Harriet L. Says:
Out of the places mentioned to retire cheaper, which is the safest for a lady in her 70s that’s safe?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
I would rather advise you on the safest “communities” than countries. Every country on the IL beat is safe for single women, though ideally you will want to read about towns in the country you like best and choose one that has a good size expat community.
It is also important to note that safety is relative. Latin American countries don’t tend to rank among the top 20 safest in the world, according to indexes compiled by organizations like Mercer or The Economist. Neither does the U.S. Generally, Canada and European countries take the top spots—but there is no country on earth that’s completely free of crime.
Long-term expats typically choose a town rather than a country. This makes sense. If you read about border towns, you could get the impression that the vast country of Mexico is unlivable. In fact, there are towns like San Miguel de Allende where that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Even in smaller countries like Panama and Costa Rica, there are safe areas and not-so-safe areas.
Occasionally, we meet idealistic singles who inquire about living in remote destinations where they can “really connect” and integrate into the local community. “I don’t want to live in an expat enclave,” they say.
We get where they’re coming from. But we also encourage you to learn from IL’s cadre of seasoned expats, many of whom have learned their lessons the hard way and who share their experiences so you don’t have to. And one of the first lessons you’ll learn as a single abroad is that the happiest transplants tend to have at least a small expat community they can turn to.
With that in mind, I think you’ll find the resources below, created by our globe-spanning network of correspondents and contributors, very useful:
- Our general travel safety guide for single women
- Safety in France
- Safety in Portugal
- Safety in Italy
- Safety in Spain
- Safety in Mexico
- Safety in Panama
- Safety in Belize
- Safety in Costa Rica
- Safety in Cuenca, Ecuador
- Safety in Uruguay
- Safety in Colombia
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