Retirement location

FrankS

FrankS

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RFF members live all around the globe and some travel extensively, so I'd like to ask this knowledgable group about retirement locations.

Living in Canada is great except for the winter months. No longer being tied to a job opens the possibility of living elsewhere during these unpleasant months. I'm looking for ideas for low-key places to escape to. Criteria that locations must meet are: personal safety, inexpensive cost of living, and laid back/casual/relaxed atmosphere accepting of "retired snowbirds".

Any ideas?
 
Dear Frank,

If I knew what I know now I'd probably have moved to Arles 13 years ago instead of where I am -- the far north of the old (and new) Aquitaine, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes -- but most of rural France is delightful. Two questions, though: how's your French, and can you sort out medical insurance? I'm very, very, very glad I'm an EU citizen with the right to live anywhere in the EU and EU-wide medical cover.

Cheers,

R.
 
Costa Rica, Belize. I have some friends who live in Chiang Mai, Thailand during the winter months. They enjoy the inexpensive living and the medical care is pretty good from what they say.

I was watching a program a few weeks ago about Medellín, Columbia. It is supposed to be a great place to live with a large English speaking, American expat population. Great medical care too.
 
FrankS said:
Living in Canada is great except for the winter months. No longer being tied to a job opens the possibility of living elsewhere during these unpleasant months.
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I'm still a loooong way from retirement but, living in Ottawa, I would already like to be a snowbird. I've had it with winter.

There are so many places you can go that would, I think, be great. But for me, Palm Springs California (where we go every two years), or Arizona (Sedona in particular) are wonderful options.

The convenience of either is dependent upon where you are located in Canada (because flying to France or Spain) would be just as easy if you are in the east. The advantage, IMO, is a completely predictable climate, English speaking, a familiar culture and way of life, incredible landscape and you don't feel too far way from family and friends. Of course all of what I just mentioned could be seen as negatives for some.

As for the cost of living, a few years ago you could have done quite well in either location if you wanted to purchase a property but Palm Springs has really picked up in the last few years (not sure about Arizona). But otherwise you have a low cost of living when the dollar is at a reasonable exchange due to everything being at least a bit cheaper in the US.
 
FrankS said:
Criteria that locations must meet are: personal safety, inexpensive cost of living, and laid back/casual/relaxed atmosphere accepting of "retired snowbirds".

Any ideas?
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Thailand or Malaysia? English is widely spoken too, especially in Malaysia. Weather-wise, the winter months are quite nice, but unless you're ok with heat and humidity you'll want to head home before summer kicks in.

Unless you're planning to buy a property somewhere, why not try somewhere new each year?
 
Thanks guys!

Roger: Je parl France' com un vash Espanol. ;) So, not so good! We did enjoy our week in southern France back in 2009, and enjoyed meeting you!

The southern US is convenient because of the language and being able to drive there.

Asia: that sounds exciting. Finding the right location there would be very important.
 
suggest you consider humidity as well - there's a big difference between humid heat and dry heat!
 
kbg32 said:
Costa Rica, Belize. I have some friends who live in Chiang Mai, Thailand during the winter months. They enjoy the inexpensive living and the medical care is pretty good from what they say.

I was watching a program a few weeks ago about Medellín, Columbia. It is supposed to be a great place to live with a large English speaking, American expat population. Great medical care too.
Click to expand...

Frank,

Austin is high on my list and Seattle if you want urban with progressive thinking.

Costa Rica, Belize and Panama offer a lot like Keith mentions above, but Panama is where English is most spoken.

Funny thing is Vancouver is another location due to a gentiler climate for urban living.

I'd love to remain in NYC as long as possible though. No car is needed so you save about $10K a year. Walking will keep you alive, and it is a photographer's paradise. Lots of free things to do with out having to spend any money. In a way the world comes to you, especially if you have the personality. Taxes and housing is high though.

Cal
 
Tupelo, Mississippi. No kidding. University town, lovely houses for cheap, night-time activities, cultural events, mild winters, interesting, warm people. And Elvis' birthplace. I'm trying to talk my wife into it.
 
Frank I'm retiring as soon as my house sells. I've lived in Knoxville Tennessee or close by since 1951. It a beautiful place in the foothills of the mountains. There are several large lakes if you like the water. Winters are generally mild and summers quite warm. We do have humidity but there's always a cool place to relax. The cost of living is low and we have no state income tax. We're becoming a retirement destination for many from the north.

For me I'm retiring to southern Arizona in the mountains south of Ticson.

Want to buy my home in Knoxville? ;)
 
Off the cuff......

Apart from the usual Canadian snowbird destinations such as Florida and Costa Rica (which is a very attractive destination), have a look at Malaysia which has an official expatriate retirement policy: http://www.mm2h.gov.my/index.php/en/ It has first class medical facilities and English is the lingua franca. It's also hot and humid. And read the fine print. Thailand attracts a lot of retirees but be ready to deal with a.o. a complex language and a Kafkaesque bureaucracy. Portugal will allow you to settle there and gives you a 10 year tax holiday. Some Spanish provinces do not tax retirement income. France used to be an attractive destination but real estate prices in a number of regions are very high now and the tax situation is continuously changing. All this said, if you are wealthy, nothing beats a neat spread on the shores of Lac Leman in Geneva, Switzerland.

[I just changed the post to show the official website of the Malaysian Government with regards to the second home progamme]
 
x-ray said:
Frank I'm retiring as soon as my house sells. I've lived in Knoxville Tennessee or close by since 1951. It a beautiful place in the foothills of the mountains. There are several large lakes if you like the water. Winters are generally mild and summers quite warm. We do have humidity but there's always a cool place to relax. The cost of living is low and we have no state income tax. We're becoming a retirement destination for many from the north.

For me I'm retiring to southern Arizona in the mountains south of Ticson.

Want to buy my home in Knoxville? ;)
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I have about $1300 in my Paypal account. ;)
 
Retirement'a still a bit far, about 8 years, but the place will definitely be Mauritius.

My wife 's from there and I just love the place!

We tried to move there 7 years ago but the clever plan we had failed. That has not put me off and as soon as possible I'll make the move !
 
if you still like winter, but want a less harsh experience....
Kentucky, beautiful landscapes across the state, Southern hospitably is still present, Louisville (larger than Indianapolis) offers plenty of things to do, along with street photography.

I am Indiana, and have visited... we have even talked about moving their after I am 62...
 
Peter Wijninga said:
Off the cuff......

Apart from the usual Canadian snowbird destinations such as Florida and Costa Rica (which is a very attractive destination), have a look at Malaysia which has an official expatriate retirement policy: http://www.12retireinmalaysia.com/ It has first class medical facilities and English is the lingua franca. It's also hot and humid. Thailand attracts a lot of retirees but be ready to deal with a.o. a complex language and a Kafkaesque bureaucracy. Portugal will allow you to settle there and gives you a 10 year tax holiday. Some Spanish provinces do not tax retirement income. France used to be an attractive destination but real estate prices in a number of regions are very high now and the tax situation is continuously changing. All this said, if you are wealthy, nothing beats a neat spread on the shores of Lac Leman in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Dear Peter,

And in others they're still silly cheap: 40,000€ -- call it $45,000 US -- for a village house in the next village, 3 minutes from the café-bar, butcher, and the best baker's for miles around. Under 2 miles/3 km from the nearest doctor's surgery, under 10 miles/about 15 km to the nearest hospital...

Portugal is delightful but I do find the language shomewat tortuoshly shlurred. I realize that none of this is much use to Frank but I'm hoping he won't mind if we broaden it out for the benefit of anyone else contemplating the same sort of thing.

Cheers,

R.
 
Lauffray said:
You guys are cool, I hope I can still find a place like this to discuss locations...in 40 years :p
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I sure as hell hope you can too. Although my wife and I mark the beginning and the end of the true "baby boom" (1945 and 1950), we have quite a lot of sympathy the the view that all too many of our generation were lucky, greedy bar stewards who shat all over your generation. Not all of us, but too many. Though when I think about it, it ain't so much the 1945-50 generation that was the most selfish and reactionary -- some of us were hippies -- as the slightly younger so-called baby boomers, the 1950-1955 generation.

But then, it is in the nature of old men to believe that the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

Cheers,

R.
 
In Ontario, Canada this morning; Princess Wynne just sold part of Hydro to put us deeper in debt via higher Hydro bills. Our cost of living is going up steady. Good luck on your move Frank.
 
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