#3 Mexico, how about Puerto Vallarta?
Natural beauty, high percentage of English speaking locals, thriving happy expat community and activities, warm, gourmet gastronomy friendly culture, mixed nature environment of mountains and ocean, and much more.
Edited from Original By Bel Woodhouse from https://internationalliving.com/ if you want to revise the top 10.
All About Puerto Vallarta https://promovisionpv.com/all-about-puerto-vallarta/
Mexico is a top-rated country to retire to for many reasons. Lifestyle, culture, warmth of its people, and affordability without losing luxury. Yes, that’s right, I said luxury. Because the cost of living is lower, you can afford a little more luxury in your life, and Mexico has plenty on offer. Here’s a couple of examples.
Wine is one of the great loves of my life, so let me share this little secret with you. Mexico’s wine industry is one of the best in the world. This year, the Cenzontle Blanco 2019 took out the best wine in the world (in that class) during a blind tasting by 320 judges from around the world at the 2023 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) in Europe. In fact, 85 Mexican wines won medals, so you don’t need to go to France or Italy to enjoy sensational wine. It’s right here in Mexico.
What is Health Insurance for Foreigners (Expats) in Mexico. https://promovisionpv.com/what-is-health-insurance-for-foreigners-expats-in-mexico/
Food is the other great love of my life. For a foodie like me, I’ve found everything here fresh, delicious, and very well-priced. I’m talking street food through to top restaurants with a la carte menus. The gastronomy scene in most major tourist spots, which coincidentally also tend to be expat havens, is where you’ll find five-star-rated chefs specializing in just about every cuisine from around the world. Chefs like world-renowned Jonathon Gómez Luna, who has restaurants in Cancún, up north in Valle de Guadalupe (wine country), and in Playa del Carmen. It’s no joke; he trained in not one but two of the world’s Top 50 Restaurants.
Traditional Mexican Candies you will find in Puerto Vallarta. Your’s to try. https://promovisionpv.com/traditional-mexican-candies-you-will-find-in-puerto-vallarta-yours-to-try/
So, if you thought Mexico was lacking in any way then prepared to be pleasantly surprised. It’s not all tequila shots on the beach sitting in a swing seat overlooking the ocean. Well, not unless you want it to be.
Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta are positioned among the best 50 in Mexico. https://promovisionpv.com/restaurants-in-puerto-vallarta-are-positioned-among-the-best-50-in-mexico/
Beaches are great, but there is something for everyone. If you are a mountains and hiking kind of person, there are several beautiful places to call home, like Lake Chapala or San Miguel de Allende in the central parts of Mexico. Both have large expat communities living in heritage cities full of Spanish colonial architecture and a more culture-filled lifestyle. Lake Chapala has the largest and oldest expat community, while San Miguel de Allende is famous for its art, culture, and creative vibe.
Know the Mexican Culture you may experience in Puerto Vallarta. https://promovisionpv.com/know-the-mexican-culture-you-may-experience-in-puerto-vallarta/
Every environment can be found in Mexico. There are beautiful deserts, green rolling hills, volcanos, national parks, laid-back beach towns, and thriving metropolis cities. So, however you envision your retirement, you will find it in Mexico.
The great news is that property prices are a lot lower, too. With beach side condos, houses, villas, or a little house in the jungle all being affordable options depending on your lifestyle choice and budget.
Puerto Vallarta is the second safest city in the country, Security, Tourism https://promovisionpv.com/puerto-vallarta-is-the-second-safest-city-in-the-country-security-tourism/
Even in major hotspots like the Riviera Maya, you can pick up a brand-new condo in the low $200,000’s. Lower if you move away from the beach. It’s the same on the other side of the country in beach destinations like Baja or Puerto Vallarta. Just moving a little away from the beach in Puerto Vallarta, you will still have a beach view as you move up the mountain behind, but prices drop, so it’s worth a scouting trip to talk to other expats and find out the best places to buy.
Puerto Vallarta is the second safest city in the country, Security, Tourism https://promovisionpv.com/puerto-vallarta-is-the-second-safest-city-in-the-country-security-tourism/
Another great thing about Mexico is the low cost of healthcare. Even top specialists are very affordable. Let me share my own personal experience.
At the beginning of the year, I had a bicycle accident and was rushed to the E.R of the best hospital here on Cozumel. An entire day in the E.R, plus an orthopedic surgeon, two E.R nurses, x-rays, drugs, my own specialist anesthetist (needed because I have blood clotting issues), along with the bedside procedure to put my arm back in place, and the whole day being fussed over in the E.R cost me a mere $5,500 pesos. That’s $320.
All staff were English-speaking, very attentive, professional, and with the latest medical machines and gizmos. So, as you can see, healthcare and emergency care in Mexico are affordable for every budget.
Funnily enough, the most commented-about thing I hear from other expats is how they don’t need as many medications anymore. Due to the warmer weather, healthier lifestyle, cleaner eating, and reduced stress, most expats are healthier than they’ve been in years. When your dollar stretches a lot further, it means you can enjoy life to its fullest. I do.
Travel again, and get lost in the heritage, culture, and warm community of the Mexican people around you. It’s my favorite thing about living in Mexico. The Mexican culture revolves around family and friends. They are extremely polite, and it’s common to hear que la vía bien, which is a little blessing, meaning safe travels, they say when you are leaving. The old ladies and gentlemen who pack groceries at my local supermarket say this to me daily with a warm smile every time I go through the checkout. It’s lovely.
Far from lazy, most Mexicans I know work six days a week, which is why their only day off is usually spent with family. Enjoying good food and quality time with the people they love. So, when you live here and are lucky enough to be included in their circle of friends, you will enjoy the warmth of its people and many an amazing meal surrounded with laughter and most likely an abuela’s (grandmother’s) hugs.
Our focus is on the destinations that make sense for an overseas retirement—the established expat hubs with a track record for comfortable living. For instance, Roatán is the only place in Honduras we would consider in our ranking, while in Mexico there are easily a half-a-dozen hotspots we’ve homed in on. Each place is then assessed in the following ways:
Housing
This category looks first at the ease of buying and owning property as a foreigner, then the value you’ll receive as a homeowner. We consider factors like the price of housing in expat-friendly locations, and property taxes.
We also examine rental values. In many destinations, renting makes better financial sense than buying. We look at long-term leases, the cost of renting a two-bedroom, 900-square-foot furnished apartment in a mid-range area, and whether renters’ rights are well protected by law.
Visas and Benefits
A place isn’t much good as a retirement destination if you can’t live there easily. We begin with an analysis of available tourist visas: how fast/simple it is to obtain a tourist visa, the ease of exploring a country on a tourist visa, the length of a tourist visa, etc.
Just a few months ago, Costa Rica began issuing 180-day tourist visas as standard. That’s almost six months’ worth of hassle-free time in-country, and more than enough time to escape the ravages of the North American winter. For retirees who live overseas part-time, that’s plenty.
But we also investigate the legalities of extending a stay, the ease of becoming a permanent resident, and the availability of special retiree options. We additionally consider retiree benefits and discounts on healthcare, prescription medication, entertainment, eating out, travel, utilities, and local transport.
Cost of Living
Each of our contributors answers an extensive cost-of-living questionnaire, tailored to the needs and wants of an expat retiree, from the cost of rent and utilities to groceries to a flight home to visit family in North America. The lower the cost of living, the higher the score.
Affinity Rating
This one is where gut feeling comes in. We pride ourselves on being systematic in the way we put the Index together—but the truth is, retiring in a new destination involves the heart as well as the head. So, we ask our experts to rank our destinations according to whether they’d be happy to move there. What’s more, we ask you—our readers—where you would like to move.
Puerto Vallarta Mexico, The Ultimate Travel Guide, Safety and Things to Do https://promovisionpv.com/puerto-vallarta-mexico-the-ultimate-travel-guide-safety-and-things-to-do/
For example, how easy will it be to make friends? We find out by evaluating the size and character of the expat community, the number of clubs and activities, and whether or not English is widely spoken. We also rate the range and variety of restaurants, the ease of finding an English-language movie, a concert, a world-class sporting event… essentially, the ability for you to have a thriving social life as an overseas retiree.
Healthcare
We assess healthcare based on both quality and cost. Many of the world’s best retirement destinations—and all of those included in the Index—you’ll find world-class care far cheaper than back home.
Medical Tourism in Puerto Vallarta, What you can expect! https://promovisionpv.com/medical-tourism-in-puerto-vallarta-what-you-can-expect/
This year’s winner, Costa Rica, is more expensive than other destinations, but healthcare costs are still lower than you’d imagine. Debbie Crowley, a retiree who moved to Tamarindo in 2021, reports that she paid just $187 for an MRI scan at a nearby facility. She received her results in-hand there and then, and was able to hand-deliver them to her local doctor herself—saving time and expense while enjoying the personal, dignified treatment that seems ever rarer in North America.
Retirement in Mexico Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit https://promovisionpv.com/retirement-in-mexico-puerto-vallarta-and-riviera-nayarit/
Development and Governance
If the roads are good and clean, the public transport excellent, and the internet fast and reliable, then a place will rank highly. We additionally factor in whether your new home offers a stable political environment, well-maintained infrastructure, and an efficient banking system.
Climate
This is our “Goldilocks” category. For some folks the perfect climate is hot and humid, others want spring year round… So, how do we score somewhere like Roatán—a small Caribbean island with a tropical climate—next to, say, Ireland? Apples to oranges, right?
If you missed our Puerto Vallarta Content and Stories (content as Feb 15 2024) https://promovisionpv.com/if-you-missed-our-puerto-vallarta-content-and-stories-content-as-feb-15-2024/
We score a destination based on how many different climate options it offers. Ecuador’s landscape ranges from permanent snowfields, to cool mountain retreats, to tropical rainforest, to arid coastal plains reminiscent of southern California.
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