police aren’t too corrupt. I would only spend a few months there, and yiu might as well rent for that and make your home base in a more rural area where cost of living is low as your home base. At least you’d have options because I don’t think Mexico has much incentive to Be permanent resident with their universal healthcare.
I have always heard that corruption in Mexico is rampant. Police, politicians, even locals have no shame in shaking down gringos. That may be false and just a case of anti-Hispanic bigotry, but there is this:
Other places in Latin America to look into
Justin thanks for supporting with the link. If I were to retire I’d buy property in rural USA close to medical care, and rent out a place for a few months, whether that’d be Mexico or another nation. I think Canada could be cool for a few months in Victoria, BC, but that’s just me.
There are lots of places in Texas, such as Wichita Falls and Laredo, that have very low cost of living. If the only consideration was money, I’ll wager that things like Medicare and less corruption would make them more affordable than a lot of places in Mexico.
If you do it. Live among locals. The retirement communities and places with a lot of American expats can be pretty expensive. On par with what you'd pay in the US for housing. But everything else is much cheaper.
the level of corruption in mexico i've heard is that of mass epic proportions.
if you get robbed you then would call the police. once they show up, guess what? the cops rob from you whatever is left over.
Although it wasn't exactly the original topic, we got into the pros and cons of life in Mexico in: tuscl.net .
TL;DR if your budget is $1,500 a month, you'd likely be happier living on that in Mexico. If your budget is $3,000 a month or higher, it's a complicated trade off. You could probably could keep company with a beautiful woman or two, who'd be very happy to have you in their lives. But the negative trade offs would be in quality of healthcare, security, and many relatively small conveniences we generally take for granted in the US.
Security is better in Chile and Uruguay, but a very long trip every time you want to visit the US. Costa Rica is closer, less secure, but generally more secure than Mexico. Belize is supposed to be good if you want to get by without learning Spanish, but similar security problems to Mexico I think.
Unless you're jn a slum or flexing all the time. Security is pretty good in Mexico
Retiring in Latin America or the Caribbean is something that has def crossed my mind mainly b/c of the COL – and having U$Ds means I could probably have access to young attractive Latinas that would like to have access to my U$Ds – and being fully-fluent in Spanish and used to living among Latinos, it probably wouldn’t be as big an adjustment for me.
There’s lots of expat American communities around the world – Mexico probably has the most given its proximity – Panama has been popular for 2-decades+ but b/c of this it’s not as cheap as it once was although still cheaper than comparable housing/accommodations in the U.S. and your dollar still goes further in Panama and they actually use the U.S. dollar as their currency I believe.
Costa Rica, Colombia (particularly Medellin), Dominican Republic, are other low(er) COL places w/ American expat communities.
As other have said; those are different cultures that often march to a different drum – so along w/ a lower COL there is usually a lower QOL also – it depends on one’s personality and ability to adapt; and also one’s health – i.e. if one’s health is not very-good one is probably better-off staying in the states – but some of those cities do have good health service (e.g. Medellin; etc); and living in a place like Tijuana for example you are steps from San Diego and everything a well-off city like SD has to offer including good health care.
There’s lots of YouTube videos about this – you can just search for “Expat living in ‘X’” (X being the country or more precisely particular city).
I've considered moving to a country with a low cost of living. Belize is cheap country on the Caribbean and English is the official language. You can find even cheaper countries in Southeast Asia where many people speak English. But I'll probably stay here. My lifestyle is pretty good and I can afford to travel to tropical places.
Spain is quite nice as well,
^^ so are places outside of Lisbon up and down the coast, with good and affordable healthcare. I’ve also been told France and Italy have good places affordable for ex pats with healthcare and quality of life strong.
^ Definitely but Spain is warmer than France or Italy, and the places that are most affordable in Portugal are the outermost suburbs not my preferred choices I prefer being close to major cities and Spain has much more cities to offer. With the finer dining and entertainment that I enjoy
I think I agree that there are plenty of options in Western Europe, but I still will prefer to visit for a month or two and come back to the USA for my residence. I would like to hit all of the cities and experience them with my loved one(s), not live their apart from family.
^ I agree and I’m quite comfortable where I am, just sharing some of the research that I’ve done over the past few years, my own favorite places to spend a few weeks away is Aruba, and Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo, Mexico
I know a couple who retired to Costa Rico. They lived in a nice “village” among mostly fairly affluent Costa Ricans but not a gated community. They came back to the U.S. for a 2 week visit. When they returned their house was completely empty. Everything was gone including appliances and furniture. None of their neighbors saw anything. The police just shrugged and said they couldn’t do anything. They’re in the process of moving back to the U.S.
^ wow
“You tell me how many safe destinations in the cities of America there are”
~ Rosemary Greyson ~ First British Playboy Centerfold October 1964 ~ Retired in Lakeside, Chapala Mexico since 2012
What can't you get in Mexico that you can get in the US? Thanks everyone
@WILLYSGOTAWOMAN
I will play along and answer your question.
Q: What can't you get in Mexico that you can get in the US?
A: You can enjoy better weather, a more relaxed lifestyle, and a host of other benefits—including affordable top-quality health care and a much lower overall cost of living.
And a tight-knit expatriate community provides all manner of comfortable amenities and support to retirees...
The police to respond, Willie.
Title of thread implies that you're considering being an ex-pat, but so far you've only provided shallow reasons as to why you'd want to do that. (Cost of living only).
Have you ever been to Mexico ? As a tourist or on a business trip ? If so, what did you see while you were there that made you think you'd want to pack up and leave USA to live there ?
Tax avoidance ? If you're keeping US citizenship but living in Mexico, you could only spend 15 days a year in USA. Are you willing to be far away from family/friends just to save some $$ and maybe find a nice young senorita ?
Do you value freedom of mobility that your own automobile has provided for so many decades in good ole USA ? Have you checked into auto insurance rates down there, or even if you can be insured at all ?
You still have time, if you're serious beyond the initial lark stage, I'd take an extended vacation there, and check out how extended day to day living (2 week stay or more) works out for you. That means driving around different towns there. PM shadowcat, he took several trips into Mexico when he still lived in So Cal.
Mexico has affordable health care and universal coverage. There aren't race riots coz of police violence and corruption. The elderly are respected instead of being targets for scams crime and ignored by families. Food is affordable and you don't get the kind of food insecurity like in the US.
^^^ time for you to leave the country and tell all of those migrants clamoring to get over the border to stop, and stay in Mexico!!
Icee, the elderly aren’t targeted because they got nothing to scan in Mexico! Keep drumming up the victim card yiu punk ass bitch, putting strippers on a whining team!
Meat. Stop being a racist troll and go pimp your sex cult aka family. Wannabe Manson
Icee liking Mexico made me want to live waterfront on lake Champlain.
^ Canadian side?
Heard a good line on the Sunday news shows.
Kamala Harris was charged with finding the “root cause” of illegal immigration from Mexico and Central American countries - and she found it ! :
Turns out the “root cause” is the United States is a better place to live than those countries.
The root cause js amerikkkan imperialism in those countries
I have been thinking more of eastern Europe
Somebody hasn't seen the "Saw" movies.
The US is better place to make $ for sure, for most people. A lot Mexican guys jump the border and their wife and kids stay in Mexico. They want to save up $ and go back.
Q: What can't you get in Mexico that you can get in the US?
A: Clean drinking water, straight out of the faucet.
Since I fucking hate immigrants coming here, I won't lower myself to their level and go to the shitholes where they should be living.
I would assume most people that move overseas do it mainly for financial-reasons (lower COL) – if one has solid finances (fat 401K of a million+; or a good pension and thus good income for life; etc) then probably little reason to move overseas particularly to a place w/ a lower COL which often times means a lower QOL.
According to the internet, the avg social security payment is ~$1500/month – and the average 401K balance for a person 65+ is $216K and the mean is $65K – it is not uncommon for the average worker to often live paycheck to paycheck, even if they make a good salary, and often not be prepared w/ a good nest-egg in retirement – given this, living overseas in a lower COL location for many can mean living in a place where they can either have all their basic needs met w/ just their SS-benefit or actually live a more comfortable life than they would o/w be able to in the U.S. given their retirement savings/income level.
If you're retired and don't have financial worries, then it's a lot easier to think there's no reason to move overseas - but a lot of people are not in that boat and life in the U.S. is getting more expensive each day.
^^ that social security benefit is mostly watered down by those on SSI and low income earners. Those represent a shit ton of people since it is a social safety net for those who can’t fend for themselves very well, and aren’t too indicative of the mindset of those who are proactively looking for a better situation, compared to those who plan and look for alternatives and are nimble witt their thinking. The latter, adjustable planning types whom likely had gainfully employment and are looking at overseas options will be a crop of people with higher social security benefit of $2000/month and some appreciable assets accumulated during their working career, and want an easier financial life during their go go years of early to mid retirement, late 50’s - late 70’s. Most will likely return for their slow go years after age 80.
Different mind set than the average social security benefactor.
I've been to Mexico several times. But I've only left the resorts for day trips to tourist sites. I have to admit cities from the bus look like they could not pass for a city in the US
If you are considering moving overseas for retirement, the only thing I really see Mexico has going for it is proximity to the US.
If you're not worried about travel time and costs I gotta believe there are much better options (i.e. Thailand or Philippines, or pretty much anywhere in SE Asia). Not sure about the economics of living in Greece, Italy, Spain or Portugal, but I sure rather be there than Mexico too.
@WILLYSGOTAWOMAN
I will play along and answer your question.
Q: Anyone think of retiring to Mexico?
A: I discussed this possibility with a colleague professor who is closer to retirement than me, and jokingly told him, ok you should retire to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, so when I retire there will be someone there to welcome me, show me around and help me to retire there too...
These are a couple of places that seem good to retire.
“Why foreign retirees are flocking to Mexico?”
PBS NewsHour1,208,880 viewsJul 6, 2015
In Mexico, seniors are traditionally cared for in the homes of relatives. But a boom of foreign retirees, many of them Americans, have begun moving to Mexico to live out their years, paying much less for independent and assisted living than in other countries.
m.youtube.com
“Another one of the country’s hidden charms can be found in its interior, about four-hour’s drive northwest of the capital, Mexico City. The town is called San Miguel de Allende, and it’s located in the Colonial Highlands region. It offers a lot of benefits: temperate climate, low cost of living, an active expat community, welcoming locals, charming local cultural traditions, and a focus on the arts.”