Hell, I even considered Russia. How crazy is that?
It may not be that crazy. They’ve been down this road before and although they are, under Putin, quasi-fascist, they are not likely to hamstring their entire economy again anytime soon through Marxist programs. Keep in mind that Russia does have a Muslim problem (Chechnya), as well as the fact the economy is still pretty much based on a single resource: oil (and some gas). Major cities like Moscow are VERY expensive; as expensive as New York City, if not more so.
Some of the other former “eastern bloc” countries are worth looking at: Poland is very committed to democratic/capitalist development and still considers itself a very christian country. The Baltic countries — Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania — are supposedly doing much better economically despite downturns in 2007 from the subprime meltdown. Worth looking into.
I like the people of eastern Europe — brilliant, wry humor, cynical about politics, etc. and I think they basically admire Americans, since we all went through the Cold War together — but, heck, the weather! I want WARM, so I’m looking at south of the border. Look into an online magazine called “escapefromamerica.com”. Some of the articles are infuriatingly anti-American, but it often has interesting insights on places to settle as an ex-pat. Hate to say this, but one place being pushed as a retirement place is Cuba. The articles from the aforesaid magazine are blunt: yes, Cuba is a socialist hellhole...for native Cubans, NOT for Americans who wish to retire there. There is an unofficial “two-tier” society for just about everything...including, of course, medical care (just as we will soon have an unofficial two-tier system under zerodeathcare).
Finally, the Philippines has a large ex-pat community. Worth investigating.
I was interested for a time in the Northern Marianas (Tinian and Rota) but (i) they are owned by the U.S., so they are not exactly an escape; and (ii) there doesn’t seem to be anything going on there. They seem to be scuba-diving vacation spots for the Japanese, but that’s about it. (Tinian is especially interesting to me historically because it was from there that the Enola Gay — the plan that dropped the A-bomb on Hiroshima — took off in August 1945.)
If anyone has information regarding ex-pat communities anywhere in the world — Hong Kong, Singapore, Chile, etc. wherever — please post for other FReepers. I’ve abandoned the traditional notion of a comfortable retirement; it ain’t gonna happen for me. I’m interested in SURVIVAL and FREEDOM.
“Finally, the Philippines has a large ex-pat community. Worth investigating.”
I have been here for 15 months now, and very happy.
It is all in attitude. If you can adjust to a third world country you can be quite happy.
I live here with my Philippine girlfriend, at a beach in a nice little town on Cebu. It cost us about $500 a month to live, including rent, food, plenty of wine, internet...everything.
I do, however, avoid other expats. Many of them are real slobs, but we do have enough expat friends.
Laos and Cambodia are both nice places, very remote, and very cheap. You have to leave (e.g., to Thailand or Vietnam) to renew your visa periodically, but that’s not such a big deal. Vietnam is also nice if you stay away from the big cities and northern Thailand is great.
Please keep me pinged