Prime Time Living 6.18.25 - Flipbook - Page 25
A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, June 18, 2025 25
Retirement abroad, continued from page 15
in a sleepy fishing village, a thriving
beach resort, a mountain retreat, or in
the heart of vibrant Lisbon – where the
restaurants, museums, and attractions
rival anything else in Europe.
Driving the length of Malaysia takes just
six hours; it’s not a big country. And
living in Malaysia means you have the
perfect base for exploring Southeast
Asia. Low-cost flights throughout the
region mean a weekend in Vietnam or
Borneo is easy.
#6 Spain: Beaches…mountains…
fabulous cities…cracking festivals and,
of course, guaranteed sunshine. It’s not
surprising that Spain is the most popular
country for Europeans seeking a home
overseas. Away from the tourist trail and
the hordes of holidaymakers, there are
incredibly beautiful beaches, calm seas,
pretty countryside, and small historic
towns just waiting to be explored.
You’ll also find a lively, outgoing lifestyle and some of the best food and
wine around. In Spain, life is meant to be
enjoyed, and hanging out is an art. And,
even better, it all comes at an affordable price: Spain has one of the lowest
costs of living in Europe. So, if you’ve
ever dreamed of a romantic, affordable
European lifestyle, take a look at Spain.
#5 France: Imagine relaxing in the
garden of your own French home, a
pretty stone cottage set among
orchards, vineyards, and flowery meadows. Freshly baked baguettes, a ripe
Camembert cheese, a tangy ratatouille
of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant –
and don’t forget to add those deliciously
plump black olives straight from the
stallholder’s barrel.
And France is more affordable than
you think … if you know where to look.
The trickiest thing will be deciding which
bit of France holds the most allure for
you. It could be the wild, rocky shores of
Celtic Brittany, steeped in heritage and
tradition … or sun-drenched Provence,
with its rolling hills and lavender fields,
broken by the turquoise sea of the Côte
d’Azur … or the castles and sleepy
villages of medieval holdings in the
Dordogne…
#4 Mexico: Just across the border from the U.S., Mexico is “closer
than ever” – that’s a motto used by
the Mexican Tourism Association – and
as many expats are choosing to live
in Mexico, we couldn’t agree more.
Thanks to Mexico’s large size and varied geography, those moving here have
so many choices … little silver-mining
towns where the winding streets seem to
head up to the clouds … fishing villages
where you can rise at dawn to buy the
day’s catch fresh from returning fishermen … beach towns where the sound of
surf and the tang of salt water linger in
the air … and cosmopolitan cities.
Wherever you go in Mexico, the people will charm you, the natural beauty
will seduce you, and the remarkably
affordable cost of living will entice you
to stay.
#3 Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s fame as
a retiree destination is richly deserved.
Expats are attracted to Costa Rica for
numerous reasons, which include the
low cost of living, excellent health care,
modern telecommunications structure,
beautiful beaches, rainforests, lush valleys, and cool mountains … not to mention the theaters, art galleries, and fine
dining. The U.S State Department estimates that “approximately 100,000 private American citizens, including many
retirees, reside in the country and more
than a million American citizens visit
Costa Rica annually.”
You’ll find the tropics along the Pacific
and Caribbean Coasts, while most of the
Central Valley is cool and breezy. If you
find it difficult to choose which climate
you prefer, you will be glad to know that
the mild temperatures of the Central
Valley are just two hours by car from the
tropical beaches of the Pacific Coast.
#2 Portugal: When you imagine
old Europe – those cobblestone alleys,
medieval town walls, crenelated castles
on hilltops, all sound tracked by the toll
of church bells … Portugal delivers. Not
in a touristy, contrived way, but as the
standard day-to-day life of the country. It
exudes history, beauty, and slow-paced
living. Expats report that their expenses
here run to about one-third of what they
were in the U.S.
There are many selling points for
those who do live, or those intending to
live here: the nearly flawless weather;
the abundance of golf and water sports
(the country’s entire west coast looks
to the Atlantic); superb and abundant
fresh food (king-pinned by the fresh fish
brought in daily by fishermen up and
down the 350-mile stretch of coastline).
Living in Portugal gives you an abundance of choices: you can base yourself
#1 Panama: Panama is far more
developed and modern than most people anticipate. The truth is, a move to
Panama doesn’t mean a move away
from the First World. Panama offers
First-World convenience at Central
American prices – you can still take a
taxi across town for a few dollars, see
the latest blockbuster film for about $6,
get a trim at the barbershop for $5 … or
have a main course and glass of wine at
one of the city’s innumerable restaurants
for $20. Here you can find the luxuries
and amenities that you would hope for
anywhere else and can even afford more
of them due to Panama’s low cost of
living.
Another big draw is the country’s
famed Pensionado Program, which offers
easy residence to expats with pensions.
Pensioners with residence in Panama –
whether foreign or Panamanian – also
receive hefty discounts on living expenses.
Then there’s the cost of living.
Panama is not the cheapest country
in the region, but your dollar will still
stretch further than it does up north. If
you daydream about sunshine, tropical
beaches, and welcoming locals, then
Panama may be for you. A couple can
live well here for $2,500 a month or less,
including rent.
Where to Choose?
These will give you a good start if
you are serious about living outside the
United States. You should narrow the
list and then go and visit. See if you feel
comfortable. In most countries, visitors are welcome and greeted warmly.
It’s easy to make friends and get local
recommendations for all kinds of things:
restaurants, repair people, whatever you
need. You should know that most countries will welcome you, but don’t forget
to do your due diligence.
Happy hunting.
