Top Destinations for Retiring Abroad

In a previous post, I wrote about how the top destinations for medical tourism in the world. Today I stumbled upon another article that ranks the top destinations for retirement.

The ranking was done by International Living, a site specialized in places and tips for people living and retiring abroad. The main factors taken into account for the ranking were real estate prices, cost of living, climate, entertainment, health care, retirement infrastructure and ease of cultural integration.

So, what are these havens for American retirees?

4.- Costa Rica

3.- Mexico

2.- Malasya

1.- Ecuador

Obviously, each of these countries has its pros and cons. Just because Ecuador is number one on the list, it doesn't mean that it's number on in your list. For example, people who don't want to deal with a different local language, will find Malasya a more convenient place to live. Mexico is much closer to the US than any of the other countries, but it's not as cheap as Ecuador. So, it depends entirely on your preferences and needs.

Financial matters are always a big factor. Living in these countries allow Americans to live very comfortably on $2,000US a month. Some spend much less than that, more because of their adaptation to the local culture than because they need to cut down costs.

Also, health care costs are becoming increasingly important in making Americans leave for greener pastures.

Almost 50% of Americans have less than $25,000 in savings at the time of their retirement, and only 45% of them have a pension or a 401k plan. And 33% of retirees receive 90% of their retirement income from social security benefits and this amount is around $15,000 a year. Obviously, for people who are uninsured or underinsured, this is not enough.

Many of these countries have foreign friendly private and public health care systems. For example, in Costa Rica, the cost of private medical insurance is around $100 a month. In Mexico, a foreign retiree can get into the Mexican Social Security system for $350 per year, and after two years, you get full coverage.

Obviously, there are other factors that can influence your decision on whether to spend your golden years abroad. It's not for everyone, that's for sure. But it's a good option for people who are looking for a change, a slower pace, and who like to have some adventure after leaving their jobs.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works. 

The Best Health Care You Can Ever Get and the Health Industry's Most Well-Guarded Secret

Is this what you think doctors are like?

Look at the picture I chose for this article. Unfortunately, many people think this is how many doctors are like. And I understand why people think of them this way.

However, the reality is that doctors are no more evil than any other profession. I'm not going to say that every doctor is a saint, but in reality, almost all doctors choose their profession because of a genuine desire to help people. In addition, being a doctor is far from glamorous. A doctor will frequently have to deal with moral dilemmas and eventually live with the moral consequences of the death of a patient, including guilt and second guessing.

I would say that a doctor's greatest satisfaction is not about getting a sick patient healthy, but to get a patient to behave in a way so that he doesn't get sick again.

The culprit is not the individual doctor, but the corporations that have overtaken health care. As I said before, a corporation's main priority is profit over everything else. Their take on health care is more like this:

The Magical Cure at a Cheap Price?

Like any corporation, they don't want you to be a client now. They want you to be a client forever.

It's the same reason laptops and smart phones don't have batteries that are detachable anymore. When the battery dies, you'll be forced to buy a new one. They want you to buy the laptop now and a laptop in the future. However, this is people's health we're talking about, not a gadget.

Fortunately, the best and cheapest health care is at your disposal.  It's called prevention. If you want a long and healthy life, just follow these steps:

1.- Don't do anything that will shorten your life unnecessarily. Sadly, "doing something stupid" is the number 1 cause of death among American teenagers.

2.- Eat well. You don't need a specific diet. You're an adult and you don't need anyone else to tell you that having pizza and hamburgers everyday is bad for you.

3.- Sleep well. 7 or 8 hours at a minimum.

4.- Exercise.  30 continuous minutes (2 sessions of 15 minutes won't do) or until you break a sweat, 3 times per week. If you can't find time to do exercise, I assure you that your body will take time to be sick.

5.- Avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs.


6.- Be happy. This is the hardest part. Comfort is NOT happiness. You have to find out what happiness means for you and make it happen. Obviously in a responsible way.

This is the best-kept secret of the health care industry. If we all followed these rules, we wouldn't need them as often, we wouldn't have to spend so much money on health care, and the lack of demand would force them to make their prices affordable.

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Robert Ervin is a freelancer who writes about healthcare, medical tourism, and living in Mexico.

If you're considering traveling to Mexico for healthcare or retiring in Mexico, you may want to get yourself a copy of The English's Speaker's Guide to Doctors and Hospitals in Mexico, in order to find a good doctor or hospital in the main towns and cities of Mexico, or The English Speaker's Guide to Medical Care in Mexico, to understand how the Mexican healthcare system works.