Thread: Where to retire

Here are some places which are great to retire when the time comes.


Top Haven #1: Panama, the World's Top Retirement, Top Offshore, and Top Doing Business Haven

Pros:

This is the Hub of the Americas, meaning it's an easy, accessible place to travel to and from...
Best infrastructure in Central America...
A tax haven, meaning you can live and operate a business tax-free...
Best place in the world to start a business...
The world's Gold Standard pensionado program of special benefits for retirees...
A diversity of lifestyles, from big city to Pacific beaches, from mountain highlands to Caribbean isles...
International-standard health care...

Cons:

As developed as Panama is, this is still the Third World...
This is the Tropics (meaning the weather, in Panama City and on the coasts, is hot and sticky)...
No longer a banking haven...

Top Haven #2: France, the World's Best Quality of Life

Pros:

World's best developed-world living...
World's best health care...
World's most beautiful and romantic city...
More affordable than you might think...

Cons:

One of the most onerous tax regimes in the world (only an issue if you're a legal resident and earning an income)...
Miserable place to try to start a business...
You'll need to learn to speak at least some French...

Top Haven #3: Malaysia, Asia's Most Welcoming Retirement Haven

Pros:

Only country in Asia that makes foreign residency easy...
Diversity of lifestyles...
English commonly spoken...
International-standard medical care...
Very affordable...
Tax haven...

Cons:

Halfway around the world...
Asian lifestyle is more exotic for North Americans...
Third World...

Top Haven #4: Ecuador, Most Affordable Retirement In The Americas

Pros:

Probably the most affordable place you'd want to live in the Americas...
Established expat base in Cuenca...

Cons:

Nearly Fourth World...
Less accessible...
Less stable...

Top Haven #5: Thailand--Exotic and Super Cheap

Pros:

One of the cheapest places in the world to live or retire today....
Super exotic (this can be a pro or a con, depending on your point of view)....
Established expat base....

Cons:

Not easy to establish full-time legal residency (so live here only part-time)....
Halfway around the world....

Top Haven #6: Nicaragua--Beautiful, Romantic, and Super Cheap

Pros:

Nearby and accessible....
New program of benefits for foreign retirees....
Very affordable....
Established expat base....
The best of Costa Rica (only better)....

Cons:

President Ortega, who remains a wild card and insists he's running for re-election this year....
Third World....
Poor infrastructure....

Top Haven #7: Uruguay--Peaceful, Safe, and Tax-Free

Pros:

Stable, peaceful, relaxed, and removed from the troubles of much of the world right now....
Tax haven....
Great infrastructure....
Easy residency....

Cons:

Way down at the bottom of the earth....
Maybe boring....

Top Haven #8: Belize--Offshore Frontier

Pros:

Country of independent thinkers where you can make your own way....
Everyone speaks English....
Banking haven....
Tax haven....
Land values in the Cayo are a great bargain....

Cons:

Not super cheap, especially on Ambergris Caye....
Health care facilities are limited....

Top Haven #9: Medellin, Colombia--Emerging Haven Where Property Prices Are An Absolute Bargain
Pros:

Pleasant weather year-round, thanks to the elevation....
Pretty city in a pretty setting....
More genteel way of life than you'll find in most of Latin America....
Real estate values are a screaming bargain....

Cons:

This is a market in the workaround stage, meaning things like establishing foreign residency and opening a non-resident bank account can require "workarounds"....
Not a tax haven....
Exchange controls (which can be managed with proper counsel)....

I don't know who in their right mind decided France had the best quality of life in the world

Not back there yet and your criticsising there as well

If its "peace and quiet" you want I heAR Perth's the place.

Did you ever visit Perth, because you seem quite an authority on the Place, or is it on your todo list

I think 'boring' is the word you are looking for :)

Originally Posted by Aldo

If its "peace and quiet" you want I heAR Perth's the place.

Originally Posted by peacock

Did you ever visit Perth, because you seem quite an authority on the Place, or is it on your todo list

would post a video of any Uk city, but I guess your fed up of watching footage of looting and arson

He's actually secretly devastated because the woman of his dreams lives there and he knows it just makes her even more unreachable. Thats why he slags it...its to mask the pain....