If you need to be close to the USA and are willing to spend more for the familiarity factor, I can't fault Mexico at all. Also if you are beach person, I'd say that's a nicer beach there than here.

 

But Chiang Mai is a lot more expat-easy and cheaper.  You can even get reasonable Mexican food here. Thai food in Mex City was down to that one place with a garden in Zona Roma.

 

I don't know about that specific mall, but the malls there were like here. They even had Mr Donut there too.

Personally, I feel location comes second to the people around you ????

 

Thai people are relaxed,most of the time, my Thai family is are a little more intrusive than my Uk family, but then we all show consideration for others in different ways

 I am happy and comfortable in both environments I don't need to set one off against the other 

 

Wherever I hang my hat......

It's a better place for living, I am not sure if it is when one gets to the pointy end. Cost of private hospitals.

 

When I was flying back and forth from Australia pre-COVID, I could feel myself relaxing as I flew into Chiang Mai. Every time.

 

There is no way I could live as well in Australia as I do here. Just for starters, the cost of rent in Oz would take 50-60% of my age pension. Here, 15% if I still rented.

 

Add in the fact women here are not ball-breakers, and want to keep me happy, what's not to like?

22 hours ago, Don Chance said:

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Quality of Life - U.S. News Best Countries Report 2021

1. Canada
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Finland
9. Germany
10. New Zealand

I don't see the USA or Thailand on that list.. my home country is #1.

 

But I've chosen to live in Thailand for the past 21 years.. and I'm content with my choice.

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It's a better place for living, I am not sure if it is when one gets to the pointy end. Cost of private hospitals.

 

When I was flying back and forth from Australia pre-COVID, I could feel myself relaxing as I flew into Chiang Mai. Every time.

 

There is no way I could live as well in Australia as I do here. Just for starters, the cost of rent in Oz would take 50-60% of my age pension. Here, 15% if I still rented.

 

Add in the fact women here are not ball-breakers, and want to keep me happy, what's not to like?

After every time plane wheels touched land at Heathrow I could hardly wait till the next time they lifted off. When wheels touched down at Swampy I was so happy.

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

After every time plane wheels touched land at Heathrow I could hardly wait till the next time they lifted off. When wheels touched down at Swampy I was so happy.

This is the sign of a true expat my son, you have reached the very top tier of understanding and will be rewarded handsomely in the next life.

11 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

After every time plane wheels touched land at Heathrow I could hardly wait till the next time they lifted off. When wheels touched down at Swampy I was so happy.

Every time the wheels touched down at Heathrow, I knew it wouldn't be long before I was enjoying fish and chips, home cooked spag bol, Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausage, eat all you can chinese with my friends, visiting my family, and filling up the bank account again ????

11 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Every time the wheels touched down at Heathrow, I knew it wouldn't be long before I was enjoying fish and chips, home cooked spag bol, Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausage, eat all you can chinese with my friends, visiting my family, and filling up the bank account again ????

Pies, bread, butter and cheese for me! 

For me it's 50 / 50

 

My home city in the UK was voted the most beautiful city in the world, with Venice second....which was a shock to me!  

 

I have lived in Thailand over 20 years full time.  Never went back to UK.  However, due to family things I have had to go back 3 times over last 2 years and, to be honest, I was amazed how much I enjoyed it back there....so much so I'm thinking of moving back.  The food is much better than 20 years ago, the cost of farang food is cheaper...so are toiletries and cosmetics, services are better quality, and there is no confusion when talking to people.  

 

 

Here in Thailand the main reason I am staying is cost of living.  No council tax, no crazy electronic or gas prices, and eating Thai food is so cheap. I can have a big house with nice big garden..and swimming pool too!  

 

But I feel bored here now.  Much of the magic and novelty of the place has worn off.  I find the weather too hot, and my social circle has shrunk over the years.  The beautiful rural village I live in has become overdevelop with housing and too much traffic, with no protection for the countryside or nature....and too much NOISE from parties.

 

Also, I hate doing the visas and paperwork...even though it's quite easy, it makes me feel  insecure..like if anything went wrong there would be a lot of inconvenience and stress....I also hate the corruption here.

 

So I am on the fence at the moment. 

 

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

For me it's 50 / 50

 

My home city in the UK was voted the most beautiful city in the world, with Venice second....which was a shock to me!  

 

I have lived in Thailand over 20 years full time.  Never went back to UK.  However, due to family things I have had to go back 3 times over last 2 years and, to be honest, I was amazed how much I enjoyed it back there....so much so I'm thinking of moving back.  The food is much better than 20 years ago, the cost of farang food is cheaper...so are toiletries and cosmetics, services are better quality, and there is no confusion when talking to people.  

 

 

Here in Thailand the main reason I am staying is cost of living.  No council tax, no crazy electronic or gas prices, and eating Thai food is so cheap. I can have a big house with nice big garden..and swimming pool too!  

 

But I feel bored here now.  Much of the magic and novelty of the place has worn off.  I find the weather too hot, and my social circle has shrunk over the years.  The beautiful rural village I live in has become overdevelop with housing and too much traffic, with no protection for the countryside or nature....and too much NOISE from parties.

 

Also, I hate doing the visas and paperwork...even though it's quite easy, it makes me feel  insecure..like if anything went wrong there would be a lot of inconvenience and stress....I also hate the corruption here.

 

So I am on the fence at the moment. 

 

Agree about the heat. March/April wish I wasn't here. Ants, mosquitos plus other insects are a nuisance. Fortunately, only once has an insect bite/sting become infected. Caused a hole in my leg which needed iodine dressings and tablets. Very painful at the time. 

23 hours ago, Don Chance said:

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Quality of Life - U.S. News Best Countries Report 2021

1. CanadaOnly
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Finland
9. Germany
10. New Zealand

Only 3 countries on that list that I'd consider: Australia, Canada and  New Zealand.

 

Worst decision of my life might have been to leave Australia.

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I wish I could learn the art of not thinking too much.

Yes -- it's a tough one because there is no supplement you can take for that.

19 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Is that why there are so many tailors in farang/tourist areas? 

No that is because they are possibly alcoholics or are running away from the life they had before which will never work out good.

53 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

This is the sign of a true expat my son, you have reached the very top tier of understanding and will be rewarded handsomely in the next life.

Thank you for that. I'm certainly not being rewarded in this life.

34 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

For me it's 50 / 50

 

My home city in the UK was voted the most beautiful city in the world, with Venice second....which was a shock to me!  

 

I have lived in Thailand over 20 years full time.  Never went back to UK.  However, due to family things I have had to go back 3 times over last 2 years and, to be honest, I was amazed how much I enjoyed it back there....so much so I'm thinking of moving back.  The food is much better than 20 years ago, the cost of farang food is cheaper...so are toiletries and cosmetics, services are better quality, and there is no confusion when talking to people.  

 

 

Here in Thailand the main reason I am staying is cost of living.  No council tax, no crazy electronic or gas prices, and eating Thai food is so cheap. I can have a big house with nice big garden..and swimming pool too!  

 

But I feel bored here now.  Much of the magic and novelty of the place has worn off.  I find the weather too hot, and my social circle has shrunk over the years.  The beautiful rural village I live in has become overdevelop with housing and too much traffic, with no protection for the countryside or nature....and too much NOISE from parties.

 

Also, I hate doing the visas and paperwork...even though it's quite easy, it makes me feel  insecure..like if anything went wrong there would be a lot of inconvenience and stress....I also hate the corruption here.

 

So I am on the fence at the moment. 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like you need to move somewhere else in LOS. No need to live in same place for ever, and every new place is like a lucky dip as to what you discover.

 

What time of year did you visit the UK? Winter is no fun.

23 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Only 3 countries on that list that I'd consider: Australia, Canada and  New Zealand.

 

Worst decision of my life might have been to leave Australia.

Loads of Kiwis are not moving to Oz because NZ is so great.

If I was still working I'd be there myself.

20 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sounds like you need to move somewhere else in LOS. No need to live in same place for ever, and every new place is like a lucky dip as to what you discover.

 

What time of year did you visit the UK? Winter is no fun.

Maybe you are right. I have toyed with the idea is renting a place in a different area for a few months to see if that helps my decision.

 

I went back to the UK in winter 2X and spring once.  I feel that I can cope with the cold in the uk better than the hot season we get in CM, especially if I can sit near a nice log burner or real fire in a cozy pub ????

5 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

My home city in the UK was voted the most beautiful city in the world, with Venice second....which was a shock to me!  

York?

2 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

York?

Nope. Chester 

11 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Nope. Chester 

Chester is a very nice city, but I was thinking it might be my home city - Stoke.

On 11/10/2022 at 12:39 PM, Maha Sarakham said:

I feel that way also.  Thailand is an excellent vacation destination (value for money) and can also be a great retirement destination for affordability, though I often prefer the calm of our life in the US.  Thailand has a unique attraction to it, but it can also wear on your nerves if you let all the small things get to you.  

I did find towards the end, stupid stuff began to grate on me.

 

I did realize that early retirement just didn't work for me. Too much idle time without the opportunity to volunteer my time was too much for me.

 

I did spend too much time online and the nonsense of Thailand kinda overwhelmed me.

 

When our son moved to the US to college and said he wasn't coming back, Momma Bear's determination to follow him, sorta gave me a 'Get out of Jail' card

14 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Maybe you are right. I have toyed with the idea is renting a place in a different area for a few months to see if that helps my decision.

 

I went back to the UK in winter 2X and spring once.  I feel that I can cope with the cold in the uk better than the hot season we get in CM, especially if I can sit near a nice log burner or real fire in a cozy pub ????

I hear it's hard to find a real pub any more. All gone corporate apparently.

 

Thai beaches are nice all year with the sea breeze. Don't even need AC.

7 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Nope. Chester 

I've been to Chester, but I wouldn't have thought it the most beautiful in the world.

 

I don't think any city is beautiful as too many people.

I did love the Cotswold villages though. They really are beautiful.

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've been to Chester, but I wouldn't have thought it the most beautiful in the world.

 

I don't think any city is beautiful as too many people.

I did love the Cotswold villages though. They really are beautiful.

Ok, so this is where the American Anglophile is gonna chime in.

 

The hidden treasure in your country is Herefordshire.

 

I spent a couple of idyllic summers there.

 

It's off the beaten path, beautiful scenery, Hereford itself is wonderful and the surrounding market towns are sublime.

 

I've cherished my memories of my time there and have retained many friends from my travels

I'm half-English and lived in Suffolk for 8 years, so call me an American anglophobe.

 

Chester is indeed unique for having the doubled-floored high street. I'd put it in the hidden gem category, not in the top 5. England has the biggest number of beautiful places in the smallest space of anywhere in the world. No way is Chester at the level of a Cornwall or a Bath.

 

I def. don't miss England. If you're spending dollars, it's like being forced to eat out of a very expensive minibar hotel menu, all of the time. And they can't even fry French fries to anything more well done than off-white.

I love Thailand. It's still paradise for me. I just wish I would have been a lot smarter financially.

4 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I'm half-English and lived in Suffolk for 8 years, so call me an American anglophobe.

 

Chester is indeed unique for having the doubled-floored high street. I'd put it in the hidden gem category, not in the top 5. England has the biggest number of beautiful places in the smallest space of anywhere in the world. No way is Chester at the level of a Cornwall or a Bath.

 

I def. don't miss England. If you're spending dollars, it's like being forced to eat out of a very expensive minibar hotel menu, all of the time. And they can't even fry French fries to anything more well done than off-white.

They are chips in England, not silly French fries.

I hated the way takeaways cooked a load of food and let it get cold before selling it. Only got hot chips if came in after they just cooked them.

Proper takeaways are cooked while you wait.

On 11/10/2022 at 11:22 AM, 473geo said:

I guess it depends if you think a mind trained 'not to think too much' is a healthy mind 

However the environment created by such can give an overall relaxed appearance ????

Thank you for a very wise response. Another aspect I relaxed about living here is that Thai people in the main are not judgemental.

It depends what a person can accept living in a place.  Some things would concern and bother a person, some won’t.
I have have lived in Bangkok for almost three years now.  The only reason I came here to experience living overseas.  It was easy for me to get a yearly visa. I did not move here for financial reasons or health insurance reasons.  Income and insurance are not an issue for me. And I did not move here because I disliked my own country. 
Personally I don’t like living here. I can live a better life in the states.  I just don’t like the overall environment.  Without going into great detail. 
    Yes the West has many issues.  But so does Thailand.  And a persons life is based on what they have accomplished.  Not their country. When I was younger,  I didn’t have much money.  But I adjusted my life and improved myself.  My country didn’t stop me.  
I will be moving back to the states by the middle of next year. 

In my opinion: Yes...