Anyone retired and moved overseas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister and her husband is retiring in Vietnam, and they are loving it. Their monthly budget is 6K/month. She receives 4500/month in SS, and her husband receives 4600/month in SS. They live in a luxury apartment in Da Nang for $800/month. They also purchase Cadillac insurance for $1000/month. That leaves them around 4K/month for expense. Average salary for office worker in Vietnam is $500/month.

Wow, why Vietnam of all places? Isn't the language hard to master? I don't imagine being able to live there using only English unless you choose to live in a tiny expat enclave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You'll get better answers on expat forums and facebook/instagram groups for retirees in Greece.

+1 And better answers if you use the words "moved to Greece" in your subject heading. Plenty of people retired and moved overseas...much less so to Greece.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister and her husband is retiring in Vietnam, and they are loving it. Their monthly budget is 6K/month. She receives 4500/month in SS, and her husband receives 4600/month in SS. They live in a luxury apartment in Da Nang for $800/month. They also purchase Cadillac insurance for $1000/month. That leaves them around 4K/month for expense. Average salary for office worker in Vietnam is $500/month.

Wow, why Vietnam of all places? Isn't the language hard to master? I don't imagine being able to live there using only English unless you choose to live in a tiny expat enclave.

Literally because of what PP posted. Everyday luxury living can be very cheap…most people don’t even bother buying a $1000/month health plan because paying out of pocket is usually like nothing…even for surgery…at hospitals that are staffed by doctors educated in Europe and the US.

Da Nang has many expats especially close to the beach, so probably why it was selected. Also, many Vietnamese speak French though that is probably dying out with new generations.

Malaysia is also popular and maybe a better option since many people speak English due to its history as an English colony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sister and her husband is retiring in Vietnam, and they are loving it. Their monthly budget is 6K/month. She receives 4500/month in SS, and her husband receives 4600/month in SS. They live in a luxury apartment in Da Nang for $800/month. They also purchase Cadillac insurance for $1000/month. That leaves them around 4K/month for expense. Average salary for office worker in Vietnam is $500/month.

Wow, why Vietnam of all places? Isn't the language hard to master? I don't imagine being able to live there using only English unless you choose to live in a tiny expat enclave.

Literally because of what PP posted. Everyday luxury living can be very cheap…most people don’t even bother buying a $1000/month health plan because paying out of pocket is usually like nothing…even for surgery…at hospitals that are staffed by doctors educated in Europe and the US.

Da Nang has many expats especially close to the beach, so probably why it was selected. Also, many Vietnamese speak French though that is probably dying out with new generations.

Malaysia is also popular and maybe a better option since many people speak English due to its history as an English colony.

There are big communities of Australian and European retirees in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Some American as well. These are safe, relatively inexpensive countries with good health care and good airline connectivity.

[Anonymous]

I saw a lot of ads for homes in Costa Rica. Seems pretty livable there to me.

[Anonymous]

I plan to retire in southeast Asia when I get a chance. Delicious food, friendly people, decent healthcare, and high quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Spain might be a better option

[Anonymous]

I know people who've retired and moved to France, Israel, Spain and Portugal.

[Anonymous]

You need to research Visas before you start picking countries.

Do you think you can just move to another country of your choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former expat here. I suggest trial running it for a year or two before you pull the trigger. Europe sounds amazing and it is until you have to actually Live in the society, with their version of customer service, and their version of community services, and with socialized medicine and all that comes with it, even with private medicine, the medicine may simply not be available in the country.

Oh stop it. Europe is a continent with 50 countries. Did you live in all of them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to research Visas before you start picking countries.

Do you think you can just move to another country of your choice?

A lot of these poorer countries have long term visas for expats to live there. As long as you can prove you are financially independent, you can get a long term visa. They want the money, especially if you buy in a dying town.

https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/greece-retirement-visa/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw a lot of ads for homes in Costa Rica. Seems pretty livable there to me.

Large American ex pat community there. Good health care and a short flight from the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cyprus has a much higher percentage of English speakers, loved our trip there and would consider it.

Never - allows so much corruption

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a lot of ads for homes in Costa Rica. Seems pretty livable there to me.

Large American ex pat community there. Good health care and a short flight from the US.

You left out (1) not cheap, (2) rising crime, and (3) the large American ex pat community are largely weirdos

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former expat here. I suggest trial running it for a year or two before you pull the trigger. Europe sounds amazing and it is until you have to actually Live in the society, with their version of customer service, and their version of community services, and with socialized medicine and all that comes with it, even with private medicine, the medicine may simply not be available in the country.

Oh stop it. Europe is a continent with 50 countries. Did you live in all of them?

Stop what? They all have a version of societal constraint what I’m taking about. Go live in one and report back sweetie. Or better yet do this, look up the most advanced treatments for cancer, joint replacement, dermatology, and autoimmune diseases - and then go country by country. Tell me which one offers everything - every biologic, every drug, every robotic - that is in the market today. And while you’re at it tell me which city picks up recycling and trash twice a week.