If you want everything the city offers, it stands to reason you have to live in one. And since the first cities popped up in Mesopotamia about 4,500 B.C., they have offered us much…constant convenience, stores of all sorts, art galleries on the doorstep, cuisine from all corners of the world, theaters, superb museums, healthcare specialists, clinics, hospitals, cafés…
But too often this abundance of amenities demands a trade-off. Air pollution, overcrowding, the time-consuming drag of getting around, exorbitant rents, and crazy utility bills. It’s no surprise that neuroscientists in Germany have research showing that living in a city stresses you out and makes you more anxious and prone to depression.
Here’s the thing: As you’ll discover in this issue, it’s possible to have all the amenities and comforts a big-city lifestyle provides, while also living at a more human pace and experiencing a strong sense of community. In the right places, you can benefit from everything that makes a small town attractive…but also enjoy all the amenities you expect from a big city…
IL editor, Jason Holland, walks you through the best urban lifestyles in Mexico’s Colonial Highlands. All walkable cities, among their magnificent colonial mansions and plazas, you will find a world-class symphony orchestra, libraries, free concerts in parks, excellent hospitals, and folks who take the time to talk, slow down, relax and enjoy life.
The most livable city in Vietnam is waiting for you. Cafés line the riverfront, you can hit the mall, or pop into a little corner store, and expats are spending as little as $850 a month to live there, in front of 20 miles of often-deserted white-sand beach.
Ecuador is a heavy hitter when it comes to “big-city comfort with a small-town feel.” IL Correspondent, Jim Santos, explores Ecuador’s “City of Music” where a perfect climate means air conditioning and heating bills are a thing of the past. What most captivated Mike Herron and his wife, Susan, when they first visited Cuenca—Ecuador’s most popular retirement haven—is that it offers “all the amenities of a large city but feels like a series of neighborhoods interspersed with greenery from four rivers.”
—Eoin Bassett, Editorial Director
"I was attracted to the idea of blue waters and palm trees, and the fascination of never having to wear a coat,” says Meems Ellenberg of what enticed her to a new life in the Dominican Republic. “But, even more important, I was and I still am charmed by the day-to-day kindness of Dominicans and their very simple approach to life.”
Panama City has enough sights to keep a body busy for days. Not to mention a remarkable number of restaurants, park areas, and a UNESCO World Heritage historic district.
Thanks to consistent, high-quality waves and a variety of breaks, Costa Rica has been one of the world’s top surfing destinations for decades. It’s famous for breaks like Ollie’s Point, Witch’s Rock (made famous in the movie Endless Summer 2), Salsa Brava (site of many national surf contests), and Little Hawaii.
Retire sooner. Spend less. Live better. That’s the end goal. And there’s no question: You can do it. You can do it in all sorts of beautiful, welcoming, good-weather communities that dot the globe. Laidback beach escapes. Quiet mountain get-aways. University towns. Even cosmopolitan cities.
With winter around the corner, you might already be pulling out the coats and boots, budgeting for heating costs…prepping for the cold, dark months ahead. Blizzards, ice storms, slippery roads and sidewalks.
As the costs of healthcare, utilities, taxes, and food continue to rise in North America, the idea of retiring abroad is gaining traction. International Living has been talking about saving money by moving abroad since before the internet…for 36 years, in fact.
Did you know you can download and read your entire October issue as a PDF? Simply click on the link below and discover the secrets to retiring and investing overseas.