Best Places To Retire

This is a rather big and subjective subject. You can review many websites and get an entirely different picture of where are the best places to retire. Let’s take a bit of a different approach here in that let’s look first to see what is really “meaningful” to yourselves rather than just the standard guidelines such as expense, taxes, entertainment, etc.

In other words, let’s do some soul-searching to determine where you really want to live based on your heartfelt desires. These desires are connected to our core values in life, which may have been neglected throughout your working career.

Best Places to Retire — Home Sweet Home

Let’s not forget about your present area of residence. You may like it very much and decide there is no need to travel off to far-off lands to find our ideal retirement oasis.

This is especially true if you live in an area that is pleasant, you have family and/or friends nearby, and you enjoy the various activities. If this is the place you want to be you can logically and creatively handle any challenges that you may need to deal with after retirement.

This is most likely to be financial since your budget will take a hit when you no longer have your income from work. This is not a problem if you have sufficient retirement funds stacked away, but if that is not the case all is not lost.

The whole concept of “unretirement” is not about having to find any old job just to make ends meet, It is about being creative and utilizing your experience and skills gained over many years in ways that you may not even considered before. Check out my article on Stree-Free Retirement Living to give you a few ideas on creating a workable financial plan that meets your specific needs. You can then fill in the gaps as you go.

Best Places to Retire to Save a Few Bucks In the United States

Now when it comes to the best value for your retirement dollars here are a few places to consider. As always, each location has its pluses and minuses, and there are always trade-offs.

According to WalletHub, when a person retires their social security payments only cover about thirty-nine (39%) of the earnings of an average worker in the United States. That’s a big gap from what you were previously earning. That’s why timing your retirement correctly is just as vital as where you may choose to retire.

In fact, WalletHub has come up with a few ideas of where to move within the United States to get the best bang for your buck. They’ve determined where is most affordable as well as having a good quality of life with the most available healthcare options in those areas.

What they came up with is Iowa, Idaho, Wisconsin, Virginia, Delaware, Wyoming, Utah, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Florida. You can decide what the trade-offs are given your personal preferences and preferred lifestyle. This is a good starting point for additional research.

Best Places to Retire Overseas

Now if you are willing to expand your outlook on things there are various options available around the globe regardless of where you live now. Again, dependent on your priorities and personal preferences as to lifestyle, there are many options available based on the predominant language spoken, healthcare choices and availability, the challenge of establishing legal residency, overall infrastructure, quality of life, cost of living, environment, entertainment options, and safety.

Here are a few ideas to consider based on some recommendations from Kathleen Peddicord. Again it is important to do your own more extensive research on any area that attracts your interest, including visiting there for a few weeks and getting the good day-to-day feel for the place.

A few places to consider are Medellin, Colombia; Colombia is considered the “Gateway to South America” since it is located in the northwest where South, Central, and North America connect. It is the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking population and the fifth largest country in Latin America.

Ambergris Caye, Belize is another consideration as it is an island off the coast of the mainland with a large ex-pat presence. Another island to consider in another part of the world is Gozo, Malta. This is a great place for those who prefer a more quiet and peaceful environment near the sea and proximity to the entire European continent.

In the south of France is St.Chinian, a quaint country village. You are right in the middle of wine country with affordable property prices. Although it is a bit remote it is close to Spain and only a three (3) hour train ride to Paris. With the train and bus service available you don’t even need a car.

Now on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula you will find Pedasí located on the Pacific coast. The area is known for its international surfing competitions. There are many ex-pats here enjoying the scenic beauty and things here are still relatively undeveloped maintaining a village atmosphere.

Another popular area for ex-pats is Northern Belize as it is affordable with plenty of sunshine and a Caribbean lifestyle. The main language is English so it is easy to fit in.

For art and literature, you may want to consider Cuenca, Ecuador. It has an active ex-pat community within this Spanish colonial city. High-quality and inexpensive healthcare is available. It has a year-round springtime climate since it is located in a central valley with an elevation of 8,400 feet (2,56 kilometers) so the air is very thin.

A coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean to consider is Lisbon, Portugal. Filled with well-known museums and art galleries, there is plenty to do with fine dining, theater, and concerts. In the midst of classic architecture, you can enjoy a most welcoming and pleasant atmosphere filled with friendly locals many of whom speak English. The educational and healthcare systems are excellent.

In order to live near the beach with a cosmopolitan lifestyle consider Mazatlán, Mexico. On the Pacific coast, it is both a city and port in western north-central Mexico just south of the Gulf of California and directly east of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Eleven (11) miles of gorgeous beaches are a big attraction here. Within this historical colonial city, you will find many cafes, shops, restaurants, and galleries. There is a thriving ex-pat community here as well as a warm culture in which to engage.

Another popular area of Portugal is Tavira. I recently wrote an article on this area called Where Is Tavira Portugal? A Wonderful Discovery, which will provide you plenty of information on this fascinating place. In the Algarve area of Portugal English is prevalent and the infrastructure is excellent. There is a good-sized ex-pat community and the medical facilities are very good.

Check out this video for a few additional ideas as well.

 

Final Thoughts on Best Places to Retire

This is by no means an exclusive list of any kind, but just some ideas to get you thinking about some alternatives if “home sweet home” is not going to be your choice. There are so many wonderful possibilities throughout the world.  Housesitting is also an option if you want to keep your home base and just travel about for as long as you desire.

As I initially mentioned, it is important to be clear on what is most meaningful to you at this point in life, and then go for it. I encourage you to contact me with any specific questions you may have. Use the contact page on this site.

Wherever you choose to retire will vary for each individual, but the one constant, wherever you are, is your level of engagement in life and happiness. It is not a matter of going somewhere to find happiness or have all your challenges disappear. It is more a case of being happy and fulfilled now and bringing that along with you as you pack for your next adventure.

Within this site, I emphasize the importance of transcending traditional retirement challenges by balancing one’s life in the areas of Wealth, Health, and Personal Growth. Once you are consistently progressing in these areas through small doable steps, you are creating our “Ultimate Retirement Lifestyle”. You have replaced doubt and confusion with the confidence and ability to embrace and thrive within the uncertainty of day-to-day living.

So what are the best places to retire or even unretire and live a fully fun and engaging life? It all begins within yourselves with the knowledge and certainty that the entire world is indeed your oyster.

All the very Best,

Joseph William

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