The International Living Guide to Retiring Overseas on a Budget: How to Live Well on 25,000 a Year -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Introduction: What if you could retire better, more affordably, and even earlier than you expected? -- Part 1: Contemplating an Exciting Move . . . -- Chapter 1: Can You Afford to Retire Where You Live? -- Why Are Millions of Baby Boomers Retiring Overseas? -- What If You Could Retire Even Earlier Than Expected? -- Technology Makes It All Possible -- Chapter 2: Can You Really Live (Well) Overseas on 25,000 a Year? -- It's Personal . . . And Completely Subjective -- Strategies for Reducing Your Retirement Costs Overseas -- Choose Your "Place" Wisely -- Consider Travel and Transportation Costs -- Live Like a Local -- Chapter 3: What's Your Deal Breaker? -- Consider These Eight Factors -- Can You Really Adapt to a Foreign Vulture? -- Can You Learn to Speak a New Language? -- Is Your "Significant Other" Onboard? -- Are You Okay with Not Living Close to Family? -- Chapter 4: The Most Common (and Avoidable) Mistakes Expats Make -- Take Your Luggage, But Leave Your Baggage Behind -- Leave Home at Home -- The One Personality Trait That Successful Expats Share -- You May Be More Adventurous Than You Think You Are -- Attitude Is Everything -- Chapter 5: Health Care: Myth versus Reality -- The U.S. and Canadian Health Care Systems Are Not Healthy at All -- High Quality and Low Costs: Why Foreign Health Systems Work -- Public Versus Private Health Care Systems -- Is a Public Health Care System Right for You? -- Can I Get an Appointment Quickly? -- Do the Doctors and Staff Speak English? -- Am I Covered outside the Base Country? -- What Does It Cost? -- Your Best Private Health Insurance Options Overseas -- The Good News: Moving Off the Comfort Couch Can Improve Your Health.

Chapter 6: The Challenges of Language and Culture -- Why Should You Learn the language? for fun . . . And Basic Survival -- Start with Baby Steps . . . And Baby Talk -- Your Best Language-Learning Resources -- Before You Go . . . -- Once You Arrive . . . -- Most Important, Don't Give Up -- Part 2: Making the Move: It's a Big World . . . Where Should YOU Go? -- Chapter 7: Belize: No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem (and It's All in English!) -- Why Do So Many Expats Retire to Belize? -- The Top Expat Destinations in Belize -- Ambergris Caye-La Isla Bonita -- Corozal-Laid-Back Bayside Living -- Cayo-The Great Outdoors -- Placencia-Rum, Reggae, and Relaxation -- Hopkins and Dangriga -- Belize's Much-Touted Qualified Retired Persons Program -- How much Does It Cost to Live in Belize? -- Health Care in Belize -- Chapter 8: Costa Rica: Your Easiest Choice -- Costa Rica Ticks All the Boxes on Your Retirement Checklist -- Costa Rica Offers Many Advantages You May Not Be Aware Of -- Costa Rica's Top Expat Destinations -- The Central Valley-Ideal Climate and Convenience -- The Gold Coast-Sunshine, Surf, and Beautiful Sunsets -- Arenal-Peace, Quiet, and Rural Living -- The Southern Zone-Classic Costa Rica -- Central Pacific-A Comfortable Beach Lifestyle -- Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast-Wild and Rugged -- How Much Does It Cost to Live in Costa Rica? -- Best of All, Costa Rica Offers World-Class, Affordable Health Care -- Chapter 9: Ecuador: Something for Everyone -- An Excellent Retirement Value Proposition -- Ecuador's Top Expat Destinations -- Cuenca-The Colonial Heart of the Southern Andes -- Quito-South America's Most Beautiful City -- Cotacachi-The Quintessential Mountain Village -- Vilcabamba-Fabled Valley of Longevity -- The Pacific Coast-Blazing New Trails -- All This, and Affordable Health Care, Too.

Chapter 10: Mexico: The Top Foreign Destination for U.S. and Canadian Retirees -- Mexico's Retirement Advantages -- Mexico's Top Expat Destinations -- Lake Chapala: Mexico's Most Established Expat Community -- San Miguel de Allende-World Heritage History and Highland Charm -- Puerto Vallarta-Star Power Creates a Pacific Paradise -- Mérida-Ancient Heritage, Modern Marvels -- Tulúm and the Riviera Maya-On the Move in the Right Direction -- How Much Does It Cost to Live in Mexico? -- Excellent-and Affordable-Health Care -- Chapter 11: Nicaragua: Ready for Prime Time -- Nicaragua's Retirement Pluses -- Rolling Out the Red Carpet to Foreign Retirees . . . -- Nicaragua's Top Expat Destinations -- Granada-The Heart of Spanish-Colonial Nicaragua -- León-The Country's Intellectual Capital -- San Juan del Sur and the South Pacific Coast-The Next Big Thing -- Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast-Yes, It Has One! -- Managua-Nicaragua's Big City -- How Much Does It Cost to Live in Nicaragua? -- What About Health Care? -- Chapter 12: Panama: The World's Best Retirement Program (and Much More) -- Money-Saving Discounts and More -- Even More Reasons to Appreciate Panama . . . -- All This, and an Affordable Cost of Living -- Panama's Top Retirement Destinations -- Panama City-One of Latin America's "Hottest" Cities -- Coronado and the Pacific Coast Beaches-Fun in the Sun -- El Valle and Sorá-The Garden Spot -- Boquete and Volcán-Perfect-Climate Mountain Living -- And More . . . Pedasí, Santa Fe de Veraguas, Boca Chica, Bocas Del Toro -- You'll Find Excellent Health Care Options in Panama, Too -- Chapter 13: Uruguay: More First World Than the United States? -- Why Consider Uruguay for Your Retirement Home? -- Uruguay's Top Retirement Destinations -- Montevideo-Uruguay's European-Flavored Capital City -- The Costa de Oro and Piriápolis-Your Value-Priced Option.

Punta del Este-South America's Hottest Resort Destination -- Rocha-The Final Frontier -- Colonia del Sacramento-Historical Treasure -- In Uruguay, You Can Improve Your Quality of Life and Lower Your Cost of Living -- Health Care in Uruguay: The Icing on the Cake -- Chapter 14: Europe: All the Ingredients for the Good Life -- Your Cost of Living May Be Less Than You Think -- France: Who Doesn't Dream of Living la vie Française? -- The Midi-Pyrénées region -- Limousin -- The Property Purchase Process in France -- Health Care in France -- Italy: Bargains Beyond the Tourist Trail -- Some Locations to Consider -- A Note about the Property Purchase Process in Italy -- Health Care in Italy -- Spain: Economic Woes and Expat Opportunities -- Today's Best Locations in Spain for Retirees -- Buying Real Estate in Spain -- Health Care in Spain -- Where Else in Europe Might You Look? -- Ireland -- Croatia -- Greece -- Malta -- Portugal -- Chapter 15: Southeast Asia: Exotic and Affordable -- How Far Will Your Retirement Income Go? -- Malaysia: English-Speaking, Affordable, and Truly Asia -- Health Care -- Penang -- Malacca -- Thailand: Step into the World of Exotica -- Affordable Living -- Health Care -- Our Favorite Destinations in Thailand -- And Keep an Eye on . . . Cambodia -- Chapter 16: Boots on the Ground: Zeroing In on the Community That's Right for You -- We'll Say It Again: Profile Yourself Ruthlessly -- Getting there-and Once You Do, Then What? -- The Soloist: Retiring Overseas as a Single -- Chapter 17: You Found Your Paradise. Now What?: Should You Rent or Buy? And How to Know When Halfway Isn't the Wrong Way -- Try Before You Buy: How to Find a Rental, and When You Might Want to Bite the Bullet and Buy -- Decided to Buy? Don't Succumb to Margarita Madness -- When Halfway Isn't the Wrong Way: Why Living Overseas Part-Time May Make Sense for You.

How to Ensure a Problem-Free Real Estate Purchase -- Chapter 18: Once You Know Where You're Going: Put Your Plan in Action -- Health Care -- Finances: Credit Cards, Banking, and Taxes -- Moving Your Pets Overseas -- Shedding or Shipping: What About Your "Stuff"? -- Part 3: Once You Get There: Adjusting to Your New Life -- Chapter 19: Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitude: Maintaining the Bridge between Your Past and Present Lives -- Saying "See You Later" Instead of "Good-Bye" -- The Internet Will Be Your New Best Friend -- Staying In Touch: Easier Than You Think -- Chapter 20: When the Hammock Gets Boring: What to Do after You Retire and Move Overseas -- What the World Needs Now: Volunteering -- But I WANT (or NEED) to Keep Working! -- Teaching English -- Turn Your Passion into Profits -- Seeing the Niche and Filling It -- The Portable Career Option -- Chapter 21: Moving On: This Is Not a One-Way Highway -- This May Not Be the Last Move You Ever Make -- The Serial Relocator's Guide to Staying Light on Your Feet -- 1. Understand the Financial Issues -- 2. Shed the Baggage -- 3. Understand the Difference between a Serial Relocator and a Perpetual Traveler -- Going Back Home: No Harm, No Foul -- The Only Regret You May Have . . . -- Epilogue: If We Knew Then What We Know Now -- We'd Have Profiled Ourselves a Bit More Ruthlessly -- We'd Have Been Easier on Ourselves -- We'd Have Spent More Time on the Ground Before We Bought -- We Wouldn't Have Trusted That Guy Just Because He Was From the States -- We'd Have Done It Sooner -- Index.