Every year International Living creates a list of the best places to retire for Americans and Canadians. This year’s study involves 24 countries and takes into consideration important factors such as costs of buying and renting, benefits & discounts, visas & residence rules and costs, cost of living, fitting in (making friends), entertainment & amenities, healthcare, healthy lifestyles, infrastructure and climate. And they also make a point of recommending only places they believe to be safe for expat retirees. Last year Mexico came in third place but this year jumped to first place, edging out Panama.
They write: "More than a million Americans live in Mexico, enjoying its lower cost of living, sunny days and proximity to the States. The weaker peso and strong dollar have made the cost of living even more appealing this year. Besides rock-bottom rent prices (Mexico’s housing market remains largely depressed from The Great Recession) and high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare, seniors age 60 and over also enjoy money-saving discounts with the INAPAM Card, which helps savings stretch even further."
Although Mexico, they also state, still has issues relating to crime in certain states. Although Jalisco is a safety concern, it is more for the area around Guadalajara, and not for Puerto Vallarta or neighboring Riviera Nayarit.
Excellent news for the Puerto Vallarta real estate market as the Vallarta/Riviera Nayart is one of the top three Mexican destinations for Americans and Canadians, along with Cabo and Cancun.
The others in the Top Ten List were, after Panapa: Ecuador, Costa Rica, Columbia, Malaysia, Spain, Nicaragua, Portugal and Malta.
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