# The Top Seven Places to Retire (from the BBC)



## MULTIZ321 (Jan 30, 2016)

The Top Seven Places to Retire - by Rob Budden/ Expats/ Retirement/ Ageing/ BBC Capital/ bbc.com


"Forget the retirement home. Head here. 

These days most of us can expect our retirement to last for more than a couple of decades. So, with life expectancy on the rise where you choose to spend those twilight years is more important than ever. 

A growing number of pensioners are seeking far-flung destinations. They’re lured by hours of sunshine, a slower pace of life, favourable tax rates, and the prospect of a more fulfilling lifestyle where their income goes much further than it does at home. Considered carefully, retiring abroad can deliver all of the above without compromising home comforts or quality healthcare.

From tropical towns in Thailand to coastal comforts in Central America, our guide to the seven best countries to retire has it all..."

Richard


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## Passepartout (Jan 30, 2016)

*Hey Richard.....*

With this thread and the other one you posted today of making a new life abroad, are you planning to run away for a while? 

Jim


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## MULTIZ321 (Jan 31, 2016)

Passepartout said:


> With this thread and the other one you posted today of making a new life abroad, are you planning to run away for a while?
> 
> Jim



Hi Jim,

Sometimes I fantasize about it. But no plans to run away. However, I am making plans to retire either late this year or early next year. Looking forward to a new chapter in my life,

Best regards,

Richard


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## WinniWoman (Jan 31, 2016)

I can't see retiring in any of these places.


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 31, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> I can't see retiring in any of these places.



You are NOT British .... 

Enough said?


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## SmithOp (Jan 31, 2016)

Just enjoyed the first episode of this new BBC show about retirees going to India.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06z8840


Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk


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## am1 (Jan 31, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> I can't see retiring in any of these places.



Everyone has individual tastes but there are some good places listed there.  Maybe Canada will be added soon.  


I hope everyone finds the place that they are looking for.  Me as well.


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## x3 skier (Jan 31, 2016)

Been to all of the Euro suggestions and Panama and I could see living in any of them as pretty nice. But, I'm happy where I am.

Cheers


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## Sandy VDH (Feb 1, 2016)

Given that I am already dual US and Canadian Citizenship, I have two choices.  But I would consider a place that is nearby, relatively safe, and close by.  

So that would rule out Europe and Asia for me,  I guess that keeps Panama in.


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## WinniWoman (Feb 1, 2016)

From what I have read elsewhere the majority of people stay put right where they have lived all their lives and most often in their same homes. Most want to be near their family and friends. And- sure some move to warmer climates or are snowbirds. But- most don't move. In fact, I hear about many who move away and then come back. 

This despite everything you read about these supposed fantasy- like havens around the world.

In my case, if it wasn't that we have no family and close friends in our area and that we live in a secluded, unwalkable environment in a high property tax state, we would stay in our home as well.

My 80 year old friends just recently moved to- guess where? Bayone, New Jersey! LOL! Why? That is where there two children live. They moved into an apartment in one of their kids homes. They are still active and drive and all that. Their home down the road from me has been for sale for a year and has had no takers yet.


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## dominidude (Feb 1, 2016)

I think New Jersey is a nice place to retire long as you can afford their property taxes. If you live on a fixed income that's under 60k/yr your income taxes there are next to noting, and there are enough great diners and delis in that state that you could go to a different one each week for decades. FYI, i love mom and pop diners and delis.


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## WinniWoman (Feb 2, 2016)

dominidude said:


> I think New Jersey is a nice place to retire long as you can afford their property taxes. If you live on a fixed income that's under 60k/yr your income taxes there are next to noting, and there are enough great diners and delis in that state that you could go to a different one each week for decades. FYI, i love mom and pop diners and delis.



In my friends' case, they are living in New Jersey for free in their daughter's home. But, of course, until their NY home sells they are paying the expenses there. Not sure if they changed their residency officially.

Another person I know just sold a house around the corner from me to a retired fireman from NYC who had moved to Florida but decided to move back to NY since his daughter lives on Long Island, so at least it is drive-able for a day visit. I guess he can afford the taxes with his pension and all. I know we won't be able to when we retire.


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## John Cummings (Feb 2, 2016)

I find these articles about where to retire are basically entertaining but generally useless.

I semi-retired 14 years ago and totally retired 9 years ago. I spent a lot of effort and time researching where we wanted to retire.

I have lived in San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, SE Florida, Portland OR, Seattle, Spokane WA, Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, Eastern BC, Mexico, and Venezuela. We have also spent a lot of time in Texas, Tennessee, Kansas, Missouri, and have visited 43 states. We have spent the most time by far in California.

So we have experienced a lot of different areas, climates, etc. I made a spread sheet listing the things that were important to us and then we started eliminating places and ended up moving to Murrieta in 2002 as our final home and retirement destination. We live just 45 minutes from where we moved.

We bought a brand new home and made it like our own private resort. We love it here and would never consider living elsewhere.

Now having said that, I wouldn't begin to advise someone else on where to retire because it is all about personal preferences. It is all what is important to you. Of course affordability is a factor for a lot of people.

No magazine article can tell you where is best for you. I have never seen any place that they recommend that I would choose. The Panama is one of the highly rated places. I have been to the Panama and certainly wouldn't want to live there.


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## Pompey Family (Feb 3, 2016)

John Cummings said:


> No magazine article can tell you where is best for you. I have never seen any place that they recommend that I would choose. The Panama is one of the highly rated places. I have been to the Panama and certainly wouldn't want to live there.



As is typical the article was written by a journalist who has probably never been to any of the destinations listed but rather used a bit of cut and paste and basic statistics to cobble together a "definitive list". I usually take no notice of such articles.


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## WinniWoman (Feb 3, 2016)

John Cummings said:


> I find these articles about where to retire are basically entertaining but generally useless.
> 
> I semi-retired 14 years ago and totally retired 9 years ago. I spent a lot of effort and time researching where we wanted to retire.
> 
> ...



Wow!Traveled a lot for your job I guess.

Well there you have it. Definitely a lot of experience and, as you said, everyone is different. I think a lot of people are looking for Utopia and it is hard to find. Most often it is right where we are! And being on vacation somewhere we like is a lot different than living there.


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## am1 (Feb 3, 2016)

There is nothing wrong with moving somewhere then moving back when circumstances change.  

Also the option of living in two places and getting the best of each.  

Everyones needs and desires are different. 

The most important is that people enjoy where they live and can afford it.


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## John Cummings (Feb 3, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> Wow!Traveled a lot for your job I guess.
> 
> Well there you have it. Definitely a lot of experience and, as you said, everyone is different. I think a lot of people are looking for Utopia and it is hard to find. Most often it is right where we are! And being on vacation somewhere we like is a lot different than living there.



Actually most of the travel was not for my job. We were just very adventurous. Venezuela was for my job.


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## John Cummings (Feb 3, 2016)

am1 said:


> There is nothing wrong with moving somewhere then moving back when circumstances change.
> 
> Also the option of living in two places and getting the best of each.
> 
> ...



Living in 2 places sounds good at the age of 65, not so good at 85. My parents retired in Yuma AZ which was OK for 9 months but brutally hot in the summer. They would go away during the summer. However that wasn't so easy as they got older. Yuma is not my cup of tea but it is definitely cheap.

To tell the truth I learned a lot from my parents retirement. What I learned was not to do what they did. For us it is very important that we have good weather all year around so we wouldn't feel we had to escape the cold or the heat. Another very important thing was to have excellent medical facilities. This wasn't necessary when I was 65 but it is now that I am almost 76. We have both the great year around weather and the great medical care.


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## Passepartout (Feb 3, 2016)

am1 said:


> There is nothing wrong with moving somewhere then moving back when circumstances change.
> 
> Also the option of living in two places and getting the best of each.
> 
> ...



I agree with these thoughts.... mostly. I thank my lucky stars that I came from a long line of peoples with itchy feet. Generations of people wanting to see what was down the road, over the next hill, across the sea. So far, I've only had to put more pages in my passport once, but without the EU, it might have been more.

I would hate to be on my death bed thinking I missed an opportunity to see someplace new.

So far, so good.

Jim


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## Neesie (Feb 9, 2016)

We are wrapping up our first long vacation since both being retired, one month in Florida (never again) and the last three days in New Orleans during Carnival (yes!)

I can't wait to get Home Sweet Home.


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## WinniWoman (Feb 9, 2016)

Neesie said:


> We are wrapping up our first long vacation since both being retired, one month in Florida (never again) and the last three days in New Orleans during Carnival (yes!)
> 
> I can't wait to get Home Sweet Home.



Why didn't you like Florida? It seems like the place for retirees, yet for some reason it doesn't appeal to me and people think I am crazy. I am going to be pretty lonely because everyone I know is moving there. Curious on others thoughts on the Florida retirement thing.


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## WinniWoman (Feb 9, 2016)

John Cummings said:


> Living in 2 places sounds good at the age of 65, not so good at 85. My parents retired in Yuma AZ which was OK for 9 months but brutally hot in the summer. They would go away during the summer. However that wasn't so easy as they got older. Yuma is not my cup of tea but it is definitely cheap.
> 
> To tell the truth I learned a lot from my parents retirement. What I learned was not to do what they did. For us it is very important that we have good weather all year around so we wouldn't feel we had to escape the cold or the heat. Another very important thing was to have excellent medical facilities. This wasn't necessary when I was 65 but it is now that I am almost 76. We have both the great year around weather and the great medical care.



Makes total sense. My husband and I like the seasons, though we can do without winter snow storms. California does have awesome weather. But the other thing we need is to feel a connection. We can't see moving to a place where we have no connections whatsoever- not that we have many here in NY in our immediate area, but we have the most here. The only other places we feel at "home" are NH and VT only because we vacation there so much, not because we know anyone because we don't. Just our son in NH so if we can even sell our home- which will be very tough- that's where we will go depending on what transpires, hopefully in an active adult retirement community. Only plan on moving once- might as go directly into one.

If we can't sell our home it will be very upsetting as we cannot age in such a secluded setting. Homes just aren't selling here- many on the market for years.


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## John Cummings (Feb 9, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> Makes total sense. My husband and I like the seasons, though we can do without winter snow storms. California does have awesome weather. But the other thing we need is to feel a connection. We can't see moving to a place where we have no connections whatsoever- not that we have many here in NY in our immediate area, but we have the most here. The only other places we feel at "home" are NH and VT only because we vacation there so much, not because we know anyone because we don't. Just our son in NH so if we can even sell our home- which will be very tough- that's where we will go depending on what transpires, hopefully in active adult retirement community. Only plan on moving once- might as go directly into one.
> 
> If we can't sell our home it will be very upsetting as we cannot age in such a secluded setting. Homes just aren't selling here- many on the market for years.



Our children and grandchildren live in California also so we have the connection as well. At the time we retired we didn't know where they would be living.


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## geekette (Feb 9, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> Why didn't you like Florida? It seems like the place for retirees, yet for some reason it doesn't appeal to me and people think I am crazy. I am going to be pretty lonely because everyone I know is moving there. Curious on others thoughts on the Florida retirement thing.



I'm not the one you asked, but Florida is out of the question for me because of the heat + humidity.  I don't want to live somewhere that AC is a Necessity.  And, gators...


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## geekette (Feb 9, 2016)

Passepartout said:


> I agree with these thoughts.... mostly. I thank my lucky stars that I came from a long line of peoples with itchy feet. Generations of people wanting to see what was down the road, over the next hill, across the sea. So far, I've only had to put more pages in my passport once, but without the EU, it might have been more.
> 
> I would hate to be on my death bed thinking I missed an opportunity to see someplace new.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I come from itchy feet people also.  We all live where we want to live regardless of where anyone else is.  Nearness can be overrated, we prefer to have interesting places to visit and a grand journey to get there.  I will probably end up somewhere in the west and not concerned about whether I know anyone.  Of all the friends I have now, I wasn't born knowing any of them.


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## ronandjoan (Feb 27, 2016)

John Cummings said:


> I find these articles about where to retire are basically entertaining but generally useless.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I like the idea of a spreadsheet.

When we started out totally full time, selling our house in 2008, we thought to go full time for 2 years and then we would be able to decide. But now we are 8 years in and still can't decide:  we like almost everywhere....but now, the grandchildren are the big "pull" to be closer to more.... Ahhhhh...


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## Talent312 (Feb 27, 2016)

Neesie said:


> ... one month in Florida (never again)...



Was it the mosquitoes or the flying roaches?

------------------------
Now most of the people who retire in Florida
are wrinkled and they lean on a crutch.
And mobile homes are smotherin' my keys;
Well I hate those bastards so much.
I wish a summer squall would blow them
all the way up to fantasy land.
They're ugly and square, they don't belong here.
They look a lot better as beer cans.

  --- Jimmy Buffett, _Migration (1974)_
.


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## PStreet1 (Feb 27, 2016)

mpumilia said:


> Why didn't you like Florida? It seems like the place for retirees, yet for some reason it doesn't appeal to me and people think I am crazy. I am going to be pretty lonely because everyone I know is moving there. Curious on others thoughts on the Florida retirement thing.



We looked in Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Florida on the East Coast, and found Florida totally repulsive for us.  We were timesharing, for the umteenth time, trying to see what it was that made Florida rate well with retirees.  That time, we happened to be there for the love bug season, and a storm was due in the next few days.  We looked at each other and said, "Why are we doing this?  We hate it here; we don't have to keep considering a place that works for other people, but not us," and we left with 5 days left on the week.  The heat, bugs, and worst of all, the humidity make Florida unbearable for us.  As John says, reading what pleases others doesn't mean it will work for you.


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