Places Where You Can Retire on $200,000 and Feel Rich

[Buzzman]

Ahhh, the irony.....

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

As I approach Corfu, Greece on this beautiful stary night, I can see clearly what a serious waste of time participating on forum has become. Some like you get it, others never will whilst sitting home on their computers trolling day and night using a currency converter to compare food quality.

Lol..... I resemble that comment!
My mother was Greek (from the Island of Andros) , but I grew up in Scotland where I believe. ... Happiness is a Sin!

Childood summer Holidays in Greece with the wonderful food and close family laughter, then back to the dour attitudes of my Scottish relatives, serving porridge or black pudding if we were lucky. .
Thank gods my mother was a great cook!

Made me realize how different we all can be.

[GTom]

Haven't read everything but I would bet no one mentioned costs of moving to the frugal country of their dreams. Even sailing your own boat, getting to e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, etc from the US or Europe requires a significant investment. Right, you can eat for 1000$/year in Madagascar, but what if you need a boat repair?

Whilst highly agreeing Kemonac to get out in the real world, I have yet to see a "cost of living" comparison for liveaboard cruisers. Including a new rigging or major engine repair every now and then... I'd say, it's a futile task, the "no free lunch" principle is probably a fair guidance, adding that some places are extremely expensive, beyond that principle.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by GTom

Haven't read everything but I would bet no one mentioned costs of moving to the frugal country of their dreams. Even sailing your own boat, getting to e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, etc from the US or Europe requires a significant investment. Right, you can eat for 1000$/year in Madagascar, but what if you need a boat repair?

Whilst highly agreeing Kemonac to get out in the real world, I have yet to see a "cost of living" comparison for liveaboard cruisers. Including a new rigging or major engine repair every now and then... I'd say, it's a futile task, the "no free lunch" principle is probably a fair guidance, adding that some places are extremely expensive, beyond that principle.

Read the reports by other cruisers, on websites such as Noonsite. For example: https://www.noonsite.com/report/mala...el-california/

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Read the reports by other cruisers, on websites such as Noonsite. For example: https://www.noonsite.com/report/mala...el-california/

Right, I do that whenever I see a post in the topic.

[daletournier]

Living in another country and cruising through a country is different.

Accommodation costs change alot from country to country, some of the big savings happen here, obviously this dosent apply to us cruisers that have our own accommodation.

My living costs don't seem to very a great deal, place to place. Some places you catch cabs because they're cheap other places you take the buses because the cabs are expensive, therefore our transport costs don't change alot, just the mode in which we travel does. Some places we eat out alot because it's cheap other places we spend more time eating on the boat , therefore once again our food bill dosen't change alot, just the way we eat does.

Overall I find inflation is creeping in most places.

How much you use the boat has a big bearing on your costs. 30% of my spending is on the boat, that's 7k usd so far this year. Nothing serious has broken or gone wrong, it just costs money to maintain a boat well if your doing the miles. This cost dosent change a great deal country to country.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by GTom

Haven't read everything but I would bet no one mentioned costs of moving to the frugal country of their dreams. Even sailing your own boat, getting to e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, etc from the US or Europe requires a significant investment. Right, you can eat for 1000$/year in Madagascar, but what if you need a boat repair?

Whilst highly agreeing Kemonac to get out in the real world, I have yet to see a "cost of living" comparison for liveaboard cruisers. Including a new rigging or major engine repair every now and then... I'd say, it's a futile task, the "no free lunch" principle is probably a fair guidance, adding that some places are extremely expensive, beyond that principle.

Two questions in your post as I interpret it: 1. relo cost 2. Major refit cost w significant importation. Right?

Relo:

Ive done 3 international relos so far. Like most else, the expense can vary a lot. First one was basically just show up in the boat: minimal cost. Second was a big move: household goods (though greatly reduced) plants (a container load!), vehicle, plus half a dozen pets...all going to an ultimate destination with water access only...so this all had to be shipped/imported, then local overland transport, then transport by barge. Ouch! Was at least $20K. Third one: we moved no houshold goods (esp in non-1st world countried its cheaper just to buy what you need locally), no pets, one vehicle, so not bad...a few $K total incl vehicle import.

However, in all cases there is a second phase to relo costs in addition to just getting you and your posessions there. That is basically residency (plus all the related stuff like driver liscence, legal documents such as medical and Will, etc...). The cost and hassle of this category can be substantial and vary a lot by country. Investigate your intended destination before you make the jump. Alternatively, if the country has a long duration/liberal tourist visa (like Panama), you can just make periodic border runs...I know expats who've been living like that for decades.

#2 in next post...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by daletournier;2919238... My living costs don't seem to very a great deal, place to place. Some places you catch cabs because they're cheap other places you take the buses because the cabs are expensive, therefore our transport costs don't change alot,[U

just the mode in which we travel does[/U]. Some places we eat out alot because it's cheap other places we spend more time eating on the boat , therefore once again our food bill dosen't change alot, just the way we eat does.,,

Indeed.
Our costs were determined by our budget. We spent what we had to spend - sometimes more, sometimes less, and always on different things, dependent upon costs.

[td0tz]

And maybe ... Italy?

[john61ct]

To someone with a grand total of $200K in assets, real estate **purchase pricing** is not relevant.

In the places suited to that sort of retirement, most locals that aren't subsistence farmers will be renting, so average income statistics will suffice as an estimate of housing costs.

But in the context here, I'd assume fulltime off-grid liveaboarding myself, why pay for any additional S&B housing costs at all?

[keelsidedown]

[QUOTE=td0tz;2927945]And maybe ... Italy?



Nice chart... Now, include annual cost of ownership for properties in these countries (including tax variability).

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by john61ct

But in the context here, I'd assume fulltime off-grid liveaboarding myself, why pay for any additional S&B housing costs at all?

The full time liveaboarding down south this time of year will be quite toasty.

You'd probably need to experience it to understand.

Most of our ICW "cruising" CF members on this side of the pond you might have noticed are all at marinas now through August at least unless they are AC capable

[barnakiel]

You know, there is this other thread where a cruising couple quotes their monthly budget in a wee boat. I think they are at about 2k per head.


Hence 24k per year.


Hence 200k gets burned in some 8 years.


I think in the US the retirement age is 66?


Apparently the person who wrote that piece of material has chronic cancer and intends to die at 74. Give or take.



Nonsense.


I am going to live for ever. And never retire. And I feel rich every day the sun shines, or someone smiles back at me. In a place with low criminal rates and high quality med services.



b.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You know, there is this other thread where a cruising couple quotes their monthly budget in a wee boat. I think they are at about 2k per head.


Hence 24k per year.


Hence 200k gets burned in some 8 years.


I think in the US the retirement age is 66?


Apparently the person who wrote that piece of material has chronic cancer and intends to die at 74. Give or take.



Nonsense.


I am going to live for ever. And never retire. And I feel rich every day the sun shines, or someone smiles back at me. In a place with low criminal rates and high quality med services.



b.

Lol.... You just gave me an inspiration for the epitaph on my tombstone.
"Wish you were Here"!

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The full time liveaboarding down south this time of year will be quite toasty.

Not sure how "our ICW" or "south" pertains to this topic. I've lived most of my adult life in the southern hemisphere and "north" in the tropics,

only maybe 18 months of it with aircon available, and mostly for well under $500 USD per month even when raising multiple crops of spawn.

Certainly have no plans to ever pay marina fees unless absolutely necessary.