Best Places Abroad To Retire For A Single Man

‍Places Abroad To Retire For A Single Man

There is really no better way to end a long career than to have a retirement that is fulfilling and rewarding. We all look forward to it but for so many bachelors it seems like a fantasy that is always on the horizon. If you are reaching those later years in life where the idea of retiring is getting closer and closer, then you can rejoice in that fantasy soon becoming a reality.

While many bachelors opt for retiring domestically in the United States, I have got to say that’s really not the way to go about it. Deciding to go abroad for your retirement is the best move that a single man can make. It offers so many opportunities to you and it will truly bring a sense of adventure and excitement back into your life. The key thing that you want to consider is where exactly it is that you want to live out the rest of your days abroad. There are so many options to consider that range in culture, scenery, and affordability, that you really want to make a calculated decision.

Retiring abroad is actually much easier than most people think. The first thing I hear from bachelors who are on the fence about taking that leap of faith abroad is that living outside of the United States is too expensive. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the U.S. has some of the highest prices for cost of living on the entire planet - especially in some metropolitan areas. You would be absolutely shocked by how, not only affordable but dirt cheap some places are to retire in. This means that if you are a bachelor on a budget and need to be smart with your savings, you have got plenty of options to consider.

As you reflect on potential destinations to retire abroad as a single man, you should always try to have some sort of a financial plan in the back of your mind. Retiring abroad can be really cheap but you need to consider that retirement is an indefinite lifestyle and that you should really be thinking about your finances in decades as opposed to months or years. If you have got your finances in order, trust me - it will be smooth sailing as soon as you hop on the flight. To help you understand this further, we are going to take a closer look at some of our top picks for the best places to retire abroad as a single man in more detail.

Costa Rica

An international hotspot for single men looking to retire abroad is Costa Rica. This is by no means a new destination for retired bachelors living abroad but it has continued to be a gem for years without losing its magic.

This Central American nation is a dream for so many retired single men, as it really ticks all of the boxes that you could ever ask for. The climate is warm, the women are beautiful, and it is very affordable - even for bachelors on a tighter budget. If you have been living and working in an area that has a colder and less favorable climate for the majority of your life, then Costa Rica is going to be a dream.

The temperature hovers around a pleasant 80 to 90 degrees all year long - so you can say bye-bye to your winter clothes for the rest of your life. With that being said, you can expect a bit more humidity in your day-to-day, which is a plus for some and a minus for others. If you do not mind a little perspiration here and there, it is really not a major issue.

A cautionary piece of advice that you hear from many travelers and retirees living abroad is that you need to watch yourself in Central and South America. While this may often be the case in some neighboring countries, you will be pleasantly surprised to hear that Costa Rica is incredibly safe. The people are very nice and very welcoming to visitors and retirees, so you won’t have any trouble meeting friends or even finding a little romance.

If you are the kind of person that likes to be submerged in nature, Costa Rica is going to satisfy your outdoor cravings. The entire country is lush and beautiful - with tropical rainforests, rich biodiversity, and a culture that greatly values conservation. You can easily find various retreats and hikes into the nature of Costa Rica, as it will literally surround you everywhere that you go.

What I love about living in Costa Rica is that I can do it very affordably. Having a very comfortable life on a reasonable budget is all too easy. So much so, that you could barely afford a crumby apartment plus your basic cost of living expenses in the United States by comparison. If you are able to handle living on a budget of roughly $2,000 to $2,600 per month, then you will have no problem living a very comfortable life in Costa Rica. However, you can certainly cut some of these costs and live even cheaper if you had to.

The national language of Costa Rica of course is Spanish. If you want to really fit in with the locals and get involved in the community of the country, then it could be wise to pick up a Spanish lesson or two - either stateside before you head out or in Costa Rica itself. However, Costa Rica is such a tourist-friendly nation, that you will find that a lot of the locals have some grasp of English, so you should be able to get by with learning just the basics in most cases.

Portugal

If you have always dreamed of visiting Europe, there is no reason that you need to make that trip a two-week vacation, as you can actually come to this part of the world for life if your heart desired. When the topic of Europe comes on the table, most people begin to argue that it is far too expensive to travel through - let alone retire in. This is by no means the case, as Europe is actually very affordable if you play your cards right and especially if you choose destinations like Portugal.

Portugal is located in Southern Europe and it is a perfect place to plan your retirement. The cost of living is incredibly low and you can afford to live in Portugal for about as much as most places in the United States - if not cheaper. Retired single men that reside in Europe end paying as little as $2,000 per month to cover all of their expenses, which is very reasonable for the European continent. If you are flexible with your lifestyle, then you can drop this figure down by even another $500.

On the other hand, just like in most parts of the world, Portugal can be as pricey as you want it to be. If you are the kind of retired bachelor who enjoys the finer things in life, has lavish habits, and likes to eat out at fancy restaurants on a regular basis, then you can expect to pay considerably more than the modest retiree. This could end up being exceedingly costly if you end up finding a nice lady friend to take out on the town.

Aside from its affordability, Portugal is also a beautiful country that is very rich in culture and history. Wherever you go in the country, you will find stunning architecture that will blow you away. Walking down Portuguese streets after a lovely dinner accompanied by a glass of wine is all you really need to do to have a satisfying evening. The cities are as vibrant as the people and you will not have any issues having a great night out dancing or socializing with locals.

If you are the kind of retired bachelor that wants to relax yet at the same time have the activeness of a city, the capital Lisbon is a great place to settle down in. For a big city, it is very lovely and has all of the qualities you could ask for - without the chaos of a huge metropolitan area.

However, if you want to find a place that is very quiet and more intimate, opting for a nice spot out in the countryside or along the coast will be perfect for you. There are plenty of quaint little towns and villages that are absolutely gorgeous. In addition, Portugal has some great beaches. There are some world-class surf spots and some amazing places to chill out for the rest of your life. The warm Mediterranean climate is a calling to sip sangria on the beach and watch sunsets day after day.

The one thing that you may want to be a bit wary of when considering Portugal as a place to retire in as a bachelor is that you may find the language barrier to be a bit challenging at times. Unlike many other touristic places around the world, most Portuguese people do not speak a whole lot of English. Some certainly will but should not expect that to be the standard. With that being said, picking up some Portuguese to get by is not all that difficult and it would be highly advisable if you plan on retiring here for good.

The Philippines

If you are the kind of single retired man who loves the beach, warm weather, and are on a tight budget, you probably have started to lose hope in ever finding an affordable place under the sun to retire in, as so many of these hotspots such as Hawaii have simply become way too expensive over the years. You should think again!

The world is full of affordable beachy places with great weather that are not only affordable but cheaper than you could even imagine. One of the best places that you can retire in that ticks all of these boxes is the Philippines. For decades, retired bachelors from the United States have been quietly sneaking off to this part of the world to live out the rest of their lives - and you really cannot blame them as this island nation is a slice of paradise that is just begging for your visit.

Without even considering the natural beauty of the Philippines, the first thing that each retired single man should take into account is that you can afford to retire here just about cheaper than anywhere in the world. The cost of living in this Southeast Asian nation is so cheap that you can afford all of your monthly expenses in about what the average American pays for their rent each month. That’s right! The Philippines is so affordable that you can retire in this part of the world for right around $1,000 per month.

Most Filipinos live on a very tight budget as it is, as this is still a developing nation that does not have a strong economy. This works out very well in your favor as a retired single man, as you can enjoy the luxury of living in an island paradise at a fraction of what it costs to live in a place like Hawaii.

Unlike many other countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has not been as abused by tourism, which means that it is still somewhat of an untapped resource. Finding a nice bungalow on the beach for a few hundred bucks a month is not going to be a problem, as the Philippines has plenty to spare. This country is loaded with some of the most beautiful beaches on the entire planet and you can enjoy them without crowds and in total solitude.

The Philippines has over 7,000 islands for you to explore, so you have got plenty of things to do during your retirement. You can sip coconuts on the beach during the day, watch sunsets with cocktails in the evening, and repeat that process day in and day out, as that is what this island nation is all about. Renting a boat for the day and going on island hopping tours in any of the country’s touristic hotspots is one of the main attractions of the Philippines.

There are some world-class scuba diving areas scattered around the country and there are other activities such as snorkeling, swimming, and even surfing to take full advantage of. The good news is that there are so many islands in the Philippines that if you find that you want a change of scenery, moving over to another area is always an option. Getting bored is certainly not going to be a problem when living in the Philippines.

However, not all retired bachelors want to spend each and every day laying out on the beach. If you find that you want a break from the beach and need to get some fresh mountain air or some city life in your routine, no problem. You can always head up north and check out the nation’s mountain province which is a total contrast to the island life. And if you want to feel the hustle and bustle of a big city, the capital, Manila has got you covered. This concrete jungle is as big as it gets and there is plenty to see and explore.

If you like to have some social life in your days as a retired bachelor, the locals are extremely friendly and they love to meet foreigners. Finding a nice group of friends and acquaintances to share your days with is all too easy in the Philippines. Now, you might be concerned about the language barrier in a country that is so different from the United States. Fortunately, that is really not an issue in the Philippines as this country was once a U.S. territory and it has a lot of the same qualities as the U.S. as far as the education system goes, so a lot of the locals are equipped with English.

Colombia

A country for retired single men that has been on the rise in recent years is Colombia. This South American nation is absolutely stunning. You will be amazed by how incredibly beautiful the scenery is wherever you go.

On top of that, it is very affordable. South America, in general, is not all that expensive by American standards, and luckily the same applies to Colombia. If you are on a budget, this is really a destination that you can’t go wrong with as you can expect to pay as little as $1,500 per month for all of your basic expenses.

With that being said, this by no means implies that you need to disregard Colombia as a prime retirement spot if you can afford a place that is more expensive. The country is rich with culture and it is full of incredible people that are friendly, vibrant, and welcoming. If you are still not sold, Colombian women are among the most beautiful in the world, so you may end up having quite the romantic experience in this South American country.

I often hear retired single men expressing their worries about how Colombia is a dangerous place. While this nation has certainly not been the safest in the past, Colombia has changed a lot in the last 20 years or so and it has developed in many ways. It is currently considered to be one of the safest countries to live in all of South America and if you decide to retire here you will see exactly why that is. Colombians are very friendly people and danger is not something that you will have to overthink when living here.

What is great about retiring in Colombia is that it has something for every type of bachelor. If you are the kind of person that likes to spend a lot of time in the outdoors and be immersed in nature, Colombia has got you covered. The jungle practically covers the entire country and you can explore so much of the nation’s rich and diverse landscapes.

However, Colombia also has some amazing cities. Places like Cartagena are vibrant, lively, and beautiful. There is amazing architecture all over these urban areas that have been there since the Spanish colonization. The streets are filled with energy and if you are the kind of bachelor that likes his nightlife, you will not have any issue finding a fiesta to attend.

Mexico

For many Americans, Mexico kind of feels like ‘their backyard’. For that reason, many retired single men forget to consider it as an excellent destination to live in once they finish working.

Mexico is a big country but most Americans tend to only hit the country’s hot spots such as Cancun and Cabo. While these are great destinations for a retired bachelor, there are loads of other places to live in that are less crowded and far cheaper.

You can enjoy Mexico’s amazing climate and have the sunshine and warmth that you love in America’s summer be a standard for the majority of the year. And at the end of the day, who doesn’t love Mexican food? Getting your taco cravings satisfied is not going to be an issue and you can enjoy this amazing cuisine on a regular basis at a fraction of the cost of what you would pay in the United States.

What is great about Mexico is that it is also so close to home. If you are like many retired bachelors living abroad, you have still probably got plenty of family living stateside that you want to keep up appearances with. That is going to be very convenient if you decide to live in Mexico, as the proximity is so close, you know that you can always be on a flight home for casual visits within just a few hours.

In addition, with Mexico being so close, you can also keep yourself close enough for your family and friends to come to visit you during your retirement. Retiring abroad is all about changing up the scenery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be too far away from your loved ones.

Another great thing about retiring in Mexico is that it is relatively cheap. If you decide to live in one of the country’s tourist hot spots, you should expect to pay a bit more for your cost of living. In this case, your monthly expenses could be as high as $2,000, which is still quite reasonable for most retired bachelors. However, you can really cut corners on these costs by living in areas in Mexico that have not been visited nearly as much.

There are plenty of great spots around the country such as Tulum and Jalisco that have so much to offer to retired single men. By choosing to live in a location in Mexico that is not as touristic, you could easily cut those expenses in half and pay $1,000 (or less) for all of your expenses. If you like the idea of finding a nice senorita, sipping cervezas, and enjoying all of the tacos that you want, you really can’t go wrong with a place like Mexico.