People in the United States seem to carry around a bad spirit,” says Terry Booher of his adopted home in Cochabamba, Bolivia. “Down here, everyone is always smiling and saying hello to you on the streets. I love that.” Terry, my father-in-law, was visiting my husband and me in Bolivia when he realized that his life could be so much better here. He moved in 2015, at age 66, and in many ways, he is a new man...
“If you’re making $1,000 a month, even as little as $8,000 a year, you can live like a king—more than comfortably,” says Stephen Nagy of the low-cost retirement he’s found in Sucre, Bolivia. “I mean renting a nice place, shopping at the supermarkets for the foods you are used to, and enjoying eating out and entertainment. A single person who is more frugal can live on as little as $500 a month pretty easily. The beauty of this city and the warmth of the people only amplify the value.”
"I told myself I would return to live here one day,” says expat Fred Staff of his decision to retire to Bolivia’s Garden City. “I fell in love with Cochabamba when I first came here. It’s clean. It’s beautiful. The climate can’t be beat. And it’s really cheap, perfect for anyone retiring on a fixed income. Plus, it’s developing all the time: We now have a big cinema center and a new mall set to finish this year or next.”
You’re on the way home from the largest outdoor market in South America, where you loaded your shopping bags with farm-fresh produce for less than $5. The warm weather tempts you to enjoy an easy stroll through one of the plazas and parks that dot the city. Decked out with blooming flowers in vivid patterns, they offer the perfect retreat from the market’s hustle and bustle.