9 Countries to Retire on a Small Pension, Social Security, or With Very Little Money

I retired to Bangkok three years ago and have zero regrets. Thailand is a 'no drama' place. There's not lot of spoken English but Google Translate will open many doors. Cost of living reminds me of the 1960s US prices and the country's motto is 'Supermarket to the World' so fresh food is amazing, accessable, and affordable. Crime is very low and you can walk about the big cities safely at night. Medical care is A1 and inexpensive, even in a private hospital. Taxis are among the cheapest in the world and there is lots of transportation infrastructure. Thai people are friendly and look you in the eye.

Bud..I have lived in Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, and finally Costa Rica. I JUST sold my house in Costa Rica and WILL NOT be going back. Do yourself and everybody else the favor and take Costa Rica off your list. It is SOOOOOO incredibly expensive now to live there since the Pandemic. You can’t even get a plate of Pollo con Arroz for under $12. Costa Rica is literally “Killing the Golden Goose!” This is as of 2022/2023. NOBODY and I mean nobody is going to live on $1000 a month in Costa Rica, unless you are part homeless and live in a diaper box. The crime is completely off the charts now there. While there in November and December 2022 I have never seen so many gangs! MS 13 operates openly and without impunity. The police are not respected and nor do the police even care! Trust me on this one…the others on your list are just OK, but Costa Rica? DEF NOT!

I left the USA in 2014 at the age of 50. I retired to Nicaragua. Absolutely love it and I have no regrets. I'll never return to the USA. It's a beautiful country. Beautiful loving people and incredibly inexpensive. Costa Rica and Panama are expensive, rivaling the USA in many costs. Also, Nicaragua is very safe and is considered the safest in Central America.

You don't need to put $20,000 down for SRRV in Philippines if you're a vet. That's why so many ex military retire there. If you've served in the military of any country then you qualify for a SRRV EXPANDED COURTESY which means you only have to deposit $1,500 and NOT $20,000. You're welcome.

I live in pattaya Thailand now for 18 years l have have a retirement visa im from Canada and very happy living here.

I live in New Zealand. Don't retire here, we are outrageously expensive!

You don't mention Belize. English is the national language. The Beliz currency is tied to the US Dollar at 2-1. You only need to show $1,000 per month into your Belize bank account. You also get tax free import of all your household items plus a marine vessel and a small airplane. You do have to stay in Belize for 30 days out of the year. Belize has several ecosystems from the Carribean Beach to jungle to mountains (basically jungles that are not as hot). You can live pretty comfortably in Belize for $1K to $2K per month. Housing can be a bit expensive right on the beach, but you can find very affordable places including a good amount of land for very reasonable prices.

I have traveled the Pan American highway for a couple of years. Living in the following countries for a while. Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador. Many have their advantages and disadvantages. I'm now living in Colombia. There's a Veterans Clinic recently opened in Medellin, there are so many US Military retired folks here in Colombia. There are many beautiful towns in which to choose. It's great!

For retiree, a major question is how to live like local/quasi local, not as a tourist. Of course if you are an introvert, you can live like hermit.

Videos like this are great! It shows people there are options out here!

Great information, delivered straightforwardly without any cute or clever comments. Thank you!

Thank you for this video, it was very informative ❤

Cambodia is very affordable. 1 year visa is $180 if you fill it out yourself. No bank account balance that you have to maintain. Apartments are $50-$160.

Really Great! (And I watch a lot of these videos!). Well organized and answered my questions. Thank you!

great video good information

Great job on your video and Thanks from another Michigander ( Upper Peninsula ) ......

I’m closing in on my retirement and I’d like to move from Minnesota to a warmer climate, but the prices on homes are stupidly ridiculous and Mortgage prices has been skyrocketing on a roll(currently over 7%) do I just invest my spare cash into stock and wait for a housing crash or should I go ahead to buy a home anyways

I retired young and lived in Philippines for 10 years and loved it. I’m now living in Mexico last 7 years. Love it even more. I’ve made videos covering the things I loved and didn’t like about each place and also dealing with the girls in both places.

Great video! Very informative.

Very interesting video, thanks for sharing, some good options there, regards from England 🍺🍺👍