# Where's a good place to retire to? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365 "2008-01-21T13:14:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365/21 "2008-01-22T23:39:31Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] One recently returned poster just posted about the difficulties she was having with her parents who had up and moved to Mexico. They needed medical treatment and had to go to the states and no support system in place in Mexico. It seemed like a bad situation. [/QUOTE] To me this is the problem with alot of these plans. Sure in third world countries your dollar goes further and you can live a higher standard of living. But you are living it in a place that has real poverty and want and with Medical Care that - while noting its vast deficiencies – is almost certainly not going to be to the standards or practices of U.S. Health Care. What if someone said: \*Trade in your New York house & you can buy a Villa in Baghdad! The climate is like Arizona only better. You can live like Elvis at Graceland! \*That is a dramatic and wild example – but really it is only an exaggeration of degree and not of the concept. I’m not saying all the ideas offered in this thread are like this – but the idea of retiring to most Third World carries this element with it. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365/22 "2008-01-23T00:30:25Z")
My theory is that time slows down when you have little to do-so the ideal retirement is to some place that nothing happens in. So, I’m looking for a boring place! Plus, boring places are probably cheap places to live (since most don’t want to live there). So, any suggestions? was thinking that maybe some far west ghost town would be ideal-any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365/23 "2008-01-23T00:35:51Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] My theory is that time slows down when you have little to do-so the ideal retirement is to some place that nothing happens in. So, I’m looking for a boring place! Plus, boring places are probably cheap places to live (since most don’t want to live there). So, any suggestions? was thinking that maybe some far west ghost town would be ideal-any suggestions? [/QUOTE] Beautiful downtown [Bodie?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie%2C_California) **Bridget** , thanks for the info! I hadn’t considered around Guadalajara, but then I haven’t visited there. Yet. 🙂 Actually I haven’t thought about it at all rather than this “Oh, Mexico would be nice” vague plan. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365/24 "2008-01-23T05:05:41Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Bruin] I haven’t looked into the legalities of it but my husband and I have long discussed retiring to Mexico. No idea where in Mexico, but I’ll worry about it when it’s time, I guess. [/QUOTE] I recommend Lake Chapala, Ajijic or Guadalajara. > [@](#): > > [Retirement in Mexico | Why, Where, and How](http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0405/retirement_in_mexico.shtml) > > For those seeking spring-like weather all year long, Guernavaca and Guadalajara and the nearby lakeside towns of Chapala and Ajijic are the preferred locations. Guadalajara, along with Chapala and Ajijic, is home to 50,000 North American expatriates, the largest colony of retired Canadians and Americans in Mexico. Many more snowbirds travel to the area to spend the winter months. Both towns maintain a small-town and relaxed atmosphere. Ajijic, one of the most picturesque towns in Mexico, offers cobblestone streets, gourmet dining, and excellent shopping. Guadalajara is incredible. Very swank and cosmopolitan while still maintaining old-world charm and sophistication. Chapala and Ajijic are absolutely beatiful and just a short drive away. [http://www.ajijiccityguide.com/pages/History](http://www.ajijiccityguide.com/pages/History) [http://www.mexicoadventure.com/Lake\_Chapala.htm](http://www.mexicoadventure.com/Lake_Chapala.htm) [http://www.allaboutguadalajara.com/allaboutguadalajara.htm](http://www.allaboutguadalajara.com/allaboutguadalajara.htm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-a-good-place-to-retire-to/434365.md?page=1)