International Living

Ranked one of the best places in the world to retire in International Living’s annual Global Retirement Index, there is only one place in the world where you can enjoy an affordable overseas retirement, live right on the beach at affordable prices, yet remain within minutes of the U.S. by car… With its moon-lit fiestas, languid white-sand beaches, ancient colonial towns set in the rugged Sierras, and Mayan pyramids rising from the misty Yucatan jungle, it’s no wonder so many people are starting new lives in Mexico. And armed with your Escape to Mexico Manual, you will be ready to start your new life south of the border.

Maximizing your Social Security benefits… that’s just one piece of it. You can maximize your lifestyle too. In some places, you really can enjoy a Rolls Royce quality of life on a run-down Chevy budget. The kind of high-end living that might set you back $10,000 or $15,000 a month in a big city at home could be one-tenth that in the right places overseas.

If your Panama plans call for clear blue waters and long stretches of sandy beach, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of places to choose from. After all, most of Panama consists of coastal areas. Plus, unlike in some other countries, Panama allows foreigners to own beach property outright, rather than requiring them to own via trusts or foundations. Cruising the Panama Coast – Panama: Dream It, Find It, Live It, details our favorite coastal locales, lifestyle and real estate options.

Miles-deep canyons with clear fresh water rushing over car-sized boulders, and green-velvet mountainsides where women in native garb tend small herds of cows and goats. Welcome to Ecuador’s mountains. From the northern city of Ibarra and the artisan villages of Otavalo and Cotacachi through the popular weekender town of Baños to the glorious southern colonial city of Cuenca, if mountain living is your preference you’ll love it here. In Perfect-Weather Paradises: Living in Ecuador’s Mountain Towns – Ecuador: Dream it, Find it, Live it, we’ll take a look at some of our favorite towns in Ecuador’s highlands.