Thailand among the top 10 countries for expats

[mikeymike100]

Ive worked in Indonesia, Jakarta, also Taiwan, Taipei and Dubai.

 

Jakarta for an expat is pretty good, depending on the company, but most get accommodation, car and driver etc. They have pretty much everything, shopping malls, bars, restaurants. But hospitals are not good and medicine is expensive.

Bali is good for a vacation as many Australians will vouch for.

 

Taiwan at #3 baffles me. Very very few people speak English, except in the good hotels. So its extremely difficult to even go shopping, eating in restaurants,  never mind getting Taxis etc. Its very expensive, for just about everything, food clothes.

So for a vacation its strange its on the list at all?

 

Dubai as an expat is OK, tax free salary, shopping is great, same restaurants etc, can buy alcohol if you are a resident and have a card. But its a Muslim country so have to be a bit careful, not to run foul of the laws.

 

 

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, phukettrader said:

Hardly surprising seeing as NZ is now a fascist dictatorship under that horse face woman.

Princess Anne moved to NZ?? ????

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Archie Baker said:

Absolutely correct Portugal is the no.1 place to be. Look at surveys by the professionals who deal with retirement. 

 

Thailand was safe and cheap but not any more. 

If you take away the dangerous road behaviour then Thailand is very safe.

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

So in your eyes, retirees living on their pensions are low class.

Shallow as a mud puddle.

Doesn't matter the class or financial status, you'll find that an overwhelming percentage of resident expats [everywhere] are of the miserable sod varieties. Keen observations from decades of experience and exposure. 

[ujayujay]

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

UAE is #6 ?

What the , , ,  ?

 

 

Did you ever been there????

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, gargamon said:

Mexico #1? Ha. I would have retired there 25 years ago but the drug cartels and the associated violence killed that(pun intended). I don't think much has changed. 

Recent news articles indicate that California millennials are moving to Mexico, driving up rents and property prices, demanding service in their own language, and ghettoizing several historical neighborhoods. I used to want to go to Mexico, too. Still would consider Cuernavaca and Aguascalientes but for the influx of corporate and digital nomads. Now, who's going to Russia at number 17?

Edited August 8, 2022 by John Drake

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, wpcoe said:

Mexico is still fairly economical.

Is it the case that you only need $1000 per month from Social Security to get permanent residence in Mexico?

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, gearbox said:

The survey mostly targets people working in foreign countries in senior positions, not low class retirees living on welfare.

Where are retirees living outside their own countries eligible for welfare?

[wpcoe]

4 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Is it the case that you only need $1000 per month from Social Security to get permanent residence in Mexico?

No, the amount of income is above $4,000/month currently to qualify for a "Residente Permanente" card.  When I got mine in 2019, it was around $2,800/month.

[John Drake]

Just now, wpcoe said:

No, the amount of income is above $4,000/month currently to qualify for a "Residente Permanente" card.  When I got mine in 2019, it was around $2,800/month.

I looked several years (14) ago and I thought it was $1000. Could easily have been wrong. I think Mexico is a good place to live.

[userabcd]

7 hours ago, gargamon said:

Mexico #1? Ha. I would have retired there 25 years ago but the drug cartels and the associated violence killed that(pun intended). I don't think much has changed. 

If one was not involved in or seeking out the drug trade then it is doubtful that one would even encounter anything to do with cartels or violence.

 

Mexico is a big country and there are many unique, interesting and safe places to live for an expat and there are thousands from all over the world who have retired there.

 

 

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is among the 10 best countries for expats,

Very subjective.

[Millcx]

Only till the find out they are cannon Fodder

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, gearbox said:

Meh..I haven't defined and shaped up myself today's divided class based society.

 

https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/where-do-i-fall-in-the-american-economic-class-system

Back in Australia, I was a member of a very highly rated and very expensive golf club.

I rubbed shoulders with millionaires, some multi. Frequently took their money in matches. One of the good things about golf is money can't buy championships.

 

They broadly fell into two types. Old money, treated everyone with courtesy, had class. New money, kept rabbiting on about their latest possessions, treated people they considered below them and the club staff like garbage. Most of the time, I avoided playing with them.

 

Perhaps you can see where I am going with this.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Where are retirees living outside their own countries eligible for welfare?

Government pensions are classed as welfare. Most Western countries allow portability.

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

A lot of these countries I would not like to retire in. Thailand and Taiwan are my first choice. But with China ready to expand it's borders I think I will just stay in Thailand.

I agree. Of all the countries where I have lived and worked Thailand, where I have lived in retirement since 1993 having first visited in 1960, and Taiwan would be my 2 top choices.

[John Drake]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Government pensions are classed as welfare. Most Western countries allow portability.

I'll take your word for it. But I always thought of welfare as something that was means tested. Thus Medicaid would be welfare, but Medicare would not. But okay.

[Wrwest]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Agree, and goes with all these silly surveys.  But at least TH isn't #1, or top 5.

 

Prior to and after retirement, my 'research', and more about cost & visa ease, and I was leaning toward Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Czech Rep, though not in any order. 

 

That's if leaving the USA, and FL was top / only choice, due to RE, tax, beaches, and familiarity of the state.  Hurricane season was the deciding negative factor.

 

No regrets with TH as choice, though ??? if I'd repeat.  Relative to RE pricing in 2000, so irrelevant.  If much younger I might change locations, but not at 67 years old, and quite settled here, with new house, and very happy.

I had looked at Mexico, Panama, Ecuador as closer to the U.S. and due to some language knowledge. I also considered the Philippines and Thailand. Cost of living, access to world class medical care (heart patient) … and Buddhist in my outlook. Ok, ok, and the allure of the traditional Thai culture/Thai female cinched the decision at age 64 1/2. Here for over a decade, settled with Thai wife and very happy with my decision. 

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, John Drake said:

I'll take your word for it. But I always thought of welfare as something that was means tested. Thus Medicaid would be welfare, but Medicare would not. But okay.

I don't know how it works in other countries. Most government pensions in Australia are means tested, and reduced according to assets and income, cutting out entirely at the decreed threshold.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

Doesn't matter the class or financial status, you'll find that an overwhelming percentage of resident expats [everywhere] are of the miserable sod varieties. Keen observations from decades of experience and exposure. 

I must be an exception, I enjoy life here. Excuse me while I go for a swim.

[gearbox]

2 hours ago, BE88 said:

Australia right after Thailand, then will Australians have to consider returning to their country?

 

Is Australia now also interesting for expats?

It is... depending who employs you. I knew an UK expat in executive position, Sydney Harbour house rent paid for by the company, other perks, total cost to the company nearly a million per year. From his point of view a great place to be in.

 

For the retirees going back it would be massive increase of the cost of living, and massive decrease of the living standards.

[Wrwest]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Government pensions are classed as welfare. Most Western countries allow portability.

Whether an “earned benefit” or “government entitlement” still rankles in the USA. Many of us in the retired working middle class, with justification, differentiate between a retirement benefit we and our employers paid into all our working lives and “welfare” being the social net not requiring paid into to receive benefits. Your classification certainly is not universal to all government budget categories.

[gearbox]

9 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I'll take your word for it. But I always thought of welfare as something that was means tested. Thus Medicaid would be welfare, but Medicare would not. But okay.

The Australian old age pension is means tested. However you don't need a single day of work in order to be eligible. Just turn up at Centrelink and ask for it. As long as one is below the assets threshold the pension is granted.

[Hummin]

5 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Unfortunately only one side of the coin.

Where is the safety aspect?

Crime?

Violence?

Road safety

Corruption?

For me, Thailand's rank would be just in the middle over all.

And it's true. The best country is Portugal. After selling my/our house here I'll move there.,????

 

 

 

What nationality do you have? And may I ask your living budget and also budget for investing in Portugal?

[Hummin]

4 hours ago, bendejo said:

UAE is #6 ?

What the , , ,  ?

 

 

One of the last options I have on my list. Just the heat there is way off my comfort zone, and being an outdor person, no way

[malibukid]

49 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Government pensions are classed as welfare. Most Western countries allow portability.

in America the Social Security system is not technically welfare.  please read.  you pay into the system during your working career. its than invested by the government and you must be 60 years of age before you can qualify.  not sure how it works in other countries like the EU or UK?  i have heard that in the Nordic countries you get free everything even if you don't work?  money for nothing and girls for free, i could be wrong?

Edited August 8, 2022 by malibukid

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, malibukid said:

in America the Social Security system is not technically welfare.  please read.  you pay into during your working career. its than invested by the government and you must be 60 years of age before you can qualify.  

I thought for most countries it is not welfare as you say, but some countries require a minimum years of living in the country before being able to export your pension to another country. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, phukettrader said:

......under that horse face woman.

Neigh, Surely not......

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

Is it the case that you only need $1000 per month from Social Security to get permanent residence in Mexico?

What puts me off is having to dive off a cliff into the sea just to get too the beach.......????

[StayinThailand2much]

4 hours ago, Lacessit said:

So in your eyes, retirees living on their pensions are low class.

Many Thais seem to think so...