The Two Tools You Need To Find Your Retirement Paradise

 

Editor-photoI won’t lie. Math was never my forté. I have no love for numbers. I’ve more amor for words.

But I know the value of good sums. I’ve scouted the wide world for International Living. My desk is piled with battered notebooks containing lots of numbers. I’ve stalked the aisles of neighborhood stores from Panama to Paris taking stock of prices. I know how much the average monthly electricity bill is in Medellín, Colombia. I can tell you the price of a dental filling in Thailand.

And each year I’m one of a large team dedicated to crunching these and many other numbers to arrive at the results of International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index.

The Retirement Index is the distillation of every measurable and pertinent fact our scouts, experts, and expat contacts can lay their hands on. Each year it grows in scope. It’s refined, tweaked, developed.

It builds on all that went before—decades of “from the ground” intelligence. When you consult the 2016 Index you’re leveraging all of the experience and knowledge of our current batch of expat contributors on top of that of every expat who has ever contributed to International Living since it was first published 35 years ago.

That’s why I’d urge you to return to this issue throughout the next 12 months. Consult this latest Retirement Index. Use it to run the rule over destinations as you add them to your shortlist.

The Index isn’t simply a mammoth number-crunching exercise. At its heart is the judgment of the many seasoned expats, folks like you, who have made the move.

I trust them. Not only for the numbers they provide, but for the quality of their experiences and judgment.

And you really need only two tools to find your perfect retirement haven. Our Annual Global Retirement Index, and as IL Editor Dan Prescher says, your gut instinct…

France’s “Secret Venice” on the Mediterranean

France’s “Secret Venice” on the Mediterranean

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Of the handful of canal towns that fancy themselves the “Venice of France,” the port town of Sète, in the Languedoc region on France’s Mediterranean coast, comes closest to deserving that title. Its blue-green canals are stunning, wide, and elegant. And, as in Venice, they are an integral part of daily life. But, swap Venice’s sleek gondolas for Sète’s workaday fishing boats. And instead of multi-million-dollar edifices lining the canals, expect to see rows of lovely, pastel-hued, 19th-century buildings with rusting, wrought-iron balconies and flaking façades.

A Tour of Cuenca’s Culinary Pleasures

A Tour of Cuenca’s Culinary Pleasures

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For years our hometown of Cuenca, Ecuador, has been crowned one of the world’s top retirement destinations. From my home, a short walk from the historic center of this colonial gem, it’s easy to see why. The low cost of living, the temperate climate, and the excellent medical facilities make for a comfortable life, and you’ll find plenty to do. I must admit, though, that when my wife Cynthia and I first arrived in Cuenca over five years ago, the culinary scene left a lot to be desired. But there has been an amazing transformation in Cuenca’s dining options.

Good-Value Buys in Our Top Retirement Countries

Good-Value Buys in Our Top Retirement Countries

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What makes for a great place to live? An ideal climate…modern services and conveniences like high-speed internet…high-quality but low-cost healthcare…a no-hassle visa or residence program…a lower cost of living. And good-value real estate. In many places around the world you can have all this, plus little luxuries like having someone else clean your house, your yard, and do your laundry.

Trust Your Gut to Guide the Way

Trust Your Gut to Guide the Way

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Take a second right now and pat your stomach. Seriously. Just put your hand on your navel and give your belly a nice little pat. Your hand is resting on the most important tool for telling if a retirement destination is right for you. It’s your gut. And if you’re wondering where to make that move, you’re holding one of the most powerful tools for making the right decision in your hands: your January issue of International Living.