Slow-Paced, Simple Living in the Philippines
Tired of cold weather and the workday drudgery in his native Minnesota, Dave Christopherson was eager to turn his back on the working world. Having snow nearly five months a year was just too much.
Living the Good Life Archives
A Love Affair with Tropical Cebu
His love affair with his new home is understandable. For him, the tropical climate, the beaches, the Filipinos’ friendly, hospitable nature, and the low cost of living make it a dream come true. He lives in a big city, yet he still feels that he has the typical “island lifestyle” that you’d expect from the Philippines. Life is simpler, like the 1950s U.S., but with all the First-World amenities he could want. And “if you ask me for just one thing I love about the place, it would be the people. Their seemingly never ending smiles brighten each and every day.
Great Living on $1,500 a Month in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle
I’m here to tell you that I’ve found the Holy Grail of expat destinations. Each of us has our own priorities, but to find a place that ticks the boxes on nearly everyone’s list is something special. A perfect climate that’s neither too hot nor too cool (60 F to 80 F all year); amazing natural surroundings; plenty of cultural events; history-filled cities; superb healthcare; friendly people; and a welcoming country…all with a fantastically low cost of living—figure $1,500 a month for a couple, all in.
An Active, Comfortable Life on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast
Away from the beach, Tamarindo has great food and a fantastic social scene. We gather at sunset every evening. Because we’re near the equator, it’s always between 5:15 and 6:15 p.m. Groups of friends chat and watch their kids play. Dog walkers nod as they walk past. Surfers pop into the water for one last wave. Bottles are raised as the sun disappears over the horizon.
Enjoying a Low Cost of Living and Warm Climate in Santa Fe
Bill and Mitzi Martain are living the retirement of their dreams. “We have a lovely new home, a beautiful farm, wonderful friends and neighbors, and each other,” Mitzi says. “There’s no way we could have this lifestyle and quality of life in the U.S.” Bill and Mitzi have what they consider an ideal life. They own 10 acres of fertile land in a rural valley, surrounded by hills and mountains. They enjoy sunny, warm weather year-round, with no snow, no ice, no hurricanes or tornadoes.
Always an Adventure in Quito, Ecuador
“Every morning I wake up in Quito, it’s with a sense of amazement at how great my life is,” says Rami Amit of his new life in the Ecuadorian capital. “I absolutely love my hometown,” says his wife Daphna of their retirement haven. “Quito offers so many options that it’s impossible to be bored.” This diversity of cultural, entertainment, and dining options enticed the Amits to Quito in the first place.
Mediterranean Living in a French University Town
For city lovers like me, Montpellier’s draw is its historic center, Écusson. Dating from the 10th century, Écusson is full of wonderful flagstone streets lined with timeworn, sand-colored stone buildings. Boutiques and shops, from upscale to funky, abound. Tree-lined squares, with their inevitable spate of cafés, reveal themselves at every turn. A pedestrian-only zone, it’s the sort of place you can never tire of exploring.
The Huge Rewards of Taking the Leap
One moment that has stuck with me over the years is a dinner I had with a friend in New York. It was around the time that I put my apartment up for sale and was getting ready to move my life to Mexico. We met in the Meatpacking District, at a small Italian restaurant. It was a warm, late-summer night, perfect for lingering over our wine in a corner of Manhattan that felt like Europe, where we both had lived in the past.
Mérida: The Yucatán’s Colonial Gem
I ’m enjoying a cappuccino at a sidewalk café. The tree providing shade is a century old, the church across the way much older. The neighborhood is historic, with restored buildings lining narrow streets for a dozen blocks in any direction. I’m in Mérida, Mexico, in the downtown centro of centuries-old colonial homes, churches, and grand buildings. It’s the third-largest Spanish colonial district in the world, after Havana and Mexico City.
A Low-Cost, Luxury Lifestyle in Colombia’s “City of Flowers”
My daily life has improved immensely since moving to Medellín, Colombia’s charming “City of Flowers.” I feel calm and peaceful, unlike many of my friends living in U.S. cities. Every morning I wake up to the cheerful sound of birds. From my balcony I can hear the gentle trickle of the stream running past my apartment. I love to take these quiet mornings to practice yoga at a nearby studio and then head to my favorite coffee shop, Pergamino. It’s pleasantly quiet in the mornings when I go to read a book or write in my journal while I sip the best coffee in town for less than $1.