The top 10 countries to live in when you're older

[DanHorvat]

Glad to learn a thing or two about SA, I got a better picture now, and it's not a place I'd ever consider living in.

The part about life being cheap is something I couldn't handle. Plus I'd probably get very irritated by the manana mentality where nothing is important enough to get done promptly.

[Triple7]

@Sherlock:
In some situations that could be true indeed. Depends on which health care you need and with which 1st world country you still have some ties. Traffic is relatively dangerous, but… most deadly incidents do happen outside the cities and the rate is heavily influenced by high number of bus accidents. Bus accidents are happening all the time in South America. In the city, it’s so much traffic jam that it’s almost impossible to have a deathly car accident. Where I lived most accidents happened with autobusses or outside the city. There were was quite some nightlife just outside the city, every weekend young people got killed in accidents. Driving standards are completely different than in Western Europe.
I Agree. I like that.
Depends. Where I was, many nature was made reachable for tourists as it are famous touristic hotspots. It’s not always a good development. Ofcourse tourism is a big business, but it can also destroy a lot.
In big cities yes. I was talking about big cities in South America. Outside the big cities, there isn’t too much. Difference between “big city” and other areas is way bigger than in Western Europe. For the rest I agree. During the night on the roads between bigger cities also a lot of criminal incidents do happen with autobusses.
For me that part was easy. I didn’t have as much bureaucracy as over here in Europe. Here also people from government departmens do not know anything. If I call the tax department 10 times to ask them something, I got 11 times a wrong answer.
Yes, the food is better in quality in my opinion and I also did like very much the restaurants. I got a strong stomach. If you haven’t got, than perhaps you won’t like it that much as I did. Hygiene standards are completely different than in Europa in non-expensive restaurants.
Social systems are more based on giving people the basic things to survive. In Western Europe social systems are making people really lazy. With all advantages, it’s sometimes better to depend on a social system in Europe, than work for € 1.500 a month. In South America it’s way different.
I agree. Neither I do not like plain sexuality. I don’t know how things are in Brazil… in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru women aren’t that “liberal”. In Colombia and Venezuela they are more. In Brazil perhaps way more than in Colombia and Venezuela.
Venezuela, Colombia and Peru did have a great nightlife with also variaty. But people gotta realize that usually people go out in groups. Like in Romania. And they really go out with their group and do not want too much contact with people outside their group. That’s going on in many pubs.
Well, I agree with that. I was referring at they’re not agressive or pushing people that have another religion or aren’t religious at all. In many Islamic countries, other religions or thoughts than Islam are not very much appreciated.
No tension and stress gots his pro’s and cons indeed. It’s relaxed, but when something really have to be done, it can be quite annoying.
True. You should always be careful with investments, things, etc. In South America you will fall hard making the wrong choices.
Some people do consider it Eastern Europe. For a small western part I can understand that a little bit if you also consider Russia eastern Europa. For the rest of the country, not ofcourse.

[Triple7]

Glad to learn a thing or two about SA, I got a better picture now, and it's not a place I'd ever consider living in.

The part about life being cheap is something I couldn't handle. Plus I'd probably get very irritated by the manana mentality where nothing is important enough to get done promptly.

A lot of people are getting irritated by the mañana mentality in South America. For some people SA really is a disaster.

[Triple7]

The term EE may include the former SSSR countries Triple7 mentioned, but can't ever include countries which weren't in the Warsaw pact.
.

Correct. It's called sometimes Central Europa, Southeastern Europe or some parts are called Balkan, but it's not EE.

[DanHorvat]

SA sounds like a good starting spot for a criminal career. But doesn't sound like a place where you want to spend old age.

What do people want at old age?
Safety on the streets. Being respected as a human being. Good health care, both basic and when something seriously goes wrong. Sun. Preferably the sea as well. No stress. No political confrontations. No loud kids and indecency. Good public transportation. Cleanliness.

I think Europe is by far the best place for old farts. Plus Japan, but mostly for Japanese as outsiders have difficulties adapting.

[Triple7]

With a criminal career your chances to be involved in dangerous situaties will increase really a lot. I would not advice that. All those things, you'll have in South America if you're going there with money. La Molina in Lima is great for old people. You'll have there all the things you're mentioning. But, it's only affordable if you're paying some money.

As there's alsmost no middle class, average income means you'll be living in a mess. And than it's not a nice place to spend your days when you're older.

Japan is great. But for Japanese. For myself I would at least want to understand and be able to speak the language. With Japanese that will be quite difficult I suppose. Also cultural it's totally another thing.

[Sherlock]

So now the Euro is worth double since i last lived there? Looks like things have really hit hard economy wise.. are taxes still high though?

Yeah and Euro is wek recently to USD, if you count in USD.

Taxes are still the same. I have not met anyone to pay taxes properly though and nobody has problems. Little bit like EE. The taxes IPTU, IPVA etc are the same. E.g. everyone pays 4% of value of car per year, but it is not even base insurance included. Cars used to be very expensive, but now they are the cheapest in the world here, because the prices did not raise and Real dropped.

I do not care about income taxes, I have offshore company and since nobody can tell me if even my visa here is valid or not, I count myself as illegal here for now. I would advise anyone going to Brazil not to bother with lawyers and official ways, it really is not worth of the time. Nobody cares here.

[Sherlock]

@Triple7
I see dead people on highways and close to cities. Mostly bikers, who do not respect lanes and pedestrians, who are forced to cross roads dangerously, because there are no zebras, bridges etc...

There are few tourist spots, but generally, compared to Europe, there are just few. In Europe every town has something remarkable. Here it almost seems that whole Brazil is Jesus, the Sugar Hill, Pantanal, Amazonas. It is not just that, but the tourist attractions are with very low density. Also - contrary to what people think - Brazil has much bigger domestic tourism than for people outside. It is still difficult to buy domestic tickets with CC from abroad without CPF(SSN). It is not like Caribbean.

The most dangerous situation on buses for me is A/C set constantly to 19 degrees, even if outside is 40. But I travel with them a lot, it saves time. The mid and long haul buses are higher quality than European. Still they are far from train convenience and they are stuck in the jams as well.

I forgot to mention I am vegetarian, so that is my problem with restaurants. Vegetables here are taken as side dishes only. All is about meat/fish. In the cities it is ok, there are few hipsters even here

There is a difference between WE and EE. EE has quite low pensions and social system. Salario minimo here used to be higher than in EE, now with the drop it is different. Also the families of arrested criminals get for each child decent money. It changed a lot during last years. What was constant were very high pensions. They pay out until now huge retirement pensions to offsprings of offsprings of offspings of offspings of the soldiers from the war in 19th century. The country has it's own socialist de-motivation programs. They are not so much seen, but they are here. I know mostly low class people. The difference is that they live like gypsies in Europe, they can not handle the money, hence it seems they do not receive a lot.

Brazil is also very different. People behave differently in the South and North. There are African, Portuguese, German, Italian etc. cultural stereotypes. Difference between Salavdor da Bahia and for example Florianopolis is greater than between almost any European countries. The most clear border is between Rio and Sao... different worlds. But generally woman everywhere seemed to be "open", they go after guys/me, which is not exactly what I would consider "gentle woman behavior". It may be I am the foreigner also, the EE bitches take foreigners differently than locals as well. It deceives us a lot.

[Triple7]

True, I saw that too. Inside the city it's difficult to have a deadly incident as there's almost always traffic jam. Driving standards are poor in South America. Even more poor than in North Africa. What I also saw where many fights caused by "traffic discussions".

That depends. In Europa things quite fast are a touristical spot. Every church, tower, small lake or little forest is a touristic spot. In South America to me are more "real" touristic spots: the Amazone, Lake Puno, Machu Pichu, Patagonia, Angel Falls, Nazca Lines, Galapagos Islands, Islas Ballestas, Iguaza falls, Perito Moreno, Colca Canyon, Salta, salt desert in Bolivia, Laguna Colorado, Los Llanos, Yasuni, etc. But, also Europe is ofc smaller and I've seen almost all yet in Europe. But... I prefer to spend a weekend at Islas Ballestas for example than seeing the Eiffel Tower.

I neither do not like A/C. Mid and long haul busses were ok to me, if with a trustable company. That means paying a bit more, but have a buss driver that is not exhausted when driving, some comfort, etc. With low cost company you're having chanced of having a driver that didn't rest enough or even people coming with animals not being pets in the bus. Microbus was a disaster. Too many people, stucked in the jam anyway and a lot of pickpockets.

As vegetarian it is difficult there I think. Same as Romania. There is a "people eat meat/fish, vegetables are for cows"-mentality If you don't order vegetables as a side dish, in a lot of restaurants you won't even get some vegetables. Especially in the smaller restaurants, menu's are usually just meat or fish without vegetables.

That is about Brazil? Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile are slighly different than other South American countries I think. I also did know quite a lot of low class people. They did not have very much intrinsic motivation to work, but they had to work. Otherwise they did not have any money. Mentality was indeed quite comparable to gypsies. They spend money immediately, only difference is that low class people in S-A are not dying that much for having the biggest house and the biggest car in the hood. Many gypsies do. I stayed quite some time in a "barrio" and I saw there a lot of alcohol and drugs related problems. Also quite a lot of violence between people.

I think it is because you are foreigner. I had similar experiences in South America. Foreigners do get a lot of attention from women, so if they want something, they should make that clear, otherwise chances that they're catching the eye are sometimes small. In f.e. Romania women are less interested in talking with foreigners. I know some people that do not speak Romanian and went there with big expectations but came home disappointed.

[maxpower]

We´ve been 2 months in Thailand at the beginning of the year and this is one of the countries, where I can imagine my living when I´ll be older, definitelly..

In Bangkok is huge community of affiliates, even in Chiang Mai..

[DanHorvat]

Perhaps relevant to this discussion, SA is 3x larger than Europe and not 2x as it looks on Mercator projection. SA is huge.
Mercator, wrong
Winkel triple, about right
Size comparison SA-Europe

[Triple7]

Perhaps relevant to this discussion, SA is 3x larger than Europe and not 2x as it looks on Mercator projection. SA is huge.
Mercator, wrong
Winkel triple, about right
Size comparison SA-Europe

True. Traveling takes much more time, but things like Puno Like, Angel Falls and Machu Pichu you will not find too much in Europe. Even Rome for example is not that impressing as almost everything is destroyed. Pompei is worth visiting and quite an exception in Europe. The nicest Roman amphitheater is in Tunisia. Also in the Middle East there are (or were) impressing spots. A pity that IS is destroying a lot of it.

[DanHorvat]

If you're into amphitheatres try this one, it's still in use for festivals and events:
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4

[Triple7]

Thanks, that looks great !!

[spudungeyee]

I plan on retiring to South Africa, sun sand and its cheap

[Miles_FTA]

LOl I'm glad there is a few people looking at SA but for me something says the Scandi countries as it seems they look after there elderly

[OnlineCasinosLounge]

Definitely Belgium, am not from there but usually when i go there i feel something special, and i cannot explain you what But i choose Belgium

[willterry]

I'd choose not expensive country for living to spend there a retirement as a king. For example: Thailand, Turkey, Spain etc.

New Zealand and Australia are so far away

[Tony]

I'll stay where I'm now I love it.

[drifter8]

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I leave comments to you.