Alternative retirement locations

[noobexpat]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Does it?

I've only been there as a tourist.

Never went apartment hunting. 

My impression is that the conditions vary widely based on the neighborhood and there are tons of different neighborhoods. 

 

Easy to get a feel for what the country offers if you scan through airbnb.

 

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, noobexpat said:

 

Easy to get a feel for what the country offers if you scan through airbnb.

 

That's a good point or you can search online there for regular rentals. I have done that for some Mexican cities and yeah there is a lot of funky stuff. On the other hand there are newly built areas in places like Queretaro and suburbs of very modern housing. Obviously if you live in a very old neighborhood there is going to be a lot of outdated housing.

 

Back to Mexico City and I think he just scratched the surface of decent options for gringos there. Like any big city there are also plenty of bad options. 

 

 

An example of going deeper.

 

 

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

About the question of why retirees would move to a megacity Manilla is a perfect example. It has certain very desirable districts like BGC and many retirees want to be in or near Manila for such modern westernized amenities and more importantly HEALTH CARE. Manila is where you find the best health care in a country with mostly substandard health care. Some choose places within a few hours drive of Manila for the same reasons. Places like Tagaytay and Cavite province.

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[uttradit]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

About the question of why retirees would move to a megacity Manilla is a perfect example. It has certain very desirable districts like BGC and many retirees want to be in or near Manila for such modern westernized amenities and more importantly HEALTH CARE. Manila is where you find the best health care in a country with mostly substandard health care. Some choose places within a few hours drive of Manila for the same reasons. Places like Tagaytay and Cavite province.

Sounds amazing. Bad food, crime but a hospital to fix the stab wounds and food poisoning.

[GypsyT]

11 hours ago, uttradit said:

Manilla better than Chiang Mai what nonsense.

CM 115   https://www.aqi.in/us/dashboard/thailand/chiang-mai

Manila  25

 

- CM beats Manila hand down....

 

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, uttradit said:

Sounds amazing. Bad food, crime but a hospital to fix the stab wounds and food poisoning.

Have fun sniping.

 

I will add that if I was moving to.the Phillipines I would not choose Manila but just explained why many foreigners do.

 

If I was on.a very low budget I might consider a striking distance place like Trece Marteres Cavite where liveable rentals are available for 100 dollars a month.

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

CM 115   https://www.aqi.in/us/dashboard/thailand/chiang-mai

Manila  25

 

- CM beats Manila hand down....

 

This topic is about alternatives to Thailand. 

[georgegeorgia]

Duamagette I saw is now not cheap because of the influx of foreigners 

 

But still one place I would consider 

 

Any entrepreneurs out and about , Duamagette will be the next foreigners retirement place 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Duamagette I saw is now not cheap because of the influx of foreigners 

 

But still one place I would consider 

 

Any entrepreneurs out and about , Duamagette will be the next foreigners retirement place 

I agree that Dumaguette will remain popular but I haven't seen any indication yet that it will soon become overly unaffordable. 

[georgegeorgia]

24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I agree that Dumaguette will remain popular but I haven't seen any indication yet that it will soon become overly unaffordable. 

Well according to the YouTubers in Duamagette

I want to go there but afraid it maybe boring 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Well according to the YouTubers in Duamagette

I want to go there but afraid it maybe boring 

Funny I watched some of them too and haven't heard that it's become unaffordable. Prices go up everywhere. Of course it's relative to each person's budget. No 100 dollar decent rentals like in Cavite that's for sure.

As far as boring, I visited there many years ago and it was already being touted as one of the top retired expat destinations in the Philippines and I certainly DID find it boring but I know a lot has changed there and I'm certain it's at least LESS boring than it was.

I guess if not boring is a top priority Cebu City or Davao City would be better.

 

Of course many expats live in adjacent less urban Valencia which I also visited and definitely liked but you need a motorbike to live there so that's not for me. 

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[JimTripper]

14 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Well according to the YouTubers in Duamagette

I want to go there but afraid it maybe boring 

Some of of those vloggers there only say positive stuff, only interview people that seem happy and positive. You don't get a realistic view of the place because they don't interview people who make them feel like they chose the wrong location. Also, people would unsubscribe because they are feeding a dream mostly to guys stuck in the USA. I almost never see someone saying the place sucks on a vlog, except for the 'vlogging a dead horse guy' who seems honest. The guy who was attacked on soi pothole.

 

I talked to a guy on Jomtein Beach who went to philippines after hearing about it and he gave a thumbs down to Philippines. He said Bali would be his target location in the area.

Edited February 4 by JimTripper

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Some of of those vloggers there only say positive stuff, only interview people that seem happy and positive. You don't get a realistic view of the place because they don't interview who make them feel like they chose the wrong location. Also, people would unsubscribe because they are feeding a dream mostly to guys stuck in the USA. I almost never see someone saying the place sucks on a vlog.

 

I talked to a guy on Jomtein Beach who went to philippines after hearing about it and he gave a thumbs down to Philippines. He said Bali would be his target location in the area.

Some do. Some don't. Plenty of expat youtubers there talk about the dark side of it all the time.

Obviously the Philippines or anyplace else isn't to everyone's tastes and needs and of course so much depends on exactly where you end of living in a new country.

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[GypsyT]

Dumaguete weather by Weather Spark;

 

50% Miserable, rest of the time Oppressive.

 

Otherwise very interesting place.

 

https://weatherspark.com/y/139283/Average-Weather-in-Dumaguete-Philippines-Year-Round

 

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Dumaguete weather by Weather Spark;

 

50% Miserable, rest of the time Oppressive.

 

Otherwise very interesting place.

 

https://weatherspark.com/y/139283/Average-Weather-in-Dumaguete-Philippines-Year-Round

 

A reason that Baguio City is interesting. 

[uttradit]

Only way to tell is go there, stay there for 3 weeks or more. Youtubers don't present an accurate view.

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, uttradit said:

Only way to tell is go there, stay there for 3 weeks or more. Youtubers don't present an accurate view.

Of course, that's obvious, it's always wise to do exploratory trips.

What I think youtube is extremely good for is helping people eliminate possibilities so that when people do do exploratory trips, there are better odds that they'll like the place. 

What I simply mean is that you watch a bunch of "walk around" videos of a particular city, you at least have some rough idea of the look and feel of a place, if not the smell. Not foolproof but what is, and we all have limited resources in money and time. That can also work the other way. Say there is a place you have ruled out but then you look into it on youtube and find clues that you might actually like it. 

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[uttradit]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Of course, that's obvious, it's always wise to do exploratory trips.

What I think youtube is extremely good for is helping people eliminate possibilities so that when people do do exploratory trips, there are better odds that they'll like the place. 

What I simply mean is that you watch a bunch of "walk around" videos of a particular city, you at least have some rough idea of the feel of a place, if not the smell. Not foolproof but what is, and we all have limited resources in money and time.

As a first filter yes then hire a car and hit your target cities.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, uttradit said:

As a first filter yes then hire a car and hit your target cities.

Sure there a lot of filters people can use and BTW there are usually driving around videos as well.

As far as filters, I always suggest the visa filter first.

So many fools spend time and mony exploring countries for expatriation that they can't possibly live in. 

It's great visiting countries only for travel and tourism, but if you're traveling to explore expatriation options, it's really dumb not to be focused on REAL possibilities.

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[uttradit]

13 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sure there a lot of filters people can use and BTW there are usually driving around videos as well.

As far as filters, I always suggest the visa filter first.

So many fools spend time and mony exploring countries for expatriation that they can't possibly live in. 

It's great visiting countries only for travel and tourism, but if you're traveling to explore expatriation options, it's really dumb not to be focused on REAL possibilities.

Totally agree. Visa is no 1. Essential needs and wants no 2 and that varies for individual. No 3 complimentary factors.

 

Like if someone has lung issues northern Thailand and Bangkok should be eliminated.

 

Cambodia has a good visa. Issues for me would be food and cleaniless.

 

The places that tick my boxes would be Phuket 1985 version or Chiang Mai no pollution.

[Jingthing]

45 minutes ago, uttradit said:

Totally agree. Visa is no 1. Essential needs and wants no 2 and that varies for individual. No 3 complimentary factors.

 

Like if someone has lung issues northern Thailand and Bangkok should be eliminated.

 

Cambodia has a good visa. Issues for me would be food and cleaniless.

 

The places that tick my boxes would be Phuket 1985 version or Chiang Mai no pollution.

Yeah I would have moved to CM but the smoke issue nixed it.

To me I the biggest negative for Cambodia is health care.

[JimTripper]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Of course, that's obvious, it's always wise to do exploratory trips.

What I think youtube is extremely good for is helping people eliminate possibilities so that when people do do exploratory trips, there are better odds that they'll like the place. 

What I simply mean is that you watch a bunch of "walk around" videos of a particular city, you at least have some rough idea of the look and feel of a place, if not the smell. Not foolproof but what is, and we all have limited resources in money and time. That can also work the other way. Say there is a place you have ruled out but then you look into it on youtube and find clues that you might actually like it. 

I can tell the philippines is not for me without even visiting. I never bothered to make that test trip.

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I can tell the philippines is not for me without even visiting. I never bothered to make that test trip.

OK!

It's never been my first choice which I did determined after visiting there but I think that I could live there.

 

Edited February 4 by Jingthing

[Tiber]

Wherever you live over there, aging and ill health come hand in hand. With cancer now estimated to catch one in two individuals in their lifetimes its a galling thought

 

Was so happy there, used to go to Calcutta there in India for check ups every couple of years, until  I got caught out.  Came back to UK poste haste for treatment, not poss. there, too expensive and not much good, would have been stage three or four if no check up, before realisation took hold, too late

 

Now treated, and cancer supposedly checked thinking of return, but only thinking, love to return

[georgegeorgia]

On 2/5/2024 at 3:28 AM, Tiber said:

Wherever you live over there, aging and ill health come hand in hand. With cancer now estimated to catch one in two individuals in their lifetimes its a galling thought

 

Was so happy there, used to go to Calcutta there in India for check ups every couple of years, until  I got caught out.  Came back to UK poste haste for treatment, not poss. there, too expensive and not much good, would have been stage three or four if no check up, before realisation took hold, too late

 

Now treated, and cancer supposedly checked thinking of return, but only thinking, love to return

Can we add INDIA to the list of retirement destinations???

[Tiber]

8 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Can we add INDIA to the list of retirement destinations???

Nah,its a dump, but I did buy a place in Goa,when it was  in its prime, lived there 5 years, impossible now, but excellent for medicals

[JimTripper]

11 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Can we add INDIA to the list of retirement destinations???

Can you add Hawaii?

[georgegeorgia]

Just now, JimTripper said:

Can you add Hawaii?

I forgot about Hawaii

It used to be so popular in the 1970's & 80's always advertised on TV as a tourist destination, haven't heard it advertised in Australia for years !!

 

I imagine it would be like New Zealand?

But always wanted to visit Honolulu

Is it still great for tourism ?

I'm definitely going to do some research 👍

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

Can we add INDIA to the list of retirement destinations???

No visa so no.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

Can you add Hawaii?

For rich Americans only.