Comments on: A Sexier Retirement: 10 Exotic, Affordable Retiree Havens

By: Kiwi

Kiwi — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:23:20 +0000

Interesting that so many of you are considering New Zealand as an ideal retirement place. I live in Auckland, New Zealand and I’m 47 years old. My wife and I are considering retiring in the Philippines where the cost of living is a fraction of what it is here. We want our retirement dollar to go futher. We are wanting to have maids and a gardener and any other home help we can get. That would be impossible here in New Zealand unless you are a multi-millionaire. It’s also far easier to start a small business there. Less red tape.

The other thing to consider is the weather. It rains all the time here in NZ. I think most of you will be better off somewhere that’s warm and sunny.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:20:13 +0000

Awesome post. That view of New Zealand reminds me of some views from northern California. Apparently it is possible to get it at half the cost. WOOHOO!!

By: SY

SY — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:18:04 +0000

vh is spot-on about retiring in New Zealand. But if you have a family member who’s a resident or citizen in New Zealand, it’s possible to retire there without trying to get under the age limit (65) or being employed.

By: jon

jon — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:58:44 +0000

Interesting. Very cool to acutually see people planning for retirement instead of just winging it. I lived in Uruguay for 3 years. It’s one of the South American countries you mentioned. I must admit that I believe retirement is about traveling not sitting still in one place. Obviously this cost money. Exploring different places and experiencing different people and cultures is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. You feel alive and actually build up your portfolio of great and interesting memories. I believe the days we remember are the only days that matter. Uruguay is an amazing place. Very inexpensive other than in electronics and many imports. Cars are VERY expensive. On the other hand real estate is very inexpensive. You could buy beautiful houses on the beach for less than 200k and lots for less than 10k. Obviously it all depends where you go but you could very well live in a beautiful place for very little thats not too far away from the great capital city of Montevideo. The people have beautiful culture and mostly orient from Europe. Beautiful people, tasty food, Amazing places, and inexpensive living. Beaches are endless and the country is REAL country. A place you may very well fall in love with. I did. And I was forced to go. Now I go back every chance I get usually every year. It doesnt even compare to third world countries. There is a population of only 3 million people. Either way. Check it out. It’s a beautiful place.

By: vh

vh — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:52:54 +0000

I didn’t think that we old bats were especially welcome in New Zealand. They want folks who can contribute to the economy before going on the dole (which for most of us is what retirement is all about, even here in the U.S.). New Zealand has absolutely premiere social services and safety nets, but the citizens are smart enough not to give those away to freeloading retirees.

Check out the government’s website. Nothing there encourages people to go to N-Z specifically to retire.

Having spent time in Mexico and lived at many points overseas, and having had friends die unnecessarily in the Mexican “health-care” system (which makes the worst of ours look stellar), I would not recommend retiring to a third-world country. The U.S. has lots and lots of problems, but at least you know what they are and by & large know how to deal with them.

By: Boquete

Boquete — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:05:01 +0000

Great article and follow-up comments. I have done a lot of research on one of the choices, (Panama),and the little town of Boquete, in particular I’ve bought land there, and will be leaving San Diego shortly for an early (busy) “retirement”.

The elevation is almost 4000′ (no jungle or humidity, just coffee plantations, oranges and flowers), and the temps are in the high 60’s to high 70’s every day of the year. That, along with the ability to own tilted and deeded land with the same property rights as Citizens, has brought many Ex-Pats to the area. Visit a site called BoqueteLots dot com for more information on the area. Good luck to everyone in their search!

By: The Sunday Review #45

The Sunday Review #45 — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:46:21 +0000

[...] A Sexier Retirement: 10 Exotic, Affordable Retiree Havens by Sasha @ Consumerism Commentary. [...]

By: thomas

thomas — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:47:44 +0000

I’ll stick with the US. I’ll try my best to travel to these places, but no way am I leaving the USA. That is unless HC gets elected. :)

By: Matt Wolfe

Matt Wolfe — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:11:59 +0000

New Zealand is amazing.

By: Sasha

Sasha — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:13:34 +0000

IndependentGirl,

I am so deeply impressed by everything you’ve written here. You seem to have careful planning, foresight – just about everything in your favor. I’m going to make you my Retirement Hero, if you don’t mind. Your strategic approach is very motivational.

sasha

By: Sasha

Sasha — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:12:08 +0000

@ Plonkee: Where the Brits go, there go I. I love British culture and have been trying to get back across the pond for years (and it seems that opportunity may be coming soon!) I love NZ for its English-esque custioms and rural beauty, but if Malta starts to have British culture as well, it’s a strong contender.

By: Sasha

Sasha — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:10:09 +0000

@ Vixen: Glad you enjoyed the post, and your comment gets to the crux of it. No mashed peas here! I don’t want to retire ever if I’m going to become a dullard. Now I’m a bit more excited as well. In fact, New Zealand is looking good right about *now*.

@ Mrs. Micah and Kris: New Zealand is indeed my #1 choice out of all of these. Good to know there may be some new friends waiting there for me. =)

@ Brian and BuildandSucceed:
I understand completely about being away from family and other loved ones. I’d try to bring them with me, or if not, at least have frequent visits. Sometimes living at a destination locale is an easier way to get people to come visit -plus there’s none of that sitting around wondering “what should we go see or do?”

@ Fielding Melish: I definitely advocate speaking the language wherever you settle upon. It’s a great pursuit for retirement to learn something new and get the chance to use it as well.

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:41:21 +0000

New Zealand – someday… I dream of retiring a kiwi.

Thank you so much for the link, Sasha.

By: IndependentGirl

IndependentGirl — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:20:27 +0000

I have a retirement destination already planned. I have a home that I bought new in 1995 for $80,000 in North Carolina. It is about 70 miles from the coast, not too far from Raleigh, and some world famous golf courses. The backyard backs to a forested area that will never be built on. The mortgage on the house is less than $575/mo and the property tax and insurance adds another $100/month. It has been rented out for the past 9 years, so should I retire early or later, I can quite easily afford to pay off the mortgage. I could do so today, but the mathematics show the tax ride-off to be more beneficial. I plan to travel extensively, but would like to have a home base in the U.S.

By: plonkee

plonkee — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:51:32 +0000

Of course you need to speak Spanish to live in most of South America. That’s kind of the fun of living abroad.

Beware that if you retire to Malta, you will be sharing the island with a whole load of British retirees. Especially now that it’s part of the EU, it’s possible the best of all worlds for the elderly Brit abroad.

By: Fielding Melish

Fielding Melish — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:50:35 +0000

I have never lived in South America, but I have read in one or two retirment books that if you are a relatively affluent gringo, then you are fair game for robbers. For instance, you MUST have a live-in domestic employee, or you will come back home from shopping to find that all of your furniture has been stolen out of your house. And it is clear from the news articles recently that Mexico in particular is degenerating into a lawless and dangerous land. And in none of the examples cited in the article is it mentioned that in these cheap places in Latin America, you had better be fairly fluent in Spanish. One of the reasons these places are so cheap is that they are third-world, and in the third world, English is not taught in schools as it is in so many European countries.

By: BuildAndSucceed

BuildAndSucceed — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:25:56 +0000

Interesting information. I always wondered what certain things cost in countries like that. I would love to one day be able to move to one of those countries, although I’d miss a lot of family and friends.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:01:28 +0000

While all of those places sound great, I hope to have a family by then and I couldn’t imagine being that far away from my kids/grandkids. Needing a passport to visit Grandpa isn’t my ideal.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:42:25 +0000

I think Mr. Micah and I would like New Zealand best of all those. Perhaps we’ll retire there and become writers. The only downside is that we’re quite close to our families…of course, I don’t know what that’ll be like in 40 years anyway.

By: Vixen

Vixen — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:03:33 +0000

Absolutely wonderful post. I don’t ever look forward to retirement because I think of being elderly, eating mashed peas and being bitter. The possibilities you paint are far more positive.