Steps towards a simpler life

[ifiddles]

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I don’t think you need to go to Costs Rica for that.

I can exited the corp world earlier this year and am trying small town living in Northern Ontario (for the summer). I wake up to wildlife noises, regularly bears, moose, the occasional lynx and drop into my yard, all kinds of birds and small fur bearers too.

I can be in pristine wilderness with miles of trails, secluded lakes and raging rivers inside 10 minutes. Hunting and fishing are world class. A decent small house can be had for under $200k (or rent one for $1800/mo). We have a decent hospital is in town, airport with direct flights to Toronto, long haul and local bus services, and next year a passenger rail connection to Toronto.

Most stuff costs about the same as Toronto, we have most big box stores.

Most stores close early Saturday, and little is open Sunday.

My biggest beef so far is you can’t get a haircut unless you book it 3 days in advance.

No monkeys or bananas… I’m ok with that.

Sounds idyllic...where did you move to?...hubby and I both cut our own hair, so that wouldn't be an issue...LOL

 

[Hardwrkr13]

Years ago I met an expat in Costa Rica when we were arranging to hand off some things for school kids there. She originally worked in Montreal and her job was high stress and she had been told there was a high chance of stroke from heart issues etc. She decided to sell everything, quit her job and move to Costa Rica with her young children. Her health improved drastically but her kids had a few initial issues adapting. She said the biggest issue was dealing with no big screen TVs, no fancy cars, no buying the latest greatest thing. Her kids were told they could only go to school if they had their own desk as the school didn't have enough. They had to adapt to less and it became way less stressful. She got a job helping with tourist tours and wakes up in the morning listening to the wildlife and views of the amazing flowers and greenery. Doesn't regret a thing.

Sure it’s good for her, but what about the kids? Doesn’t sound like school is on-par with here and there’s certainly less career opportunities. I loved my week in Costa Rica and I’m sure if I was solo I could make a life there but I see more opportunities here.

I don’t think you need to go to Costs Rica for that.

I can exited the corp world earlier this year and am trying small town living in Northern Ontario (for the summer). I wake up to wildlife noises, regularly bears, moose, the occasional lynx and drop into my yard, all kinds of birds and small fur bearers too.

I can be in pristine wilderness with miles of trails, secluded lakes and raging rivers inside 10 minutes. Hunting and fishing are world class. A decent small house can be had for under $200k (or rent one for $1800/mo). We have a decent hospital is in town, airport with direct flights to Toronto, long haul and local bus services, and next year a passenger rail connection to Toronto.

Most stuff costs about the same as Toronto, we have most big box stores.

Most stores close early Saturday, and little is open Sunday.

My biggest beef so far is you can’t get a haircut unless you book it 3 days in advance.

No monkeys or bananas… I’m ok with that.

Cutting your own hair is certainly where it’s at. I was forced into it during covid and have never had anyone cut my hair since. Saving $20-40 month plus the wasted time going there means more money/time for other things.

 

[GreyGhost]

Sure it’s good for her, but what about the kids? Doesn’t sound like school is on-par with here and there’s certainly less career opportunities. I loved my week in Costa Rica and I’m sure if I was solo I could make a life there but I see more opportunities here.

Cutting your own hair is certainly where it’s at. I was forced into it during covid and have never had anyone cut my hair since. Saving $20-40 month plus the wasted time going there means more money/time for other things.

High school in CR is internationally recognized as acceptable. I know some people that moved down during covid. CR pricing has skyrocketed over the past few years so it is no longer a budget destination.

I get my hair cut every four to six months. I tried cutting it myself at one point in the past. Buzz is easy enough. When cutting with scissors, I had issues cutting parts (the ring where bald people have hair).

 

[JC99]

Sure it’s good for her, but what about the kids? Doesn’t sound like school is on-par with here and there’s certainly less career opportunities. I loved my week in Costa Rica and I’m sure if I was solo I could make a life there but I see more opportunities here.

Cutting your own hair is certainly where it’s at. I was forced into it during covid and have never had anyone cut my hair since. Saving $20-40 month plus the wasted time going there means more money/time for other things.

Schools aren’t bad and if you really want to spend a bit there are international schools for expat kids in most places where expats congregate. I don’t see it as any different to French immersion just this is Spanish immersion. The kids left some friends and made new ones. If you have an army family they do that all the time.

As for budget it depends what you want to eat and how you live. If you want to eat and live exactly the same as you do in North America it will cost you. If you want to eat like a local on fresh fish/meat/veggies and fruit with rice and beans or plantains etc then you can live very cheaply. Personally I can’t get enough fresh fish when I'm down in these places. The only downer was one time in Northern Panama I had to wait a bit while they caught my fish from the dock. Terrible imposition.

 

[Mikedezo44]

Do you have a link to your Thailand trip? I`ve been looking at a Retirement Visa there and been speaking with a member of another bike forum who made the jump from California to Thailand, with his wife about 15 years ago. I meet the qualification for the Visa, but it`s obviously a big step on many fronts. I feel I should have done this 10 years ago when I retired. I`ve done well here and am set for the remainder of days. Thing is there`s nothing holding me here, family, wife, job, commitments.. nothing. The gnawing regret eats at me about indecision and fear of not making a move. All I see is a diminished future in Canada, the crumbling healthcare, taxed to death and more never ending rules and laws, endless expenses, from a useless, corrupt government in it for themselves, nothing gets done for the peoples benefit...ever.

No link sorry but happy to answer any question you wish as I've been 4 times. Every time longer than the last, and think about how soon I can go back every day that I'm in Canada. Can get a teeth cleaning there at a very professional dental office for $40-50. Bangkok has world class hospitals that expats who live in neighboring south east asian countries will visit every year or two for a full health check up, or surgery that they don't trust getting done in Philippines or Indonesia for example. Endless hours of Youtube videos on living over there. Take a 2 or 3 week trip over there to check out a couple of cities and see what you think of it.

 

[Jampy00]

Personally I'm done with travel, seen many places and wish I could see more.
If you have the means, interest, and opportunity go for it, typically it is money and time well spent.

 

[Mad Mike]

Sounds idyllic...where did you move to?...hubby and I both cut our own hair, so that wouldn't be an issue...LOL

Porcupine

 

[nobbie48]

Schools aren’t bad and if you really want to spend a bit there are international schools for expat kids in most places where expats congregate. I don’t see it as any different to French immersion just this is Spanish immersion. The kids left some friends and made new ones. If you have an army family they do that all the time.

As for budget it depends what you want to eat and how you live. If you want to eat and live exactly the same as you do in North America it will cost you. If you want to eat like a local on fresh fish/meat/veggies and fruit with rice and beans or plantains etc then you can live very cheaply. Personally I can’t get enough fresh fish when I'm down in these places. The only downer was one time in Northern Panama I had to wait a bit while they caught my fish from the dock. Terrible imposition.

My brother moved to Panama and it didn't work out. He planned to start a business down there but was underfinanced. The language barrier was also an issue. He could order a meal in a restaurant but negotiating in a business environment was a no-no.

He also went down with a superiority attitude. That's a killer in any country as the American tariff followers have noticed.

Stuff was cheap ~15 years ago but you had to go with the flow.

 

[JC99]

My brother moved to Panama and it didn't work out. He planned to start a business down there but was underfinanced. The language barrier was also an issue. He could order a meal in a restaurant but negotiating in a business environment was a no-no.

He also went down with a superiority attitude. That's a killer in any country as the American tariff followers have noticed.

Stuff was cheap ~15 years ago but you had to go with the flow.

Sorry to hear that. It takes a lot of organization. You need lawyers for everything there including buying cars etc. First you have to find lawyers you trust though which is no small feat and you need to realize that there's a bunch of people just waiting to fleece you of cash.

 

[Lightcycle]

My brother moved to Panama and it didn't work out. He planned to start a business down there but was underfinanced. The language barrier was also an issue. He could order a meal in a restaurant but negotiating in a business environment was a no-no.

He also went down with a superiority attitude. That's a killer in any country as the American tariff followers have noticed.

Stuff was cheap ~15 years ago but you had to go with the flow.

This is such a common story. We've lived in a few places for months to years at time, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa.

Seen so many ex-pats move to a lower cost-of-living country thinking it's just going to be like home, except cheaper. Based all their research on a two-week vacation on a beach resort.

"We're gonna live like F-n kings!!!"

And then they encounter language/cultural barriers, lack of sanitary practices, poor air quality due to no environmental-protection enforcement, no government services like garbage collection, nobody fixing huge gaping holes in the sidewalk, lack of infrastructure like sewage systems, broken roads that require you to repair your suspension every year. Political instability, rampant crime, long queues for inadequate and overly-bureaucratic services like renewing your drivers licenses, passports, etc. Corruption at every level from the police to vendors squeezing ex-pats extra hard for bribes and "special fees" because they know you have more money than the locals. Being treated like a walking ATM every where you go, hands outstretched all the time at you.

If you want the same standard of living, you'll have to pay extra and the cost works out to almost the same as the west, otherwise you're eating, shiiting and sleeping like the locals.

About the only thing that is cheaper is local food and healthcare.

The ones that prosper in these places end up staying because they genuinely like the culture, not because they are escaping financial hardship at home. They speak the language fluently, have local friends, their kids play with local kids, cook local dishes at home, they watch local TV and movies in the native language without subtitles. They don't surround themselves with an ex-pat cocoon of other western economic refugees just so they can speak English to somebody... anybody...

Worse still are those who barely have enough funds to emigrate to a LCL-country, and find out there is no way they can come back to the west because they've been aged/skilled out of the job market, and priced out of the housing market having stepped off the property ladder. For those folks, it's a one-way trip to a false paradise.

Go in with your eyes open, not your wallets closed.

 

[nobbie48]

This is such a common story. We've lived in a few places for months to years at time, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa.

Seen so many ex-pats move to a lower cost-of-living country thinking it's just going to be like home, except cheaper.

Language/cultural barriers, lack of sanitary practices, no government services like garbage collection, nobody fixing huge gaping holes in the sidewalk, lack of infrastructure like sewage systems. Long queues for inadequate and overly-bureaucratic services like renewing your drivers licenses, passports, etc. Corruption at every level from the police to vendors squeezing ex-pats extra hard for bribes because they know they more money than the locals. Being treated like a walking ATM every where you go, hands outstretched all the time at you.

If you want the same standard of living, you'll have to pay extra and the cost works out to almost the same as the west, otherwise you're eating, shiiting and sleeping like the locals.

About the only thing that is cheaper is local food and healthcare.

The ones that make it in these places and end up staying do so because they genuinely like the culture, not because they are escaping financial hardship at home.

Worse still are those who barely have enough funds to emigrate to a LOC-country, and find out there is no way they can come back to the west because they've been aged/skilled out of the job market, and priced out of the housing market having stepped off the property ladder. For those folks, it's a one-way trip to a false paradise.

Go in with your eyes open, not your wallets closed.

Your post is like reading my brother's diary.

 

[JC99]

Your post is like reading my brother's diary.

Like Lightcycle said there's a bunch of things you just don’t think about that can impact everyday life. We've been looking into this for a while. In Panama people regularly burn their trash as collections can be sporadic or paid for and some people don’t want to pay. It can be a bit worrying coming across an unsupervised (as they ran away because it's strictly illegal) fire. We had one next to a property we rented and it started to get out of hand. We stayed in a place in rainy season once as we needed to know what it was like year round rather than just the dry months. The rain was measured in inches a day. The little stream in our AirBnB became a lake every day. Some roads washed away. Even in dry season there's things to think about. Farmers burn their fields regularly to get them ready for the next season. This means a smokey smog for sometimes weeks at a time in places depending on the wind direction. New rules limit how long you can legally drive for in Panama as an expat.

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