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They needed a change and a new adventure. After attending an International Living event in Mexico City in 2018, the small beach town of Huatulco, on Mexico’s far southern Pacific coast, caught their eye. The warm weather, the 330 days of sunshine, the seaside location, the active expat community, the great restaurant scene…it seemed perfect.
There have long been Mexican retirement homes in expat havens like Lake Chapala or large cities like Mexico City. But now facilities are becoming increasingly sophisticated. To tap into the senior market—both in Mexico and in the U.S.—savvy developers are building developments in Mexico that are senior-friendly.
With the steady influx of expats, tourists, and foreign influence, some assisted living facilities have popped in Costa Rica, in and around the capital of San José in the Central Valley. It’s important to note the facilities themselves and the care available could be very different from a traditional assisted living facility you would be accustomed to finding back home.
After identifying Costa Rica as a potential new home, the couple took a tour and then rented an apartment for a month to test-drive life in Grecia. They quickly decided it was the place for them. There was a lot about the country that attracted them: There's no army, there's an emphasis on education, and it's close enough to the U.S. that it's easy to get back...
In terms of numbers, Mexico is the most popular expat destination for North Americans in the world. And it’s no wonder why. With over 5,800 miles of coastline on the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific, there are no shortage of postcard worthy...
Mexico has long been a favorite destination for retirees and other expats from around the world, although fellow North Americans from Canada and the U.S. make up the bulk of the foreign population. Here are some examples of places you can live in Mexico at various budget levels.
This country offers up a lot of options—beaches, valleys, hilltops, a world-class lake. It can be tricky to figure out where in the country to settle. So, here is my short list—my top five picks for the best retirement towns in Costa Rica.
"We wanted to live near the ocean. We came here to Tamarindo and loved it. The first time we visited we didn't want to leave," recalls Gina of their move three years ago. Tamarindo is one of Costa Rica's most popular expat and vacation destinations, a beach village set on an expansive bay first embraced by surfers and fishermen starting in the 1970s.
“We wanted to live in a place where we didn’t need heat or AC, outside of the hurricane belt, with ample water, a stable democratic government, and good healthcare,” says Jim Just, 73. “If you apply those parameters to countries of the world,” says Jim, “It narrows down the list quite a bit.” Costa Rica’s Central Valley region fit the bill.
So we had gone in to see our regular doctor. Her recommended course of action was bloodwork, X-rays, and an EKG, along with a consultation with a cardiologist. We didn’t hesitate. Blood was drawn, X-rays taken, and the EKG conducted right there in the office. At 12 years old, the patient had been to the doctor enough to be used to being poked and prodded…