Bargain Seeking Seniors Are Leaving the USA for Retirement Havens Overseas

More and more seniors are choosing to leave the United States for their retirement years. Some of this has to do with economics. Other seniors are just looking for a change of scenery. Seniors on fixed retirement incomes are finding that their money goes much farther living in foreign countries. The Internet has contributed to this exodus by giving retirees more options and more information on foreign countries. Never before in history has so much free information been available at the touch of a finger.

Some seniors are finding it hard to live in the United States on their pensions. Costs in the US for housing and medical care keep rising faster than fixed pensions can keep up with. Taxes keep rising, and seniors just can't afford them anymore. So they sell their homes, and look elsewhere for cheaper living. Florida used to be a haven for retirees, but now costs are rising there also. What can a senior do? They can look at places like Mexico, Central America and South America. Others find places like the Philippines and Thailand to their liking. Europe also has some cheaper havens for US retirees to enjoy.

Pension money lasts a lot longer, for instance, in Mexico. Seniors living there like the climate and living costs are much cheaper. They are finding that Mexican doctors and dentists have trained in the United States and give excellent medical care at lower costs. Mexico is close enough to the United States that seniors can travel back to see their loved ones occasionally. The food is good there. There is history, architecture and culture in Mexico that Americans find appealing. Some just like the laid-back lifestyle.

There is a large group of about 60,000 Americans living around the Lake Chapala region of Mexico. They enjoy an active lifestyle of golf and socializing there. Gardening and household help is cheap there and makes it easier on seniors. The food is fresher and cheaper. It is picked daily and contains fewer harmful chemicals to ingest.

Many retirees have discovered Panama in the last few years and find that it is to their liking. Again, the dollar goes much farther there. Some find that they enjoy the city life in Panama City. Some like living in quiet havens on the ocean. Others find the cooler climate of the mountains to their liking. Of course it does help to know Spanish. The people are friendly. Crime is low. The US dollar is the official currency of Panama and this makes the transition easier. Flights leave often to Miami and are only 2 1/2 hours. Many retired people enjoy living in Panama.

Many of the countries in South America are cheaper than living in the United States. You can live in the mountains or you can live by the sea. Bargains can be found for condos and homes and rentals depending on your budget. Again, many of the doctors and dentists are US trained. The less adventuresome folks tend to stay near the cities. There are accommodations for all types of budgets.

Moving on to Asia, retirees have discovered, Thailand and the Philippines, to be ideal. Medical help is available. The cost of living is quite reasonable. You can live quite comfortably on a few thousand dollars monthly, and that includes household help. The only drawback to living there, is the distance back to the United States. Some like it there while others return back to the United States.

Retirees are also finding inexpensive living in Spain, Italy and Greece. They find the culture and the people of these countries to be quite enjoyable. Again, some like the cities, while others prefer the countryside.

For a retiree the options for overseas living are numerous. The cost of living is cheaper. Good medical care is available. People have lots of choices nowadays. You can find your little retirement haven in many places besides the USA. Some retirees live quite well for $1000 a month in these places.