International Livings Top Retirement Countries

[mike l]

This following link was in MSN today and is worth a look.

They chose a city in Equador as the #1 choice ( they are in the Real Estate Biz as well...)

The DR was below Hondouras but ahead of Ireland

It was interesting to see how they weighed preceived benefit's however some benefits will be more appealing to others.

Take a peek and scroll down to see the results I would love to here the comments!

The world's best places to retire - MSN Money

[Luperon]

How could the DR score so low in climate?

[Hillbilly]

To each his own...I am sure that the DR could do a whole lot more to make itself attractive, especially in the area of facilities to attract the retiree. Perhaps if I were more ambitious or really wanted to, there are a few more things that could be done. For over 30 years I have been telling people to create retirement facilities for the elderly, and now, over the last 6 months, I have seen three of them open...

I suppose that sometimes you just have to tuck in your wings and be quiet...

This is where I have lived more than half of my life, so perhaps I am jaded to the goods and bads...For us, it is the place, but I can imagine myself on a coffee farm in the north part of Guatemala, or in the hills of MOca or Jarabacoa...and be happy nowadays...

Of course, that place on the beach at Punta Rucia is kinda hard to beat...heheheheh..

So, for me, the DR is fine, not 100%, but fine....

HB

[belgiank]

like all such lists and statistics... completely illogical...

I noticed cost of living France - 50, cost of living DR - 50

Out of my head:
20cc coke in a café in France - 4$
50 cc coke in a restaurant in the DR - 2$

pound of beef France - 12$
here - 4$

gasoline france - 9$/gallon
here- 3$/gallon

and to finish the examples
meal in a fine, but no star restaurant in France (just the food) - 60$ per person
same meal in Jamaca de Dios Jarabacoa - 30$

so, how can they come to the same cost of living?

And as far as culture goes: for me it is always debatable what someone looks for in culture... yes the DR does not have the Louvre, but I think it has a great culture, especially a living culture...

[windeguy]

Originally Posted by Luperon

How could the DR score so low in climate?

I think many people that do not like humidity would not like the DR. I lived in northern California before moving here. For me, the climate was significantly better in California then here because of the low humidity, great temperatures during the day with cool temperatures at night for sleeping and an almost total lack of rain with more than 250 totally sunny cloudless days a year. The DR does not have that, but I generally like the weather here.

Cost of living was a large driver in my reason to live in the DR.

[El Rey de Mangu]

Originally Posted by mike l

This following link was in MSN today and is worth a look.

They chose a city in Equador as the #1 choice ( they are in the Real Estate Biz as well...)

The DR was below Hondouras but ahead of Ireland

It was interesting to see how they weighed preceived benefit's however some benefits will be more appealing to others.

Take a peek and scroll down to see the results I would love to here the comments!

The world's best places to retire - MSN Money

Amazing -- BELOW HONDURAS. That's a chapter right out of "How to Lie with Charts"! Lol

[mountainannie]

international living is just a real estate sales group... they pitch places where their associates have an in.. have land, have developments..

i am very surprised that MSN put its name to this one.... really

[jaguarbob]

Originally Posted by belgiank

like all such lists and statistics... completely illogical...

I noticed cost of living France - 50, cost of living DR - 50

Out of my head:
20cc coke in a café in France - 4$
50 cc coke in a restaurant in the DR - 2$

pound of beef France - 12$
here - 4$

gasoline france - 9$/gallon
here- 3$/gallon

and to finish the examples
meal in a fine, but no star restaurant in France (just the food) - 60$ per person
same meal in Jamaca de Dios Jarabacoa - 30$

so, how can they come to the same cost of living?

And as far as culture goes: for me it is always debatable what someone looks for in culture... yes the DR does not have the Louvre, but I think it has a great culture, especially a living culture...

I agree....and who can forget the women....
bob

[Lambada]

IL is a publishing company and basically what they have been marketing for 30 years or so is a retirement dream 'You look out your window, past your gardener, who is busily pruning the lemon, cherry, and fig trees…amidst the splendor of gardenias, hibiscus, and hollyhocks. The sky is clear blue. The sea is a deeper blue, sparkling with sunlight. A gentle breeze comes drifting in from the ocean, clean and refreshing, as your maid brings you breakfast in bed. For a moment, you think you have died and gone to heaven. But this paradise is real. And affordable. In fact, it costs only half as much to live this dream lifestyle…as it would to stay in your own home!' That sort of thing.

It isn't just for intending expats, however, it is also for voyeurs : 'You see, INTERNATIONAL LIVING is entertaining as well as informative. It can bring you the excitement and glamour of living and traveling in foreign countries even if you never leave your armchair.' (emboldening mine)

They market via subscription to magazines, books, conferences about relocating in 'exotic' locations, membership of select groups within their IL fraternity ( e.g. everything they have/will ever publish for US$4995). To further the dream they will tell you how to make money in your chosen location (viz. they sell you a travel writers'/photographers' course), how to invest with their affiliates (i.e. a multi-currency investment course which they sell) and as mountain annie said, real estate opportunities mainly geared to future gain, like the one which on paper gained 1,340% in a month (really, it's on their website ).

I offered them one of my articles once (for free, which confused them because they pay for stuff) but it was unacceptable probably because it was too geared to telling it like it is in the DR. However, I don't do fiction . They did send their people here back in 2006 I think it was, but I suspect they didn't find the DR easy so it has never featured highly in anything they have ever marketed. Nothing like an actual visit to conjure up some reality................

As to their abilities to carry out a piece of global research such as the title indicates, I'll let others be the judge since I haven't actually read it.