I'm not sure where I want to go.

tsandoz3 wrote:

Hello!

I am ready for another adventure in my life.
I am 59 years old, married and want to retire. I realize the only way I can have a lifestyle that would be comfortable and affordable is to go to another country and culture.
Although I haven't planned well for retirement, we do have some assets. My husband has money in a 401K and I have a small amount in savings. We also have about some equity in our primary home and second home in the mountains.
I think we have enough to retire now and could have a great life in Costa Rica, Panama or Mexico. I just need to convince him that I am right(the ever present battle for all of my thoughts).

Those of you who are enjoying a comfortable life in other countries, please reply with some specifics about how you did it, how much I need and what you might suggest I do to get my husband on the same path.

Thanks.

Tom

So where would you be moving from?

It all depends what you like. If you like the heat and humidity or a drier climate. If you want night life or no night life. If you want beaches or mountains. Suburbs,country,jungle,or cities.Do you golf,hunt,fish,yoga,cycle? Do you speak Spanish?
Do you need other expats?
These are just a few of the things you need to share for someone to give you details.
However to get you started. To live in Mexico you need at least $1200 a month.That will get you the visa to live here,unless of course you choose to live as a tourist for 6 months at a time.

Here's a wild idea, but I'm wild so I'd do it.

Get a backpack each, buy a ticket to the first place you want to try, hang around for a while, then buy a ticket to the next place on your list.
Cheap airlines, trains, and simple hotels work out cheap and you can keep adding places to your list.
Not exactly five star, but fun and you'll find out a little about all the places in your head.
If you really fancy getting crazy, add Malaysia and a couple of other Asian countries to your list. I suggest Malaysia first because loads of people speak English and it's great.
Really wild? Add Indonesia where far fewer people speak English and you can really get stuck in to finding out about new cultures.

I realise this is a tad off topic but, if you don't consider suggestions and wild ideas, you'll end up with really boring stories to tell the nursing home staff when you're dribbling your food and need a hand going to the toilet.

i did a lot of studying on mexico; then my son john, who lives in CIUDAD JUAREZ, convinced me that juarez is the safest place to live, considering the CARTEL(DRUG LORDS) Have taken over all the seaport resort towns and all the major cities, EXCEPT JUAREZ. the cartels have been arradicated from here(all killed off) but the FEDERALES presence is seen here as well.there r still pockets of resistance in the city and we hear of killings of cartels daily and the cop  presence here is strong. i see at least 20 vehicles pass by my apt daily as the federales and state police head to a shootout.no prisoners! jail;s r full. so the war in mexico continues. better here than the other countries where the cartels complete dominate the government. NICARAGUA, HONDUARAS, PANAMA, BELIZ, COSTA RICA  all controlled by cartels. that is why so many people r fleeing to the usa from these countries.MEXICO still the safest inland but just b reminded the war continues in the seashore cities big time.u know why? AMERICANS R BUYING DRUGS FROM CARTELS in these cities so u wont b welcome there anything south of MEXICO CITY IS BAD

I spent last 6 months in Playa Del Carmen. There were 14 murdered in Cancun in 1 month as a new cartel ,headed by a woman, was coming in . 1 murder occurred on beach amidst tourists. The  guys came in on jet skis and shot the targets. Playas nice ,I had no crime problems ,but doont stay out late or go in certain barrios.  It a bit pricey there,so next year looking for more reasonable areas. What rent like in Juarez and also air pollution? Gracias Phil

Thanks!

Thanks, Fred!

Hola Senor. What are rents like in Juarez ? I lived with n Yucatan a year and it's known to be pricey and also to hot!

I talked to a woman who gives out samples at Costco, she's from Guanajuato (city). She normally sends her son to stay with his grandparents for the summer there, but will not this summer because of the cartel murders, she says, are occurring weekly. Seems violent crime is on the increase there. I asked about San Miguel de Allende and she spoke very positively about it. It's about 40-50 miles away. It gets very good comments from other posts I've seen.