Best countries to retire ?

 

https://money.yahoo.com/us-retirement-rankings-195108342.html

My impression after looking at that article is that it's implied that they are mostly talking about citizens retiring in their own country. If you look at retiring abroad lists (expats) the list would look nothing like that and yes, on those lists, Thailand has dropped dramatically in recent years but is still at least in the top 20. 

6 of the top 10,are too cold for me,Iceland No.1

very expensive for alcohol ,that would put a lot

of retirees off,big time.

regards worgeordie 

Iceland, great weather:

 

https://www.allworld.com/iceland/icelandic-weather-by-month/

 

No, you freeze your nuts off.

Cost of living must have been a very low priority.

Could be wrong have traveled to over 30 countries Switzerland (#2 on list) is the most expensive place I have ever been.  Germany seemed very cheap compared to it.

Anyway, doesn't matter I would not want to retire in a western country. 

 

For cost of housing I believe Thailand is still in the top 10, maybe the top 5.

 

 

Thailand has gotten dirty especially the beaches and now the whole experience has changed even cost value . It’s still a great situation but no where near what it once was possibly.


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18 minutes ago, Lumbini said:

Thailand has gotten dirty especially the beaches and now the whole experience has changed even cost value . It’s still a great situation but no where near what it once was possibly.


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youre not wrong  about the beaches, went to Pattaya for 6 weeks, sea water was diabolically dirty, and the exchange rate against major currencies is at a all time low

Retire in your own country where you know where you stand, know what's going on and have friends and family and familiarity all around, or go to some sweatbox and pretend you are happy.

5 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Retire in your own country where you know where you stand, know what's going on and have friends and family and familiarity all around, or go to some sweatbox and pretend you are happy.

Hmm.

Well these are personal decisions but not all popular expat retirement destinations are sweat boxes. I'm considering a move to a region with year round spring like temperatures. 

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Hmm.

Well these are personal decisions but not all popular expat retirement destinations are sweat boxes. I'm considering a move to a region with year round spring like temperatures. 

Same we're not too far off the same page then. Hope it works out. Why anyone would want to grow old and die here is beyond me.

1 hour ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Same we're not too far off the same page then. Hope it works out. Why anyone would want to grow old and die here is beyond me.

there are many things beyond your comprehension.

19 minutes ago, Naam said:

there are many things beyond your comprehension.

Ooohhh, you're soooo edgy!

I think at the core for many who come here in time it becomes apparent your money is wanted here but Thai people do not seem to truly like people from the west . It’s more of a financial need they have for foreigners not a real desire to be with . Even when I see these retired guys with their wives and girlfriends the couples seem far from close and things seem more rooted in she needs money and he needs help and does not want to be alone . So possibly much is missed with this arrangement and a society so in financial needs for foreigners . It’s like something’s missing and when I saw this article and list I felt it had more to do with something more than the weather .

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Retire in your own country where you know where you stand, know what's going on and have friends and family and familiarity all around, or go to some sweatbox and pretend you are happy.

So true and your dollar etc is actually still worth a dollar and your pension is not hitting new lows every month with no end in sight

4 hours ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Retire in your own country where you know where you stand, know what's going on and have friends and family and familiarity all around, or go to some sweatbox and pretend you are happy.

I have a good job, know what is going on, have friends and family and enjoy the weather a lot more than my own country. Don't have to pretend that I am happy. No idea why you guys stay here, go somewhere were you feel better.

Edited September 24, 20196 yr by FritsSikkink

Especially as we get older, what would be needed more than a list of countries to retire is a list of methods to painlessly off oneself. Life was a rotten deal all along if you account for our inborn optimism bias. It gets more rotten with age and it will become sheer hell for all of us at one point. Nowhere to hide from this.

5 hours ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Retire in your own country where you know where you stand, know what's going on and have friends and family and familiarity all around, or go to some sweatbox and pretend you are happy.

retire in your own country if you are poor and the local taxman can't claw 46.5% income tax out of your pocket leaving you to purchase with the remaining amount goods and services with a value added tax of 19%

 

or

 

if you are well-off retire in some sweaty but tax free environment, forget about the taxman, use the tax savings to live in a comfortable fully airconditioned home, don't play golf when it's too hot but play chess or poker with your dogs (watch out they cheat!), drink and eat whatever you like and don't look at price tags.

On 9/24/2019 at 1:26 PM, FritsSikkink said:

...........No idea why you guys stay here, go somewhere were you feel better.

Ain't that the truth.  

 

 

But then again, some people can not be happy unless they are complaining about something.  Anything.  

 

I hope to always be happy and positive about my situation, regardless of what it be........

 

 

 

 

 

YMMV

On 9/24/2019 at 4:42 PM, Lumbini said:

I think at the core for many who come here in time it becomes apparent your money is wanted here but Thai people do not seem to truly like people from the west . It’s more of a financial need they have for foreigners not a real desire to be with . Even when I see these retired guys with their wives and girlfriends the couples seem far from close and things seem more rooted in she needs money and he needs help and does not want to be alone . So possibly much is missed with this arrangement and a society so in financial needs for foreigners . It’s like something’s missing and when I saw this article and list I felt it had more to do with something more than the weather .

 

 

 

A lot depends on where in Thailand you retire.

 

There have been quite a few threads about it over the years and it seems like farangs who live in rural areas are generally happier than those in the big cities. I live in rural Khampaeng Phet and Over the years I have got on well with the Thai people in the small moo ban where I live. The same applies in the big village but less so in KPP itself but I only go up there once a month anyway.

 

Living in a small village you need to be as independent as possible, preferably able speak Thai, reading and writing helps a lot. You learn that what you were used to in the way of farang food and entertainment is not usually available.

 

It helps if you join with other expats in the area for a beer/lunch etc perhaps once a month. Good internet connections help also.

 

Obviously there is a downside where you need something done and there are not always available workers at the time you want stuff done. Patience is a definite virtue at times.