Author Topic: Best places to retire?  (Read 2899 times)

lifeisshort123

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Best places to retire?
« on: July 25, 2022, 03:27:05 PM »
Anyone have ideas about where the best bang for your buck is in terms of retirement? Assuming you can live anywhere, where do you think your money would stretch the furthest?

Metalcat

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2022, 03:40:19 PM »
Well, where money will stretch furthest and where is the best place to retire are two very different questions.

For a lot of people, the places where money will go furthest are the least likely places they will want to be living in their senior years.

I own a condo in a major city with a fairly high cost of living, and I'll never sell it because I'm holding on to it for my senior years when I finally want to settle down somewhere near hospitals, tons of medical specialists, with excellent social services, and conveniences like reliably safe taxis and grocery delivery. Plus it has no stairs, an indoor pool, indoor parking, and already has safety bars in the shower.

Right now though, I'm on the edge of the the earth in rural Newfoundland fishing village of 170 people on an island off of an island in the Atlantic ocean. A lot of things are cheap here because labour is cheap, but some things cost more because, well, island.

I could never permanently retire here though because the medical care is abysmal and the weather can be a bit insane. I wouldn't want to be 75+ and living here.

There are VERY good reasons why cheap places are cheap, and those reasons may become increasingly salient as you age.

I'm actually disabled, so perhaps I'm a little more aware than most young people of what it's like to lose your function and capacity. But living somewhere that doesn't have what you need for basic function is pretty unpleasant.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2022, 03:43:19 PM by Malcat »

Freedomin5

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2022, 04:45:37 PM »
It depends on my needs and wants at the time. I'd want to live somewhere where I can indulge in my hobbies, while still having access to good medical care. I'd definitely avoid developing countries, no matter how cheap they are. I've been an expat for 15 years now, living in both developed and developing countries, and if I were in need of medical services, I'd definitely want to avoid developing countries. People say the medical care in developing countries are top-notch and cheap, but I know firsthand that that there's a reason why the care is so cheap. Even if I choose a top-tier private hospital in the developing country, they may have access to top-tier doctors in their country, but they might not be considered top-tier in a developed country. But perhaps I'm biased, because I have had multiple personal experiences with the "top-tier" medical system in a developing country and can't help but consider the type of care I received compared to what I received while living in a developed country. And over the past 10 years living in a developing country, I have had friends and acquaintances who have had major medical emergencies. Trust me, if you're in a coma after suffering from a brain aneurysm, or if doctors just discovered a Stage 4 brain tumor, you do NOT want to also have to endure the stress of organizing and undergoing a medical evacuation during a 2-month citywide hard lockdown in the midst of a pandemic. You want to already be where the good great doctors are.

There's a saying in real estate that you should buy the worst house in the best neighborhood. I think that concept could apply to selecting a retirement location as well. In the case of retirement, the best "neighborhood" is the best/most expensive/wealthiest country with the best resources, and then go about finding ways to reduce your expenses living in that country.

So for us, we are considering a smaller town with a lower COL adjacent to (within an hour's drive) of a major metropolis in Canada. Stable political system, good educational system, great medical system, clean air, free healthcare, lots of nature. But it's a lot more expensive to live in Canada than say, China, where we are currently living. So in Canada, we will look for ways to minimize major expenses such as housing (by living in a smaller town), transportation, and food.

FIRE Artist

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2022, 05:09:20 PM »
Echoing Malcat, most any mid to large Canadian city will do me just fine.  I have lived in various places around the world, travelled and worked in dozens more so I learned by my mid 30’s that the only place I cared to retire was home in Canada for comfort and access to medical care. 

My intention is to spend the worst 8 weeks of winter in Mexico or Portugal until I am no longer fit enough or care to do so, and the rest of the year at home. 

My hobby is art, I can do that anywhere. 

PDXTabs

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2022, 05:13:59 PM »
Anyone have ideas about where the best bang for your buck is in terms of retirement? Assuming you can live anywhere, where do you think your money would stretch the furthest?

I want to be able to:
1. Get around without a car.
2. Have reasonably good access to medical care.
3. Personally, I probably want to be able to drink the tap water. But I guess it isn't a deal-breaker.
4. Have reasonable assurances about the rule of law.
5. Cheaper is better.
6. I don't want horrible weather in the winter or the summer.

There are a bunch of countries that qualify, but probably not the USA. I plan to check out Portugal, Slovenia, and possibly Bulgaria soonish.

Metalcat

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2022, 05:46:44 PM »
Anyone have ideas about where the best bang for your buck is in terms of retirement? Assuming you can live anywhere, where do you think your money would stretch the furthest?

I want to be able to:
1. Get around without a car.
2. Have reasonably good access to medical care.
3. Personally, I probably want to be able to drink the tap water. But I guess it isn't a deal-breaker.
4. Have reasonable assurances about the rule of law.
5. Cheaper is better.
6. I don't want horrible weather in the winter or the summer.

There are a bunch of countries that qualify, but probably not the USA. I plan to check out Portugal, Slovenia, and possibly Bulgaria soonish.

I've lived in several places in Canada where you can't drink the tap water and it's not that big a deal as long as it's a developed enough place to reliably have large bottled water readily available.

Where I am right now, the water is technically potable, but it's yellow and smells vaguely like vodka. I cook with it, but yeah, we go through a lot of 10L jugs of water. However, that bottled water source is very reliable. I wouldn't feel terribly confident depending on bottled water in rural Mexico.

Freedomin5

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2022, 09:45:21 PM »
In rural or developing countries where water may or may not be potable, I've found out that it is very worthwhile to purchase a reverse osmosis water purifier. Actually, here in China, you recoup the cost of a water purifier within one year, after which it is actually cheaper to replace water purifier filters every year than to purchase the large bottles of water.

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2022, 01:37:36 AM »
"Best" should be thought of as subjective not objective: it's all about what is best for you not best for anyone else.

Where I've retired I've got a lot of what has been talked about already but it is also where my family is, where I have good friends and where I'm solidly plugged into the local community.  As I age all that is going to be worth any amount of entries into top ten lists of places to retire to.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2022, 04:17:46 AM »
I've never understood this concept of retiring 'to' a place where you have no family, friends or social bonds.  I guess it would make sense if you lived in a mega HCOL city like San Francisco or London and wanted to live in a cheaper place but for me, particularly if you are older, it makes no sense.  Maybe I've been in Italy for too long but being near family, old friends and community is extremely important to me in retirement.  I have no idea where our kids will end up but I'd like to live near at least one of them.  I also love being part of a community and this can be tough to build when you're old so I'd like to stay either here or in one of my hometowns where I have an in-built community.

I meet foreigners who have retired to small towns in Italy quite often on the retirement visa they have here.  I guess it could work out ok but I wonder how they'll survive when really old as they often don't speak decent Italian and don't understand the system.  But I guess if they have $$$$ they can pay people to be mediators in English for things like health care. 

Metalcat

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2022, 04:31:53 AM »
I've never understood this concept of retiring 'to' a place where you have no family, friends or social bonds.  I guess it would make sense if you lived in a mega HCOL city like San Francisco or London and wanted to live in a cheaper place but for me, particularly if you are older, it makes no sense.  Maybe I've been in Italy for too long but being near family, old friends and community is extremely important to me in retirement.  I have no idea where our kids will end up but I'd like to live near at least one of them.  I also love being part of a community and this can be tough to build when you're old so I'd like to stay either here or in one of my hometowns where I have an in-built community.

I meet foreigners who have retired to small towns in Italy quite often on the retirement visa they have here.  I guess it could work out ok but I wonder how they'll survive when really old as they often don't speak decent Italian and don't understand the system.  But I guess if they have $$$$ they can pay people to be mediators in English for things like health care.

Well, remember that the vast majority of people *don't* make such a bold move in retirement. Even though you're seeing a lot of them, it's not something that happens all that often.

It's not the people who have a good situation with tons of friends and family back home who are making these kinds of moves.

Where I am right now is at least 20% populated with retirees who have moved here. They're mostly from expensive areas of Ontario, their adult children moved far away, and they had nothing left keeping them there.

Now, they're still in Canada, but quite far away on an island and very remote. Although English is technically the language, it's very difficult to understand the locals if they speak the local dialect, and they can be hostile to outsiders. So in terms of staying within the country, it's about as foreign an experience as you can get aside from moving to the remote arctic.

Still, I haven't met any of these retirees who hasn't been able to settle in, make new friends, and enjoy their new life.

Because as I said, few people do this, so the ones who do tend to be the ones who are more equipped to handle big changes and new circumstances.

I'm sure there are some people who do it totally unprepared for what life will be like and without really thinking through the consequences, but I would assume they're the exception, not the rule.

Most people are petrified of change, so the kind of people who are able to overcome that are typically going to be the kind of people who are more equipped for it.

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2022, 04:43:19 AM »
If you are looking in the US, a state which is friendly with the ACA. To me, this matters more than taxes or cost of living.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2022, 06:03:49 AM »
I've never understood this concept of retiring 'to' a place where you have no family, friends or social bonds.  I guess it would make sense if you lived in a mega HCOL city like San Francisco or London and wanted to live in a cheaper place but for me, particularly if you are older, it makes no sense.  Maybe I've been in Italy for too long but being near family, old friends and community is extremely important to me in retirement.  I have no idea where our kids will end up but I'd like to live near at least one of them.  I also love being part of a community and this can be tough to build when you're old so I'd like to stay either here or in one of my hometowns where I have an in-built community.

I meet foreigners who have retired to small towns in Italy quite often on the retirement visa they have here.  I guess it could work out ok but I wonder how they'll survive when really old as they often don't speak decent Italian and don't understand the system.  But I guess if they have $$$$ they can pay people to be mediators in English for things like health care.

Well, remember that the vast majority of people *don't* make such a bold move in retirement. Even though you're seeing a lot of them, it's not something that happens all that often.

It's not the people who have a good situation with tons of friends and family back home who are making these kinds of moves.

Where I am right now is at least 20% populated with retirees who have moved here. They're mostly from expensive areas of Ontario, their adult children moved far away, and they had nothing left keeping them there.

Now, they're still in Canada, but quite far away on an island and very remote. Although English is technically the language, it's very difficult to understand the locals if they speak the local dialect, and they can be hostile to outsiders. So in terms of staying within the country, it's about as foreign an experience as you can get aside from moving to the remote arctic.

Still, I haven't met any of these retirees who hasn't been able to settle in, make new friends, and enjoy their new life.

Because as I said, few people do this, so the ones who do tend to be the ones who are more equipped to handle big changes and new circumstances.

I'm sure there are some people who do it totally unprepared for what life will be like and without really thinking through the consequences, but I would assume they're the exception, not the rule.

Most people are petrified of change, so the kind of people who are able to overcome that are typically going to be the kind of people who are more equipped for it.

I'm sure that this is true for some people but I think you underestimate the number of starry eyed foreigners or dual citizen Italians who aren't really Italian (ie don't speak the language, haven't lived here, don't understand the culture etc) who move here after coming here on vacation only to have their dreams be highjacked by reality.  They turn into bitter people who post online about all the things which are different here from 'back home'.  But yeah maybe it works fine for some. 

Metalcat

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2022, 06:40:18 AM »
I've never understood this concept of retiring 'to' a place where you have no family, friends or social bonds.  I guess it would make sense if you lived in a mega HCOL city like San Francisco or London and wanted to live in a cheaper place but for me, particularly if you are older, it makes no sense.  Maybe I've been in Italy for too long but being near family, old friends and community is extremely important to me in retirement.  I have no idea where our kids will end up but I'd like to live near at least one of them.  I also love being part of a community and this can be tough to build when you're old so I'd like to stay either here or in one of my hometowns where I have an in-built community.

I meet foreigners who have retired to small towns in Italy quite often on the retirement visa they have here.  I guess it could work out ok but I wonder how they'll survive when really old as they often don't speak decent Italian and don't understand the system.  But I guess if they have $$$$ they can pay people to be mediators in English for things like health care.

Well, remember that the vast majority of people *don't* make such a bold move in retirement. Even though you're seeing a lot of them, it's not something that happens all that often.

It's not the people who have a good situation with tons of friends and family back home who are making these kinds of moves.

Where I am right now is at least 20% populated with retirees who have moved here. They're mostly from expensive areas of Ontario, their adult children moved far away, and they had nothing left keeping them there.

Now, they're still in Canada, but quite far away on an island and very remote. Although English is technically the language, it's very difficult to understand the locals if they speak the local dialect, and they can be hostile to outsiders. So in terms of staying within the country, it's about as foreign an experience as you can get aside from moving to the remote arctic.

Still, I haven't met any of these retirees who hasn't been able to settle in, make new friends, and enjoy their new life.

Because as I said, few people do this, so the ones who do tend to be the ones who are more equipped to handle big changes and new circumstances.

I'm sure there are some people who do it totally unprepared for what life will be like and without really thinking through the consequences, but I would assume they're the exception, not the rule.

Most people are petrified of change, so the kind of people who are able to overcome that are typically going to be the kind of people who are more equipped for it.

I'm sure that this is true for some people but I think you underestimate the number of starry eyed foreigners or dual citizen Italians who aren't really Italian (ie don't speak the language, haven't lived here, don't understand the culture etc) who move here after coming here on vacation only to have their dreams be highjacked by reality.  They turn into bitter people who post online about all the things which are different here from 'back home'.  But yeah maybe it works fine for some.

Fair enough.

Although, also remember that the vast majority of people also just aren't very happy period. So their net misery from relocating may be no worse than their previous state.

You are right though, my experience is coloured by the fact that where I am, no one idealizes this location. The only people moving here are the people who have prepared themselves to move here.

I can see more people falling for a fantasy about Italy, and not wanting to acknowledge reality. Thank you movies like "Under The Tuscan Sun"!

lifeisshort123

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2022, 07:33:09 AM »
I get the comment about ACA friendly.  But if the ACA ends up being repealed at some point, which states would step up - it seems to me Washington, California, Massachusetts, possibly Illinois, New York., Vermont.  All of these states are extremely expensive to live in.I guess it depends on how early you FIRE.

sonofsven

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2022, 08:52:00 AM »
The most important thing is a place where you are happy. You can live cheap and cut costs anywhere.

Catbert

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #15 on: July 26, 2022, 10:59:39 AM »
In the US I would look for states that line up with my "politics."  By that I mean things that really shouldn't be "political" like abortion access, COVID response, and ACA friendly (and willing to do something if it's abolished).  You might guess which side I fall on, but if you have different opinions that could also help you select a state.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #16 on: July 26, 2022, 03:16:20 PM »
I've never understood this concept of retiring 'to' a place where you have no family, friends or social bonds.  I guess it would make sense if you lived in a mega HCOL city like San Francisco or London and wanted to live in a cheaper place but for me, particularly if you are older, it makes no sense.  Maybe I've been in Italy for too long but being near family, old friends and community is extremely important to me in retirement.  I have no idea where our kids will end up but I'd like to live near at least one of them.  I also love being part of a community and this can be tough to build when you're old so I'd like to stay either here or in one of my hometowns where I have an in-built community.

I meet foreigners who have retired to small towns in Italy quite often on the retirement visa they have here.  I guess it could work out ok but I wonder how they'll survive when really old as they often don't speak decent Italian and don't understand the system.  But I guess if they have $$$$ they can pay people to be mediators in English for things like health care.

Well, remember that the vast majority of people *don't* make such a bold move in retirement. Even though you're seeing a lot of them, it's not something that happens all that often.

It's not the people who have a good situation with tons of friends and family back home who are making these kinds of moves.

Where I am right now is at least 20% populated with retirees who have moved here. They're mostly from expensive areas of Ontario, their adult children moved far away, and they had nothing left keeping them there.

Now, they're still in Canada, but quite far away on an island and very remote. Although English is technically the language, it's very difficult to understand the locals if they speak the local dialect, and they can be hostile to outsiders. So in terms of staying within the country, it's about as foreign an experience as you can get aside from moving to the remote arctic.

Still, I haven't met any of these retirees who hasn't been able to settle in, make new friends, and enjoy their new life.

Because as I said, few people do this, so the ones who do tend to be the ones who are more equipped to handle big changes and new circumstances.

I'm sure there are some people who do it totally unprepared for what life will be like and without really thinking through the consequences, but I would assume they're the exception, not the rule.

Most people are petrified of change, so the kind of people who are able to overcome that are typically going to be the kind of people who are more equipped for it.

I'm sure that this is true for some people but I think you underestimate the number of starry eyed foreigners or dual citizen Italians who aren't really Italian (ie don't speak the language, haven't lived here, don't understand the culture etc) who move here after coming here on vacation only to have their dreams be highjacked by reality.  They turn into bitter people who post online about all the things which are different here from 'back home'.  But yeah maybe it works fine for some.

Fair enough.

Although, also remember that the vast majority of people also just aren't very happy period. So their net misery from relocating may be no worse than their previous state.

You are right though, my experience is coloured by the fact that where I am, no one idealizes this location. The only people moving here are the people who have prepared themselves to move here.

I can see more people falling for a fantasy about Italy, and not wanting to acknowledge reality. Thank you movies like "Under The Tuscan Sun"!

Yep hate that book/movie and also Eat Pray Love sooo much.  Gonna be even more of a shock particularly for all the Americans who moved here to get away from US politics when (probably) we end up with a far right government here in Italy in September.  I've met so many Americans here, who coincidentally don't know Italian so can't read newspapers, who say that they wanted to "move here to get away from divisive politics in the US".  I tell them that Italian politics makes US politics look like child's play - but that generally falls on deaf ears.  So the whole neo fascist government thing may come as a bit of a shock to some.

Missy B

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2022, 09:38:55 AM »
Well, where money will stretch furthest and where is the best place to retire are two very different questions.

For a lot of people, the places where money will go furthest are the least likely places they will want to be living in their senior years.

I own a condo in a major city with a fairly high cost of living, and I'll never sell it because I'm holding on to it for my senior years when I finally want to settle down somewhere near hospitals, tons of medical specialists, with excellent social services, and conveniences like reliably safe taxis and grocery delivery. Plus it has no stairs, an indoor pool, indoor parking, and already has safety bars in the shower.


This 1000x.

Cranky

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2022, 09:55:23 AM »
I think the best place to retire is someplace where you have or can build community - and that covers family, friends and politics. You can live cheap in any state.

Missy B

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2022, 10:00:34 AM »
Best place? I think a lot of people underrate and take for granted community and relationships, expecting that will be a gimme if they move away to some more desirable location.

It isn't a gimme, and being too far away from your people -- which doesn't have to be very far away at all -- makes a massive difference in mental health, general health and overall happiness especially as you age.

Seeing this with DH's parents, who moved to BC from Ontario to be closer, but decided that it would be perfectly great to age in place 3 hours away(with a perfectly timed ferry) with only basic medical and no public transit (nor Greyhound bus either) at the end of a highway DH's mother is afraid to drive.

The biggest piece though has been that they haven't made friends. So they are lonely and miserable. And also refuse to consider moving anywhere closer in.


DrinkCoffeeStackMoney

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2022, 11:32:37 AM »
I'm from southern Indiana and that's where the majority of my very large extended family lives.  When we retire we plan to move back somewhere in Indiana that is rural but also within 30-60 minutes of a city. We're still probably 5-7 years from pulling the plug but we're already looking for land as we'd like to build a new small'ish 1,000-1,200 sq. ft. house (open floor plan, 2 bedrooms, all on one floor).

That's the dream.

lifeisshort123

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #21 on: July 27, 2022, 06:45:57 PM »
Hmm…. What matters to me:

- Good nature - access to trails, water, etc.
- hopefully ability to have some land
- not “too far” from decent medical, and medical that is relatively affordable

Other nice to haves, but not necessary:
- not too far from an airport if deciding to travel
- a days drive from extended family

jim555

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #22 on: July 28, 2022, 09:34:10 AM »
I get the comment about ACA friendly.  But if the ACA ends up being repealed at some point, which states would step up - it seems to me Washington, California, Massachusetts, possibly Illinois, New York., Vermont.  All of these states are extremely expensive to live in.I guess it depends on how early you FIRE.
Honestly I wouldn't expect these states to "step up".  Taxpayers would have a fit when the bill comes in since this is super expensive and the states would become noncompetitive verses other states.

jim555

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #23 on: July 28, 2022, 09:37:45 AM »
If you are looking in the US, a state which is friendly with the ACA. To me, this matters more than taxes or cost of living.
Since the ACA is a Federal program there is not much a state can do to ruin it, other than refuse the Medicaid expansion.

lifeisshort123

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #24 on: July 28, 2022, 07:00:10 PM »
Yes, and several states continue to be opposed to the Medicaid expansion.  I hope as time goes on that fewer and fewer states do so.  North Carolina is trying to be the next one.  Florida has been threatening a ballot initiative for years, but it has yet to appear on the ballot.

Georgia and Wisconsin could also adopt it. (though Wisconsin has a different system as I recall).

I’m skeptical the remaining states will ever adopt Medicaid expansion, but you never know.

Loren Ver

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #25 on: July 29, 2022, 03:44:05 PM »
We figured the best bang for our buck now that we are retired was to stay where we were.  Sure there may be places to exist that are cheaper in dollars, but our social network is here.  We still meet with our friends from college on Saturdays for game night.  That's not something we could rebuild for any cost.  Family is also close enough, so we can get in visits without air travel or too much planning.  All of the must haves are met (if they weren't we would not have lived here while working) and being the Midwest the cost of living is well priced.

Going anywhere else would be adding other costs to the mix.

Loren

iris lily

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #26 on: July 29, 2022, 05:57:04 PM »
I get the comment about ACA friendly.  But if the ACA ends up being repealed at some point, which states would step up - it seems to me Washington, California, Massachusetts, possibly Illinois, New York., Vermont.  All of these states are extremely expensive to live in.I guess it depends on how early you FIRE.
Honestly I wouldn't expect these states to "step up".  Taxpayers would have a fit when the bill comes in since this is super expensive and the states would become noncompetitive verses other states.

Agreed, I would like to work bemusement if my neighbor state Illinois stepped up to cover ACA costs on their own since their treasury is sad so very sad.
https://www.data-z.org/state_data_and_comparisons/detail/illinois
« Last Edit: July 29, 2022, 05:59:20 PM by iris lily »

lifeisshort123

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #27 on: July 29, 2022, 06:06:18 PM »
Massachusetts already has Obamacare essentially under state law.

Washington state has a “public option” plan (which has had some issues).  Vermont has even tried single payer, but to your points, they couldn’t find a way to fund it.

TomTX

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #28 on: July 30, 2022, 11:16:45 AM »
I think the best place to retire is someplace where you have or can build community - and that covers family, friends and politics. You can live cheap in any state.

Yeah, but I need to get TF out of Texas for retirement. I really don't like summer here, nor the high levels of pollen/allergens, nor the anti-citizen antics of the politicians.

9patch

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Re: Best places to retire?
« Reply #29 on: July 30, 2022, 09:44:19 PM »
I think for me I don't plan to move far, because I really love my friends here, and can't imagine moving somewhere where I have no social circle. I may also follow my son to whatever city he is in. I may move to Canada for the health care, and then back to Portland after 65 for Medicare, but I don't think I can tolerate the cold winters anymore (sisters in Calgary).