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How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad
The definitive guide for anyone dreaming of living in paradise when they retire. Whether motivated by a desire for adventure, or the need to make the most of a diminished nest egg, more and more Americans are considering an overseas retirement. Drawing on her more than three decades of experience helping people relocate happily and successfully, Kathleen Peddicord shows how living in an unconventional retirement destination can cost less than a traditional home in Florida or Arizona. Peddicord addresses all of the essential issues, • Finding a home to own or rent• Researching and understanding your tax liability• Obtaining health insurance and medical care• Avoiding common mistakes and pitfalls• Opening a bank account Whether readers are interested in relatively unknown havens like Nicaragua, well-traveled areas in Italy, or need some help deciding, How to Retire Overseas is the ultimate guide to making retirement dreams come true.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2010
131 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 28, 2011
An intriguing inventory of places recommended to Americans for retirement using an array of criteria: residency options; tax benefits; special retirement status/visas (Panama, Belize, Malaya); cost of living; health care quality, cost and insurance; setting up your infrastructure in a new country; and much much more. Kathleen Peddicord identifies her top fourteen retirement "havens" and examines each one in terms of economics, livability and culture.
Of course, this raises more questions for me than are answered by this book: how easy will it be to live as a vegetarian (tips the balance towards Asia), can one import one's pet, is there access to English language libraries (other than online!), political instability (Thailand!?), drug cartels (no reference to this at all in the Mexico section!), what about extremes of weather, i.e.; hurricanes (Belize), etc. etc.
It is noteworthy that Peddicord has lived in three different countries over a nearly 20-year period and is not a retiree. She was young when she and her husband and small child began the expatriate's life, and even after three kids, she is still relatively young and makes her living wherever she lives. In other words, she isn't living on a pension and she isn't thinking about those unpleasant later life decisions: what happens when one starts getting elderly and needs assistance? For couples, what happens when the first spouse dies and the other must continue alone with decreasing mobility or health? I'm at a stage in my life when I have to consider these eventualities as inevitable.
Otherwise, she does a very good job of giving one a starting point to consider such an extreme lifestyle option and raises issues of personal values, connection to community, access to family, etc. What seems increasingly possible and reasonable is overseas residency as a gap measure while waiting to qualify for medicare.... and this would make retirement even possible a few years sooner, certainly no small matter!
Of course, this raises more questions for me than are answered by this book: how easy will it be to live as a vegetarian (tips the balance towards Asia), can one import one's pet, is there access to English language libraries (other than online!), political instability (Thailand!?), drug cartels (no reference to this at all in the Mexico section!), what about extremes of weather, i.e.; hurricanes (Belize), etc. etc.
It is noteworthy that Peddicord has lived in three different countries over a nearly 20-year period and is not a retiree. She was young when she and her husband and small child began the expatriate's life, and even after three kids, she is still relatively young and makes her living wherever she lives. In other words, she isn't living on a pension and she isn't thinking about those unpleasant later life decisions: what happens when one starts getting elderly and needs assistance? For couples, what happens when the first spouse dies and the other must continue alone with decreasing mobility or health? I'm at a stage in my life when I have to consider these eventualities as inevitable.
Otherwise, she does a very good job of giving one a starting point to consider such an extreme lifestyle option and raises issues of personal values, connection to community, access to family, etc. What seems increasingly possible and reasonable is overseas residency as a gap measure while waiting to qualify for medicare.... and this would make retirement even possible a few years sooner, certainly no small matter!
Read
December 7, 2020Kathleen Peddicord has lived and worked overseas for over two decades, beginning in Ireland, then on to Paris, France, and most recently in Panama. Although there is a lot of good information about living as a retiree or pensioner abroad, the title is a little misnamed, as almost all of its content would apply to anyone wishing to live abroad for extended periods of time.
Most countries, as you'll learn in this book, limit your stay on a tourist visa to six months maximum, so if you want to live in a particular country longer than that, you'll have to apply for legal resident status, which Peddicord discusses extensively. She also covers thoroughly how to find a place to live, and the pros and cons of renting vs buying vs building or remodeling overseas.
I think the most important takeaway from all of this is that we, as Americans, have to realize that almost everything we take for granted here can very well be different overseas. This includes things like buying real estate, setting up a bank account - simple here in the U.S., but akin to attaining a security clearance most other places in the world - getting utilities, phone and Internet connections hooked up, and just getting around the area in your new home.
She talks about the "manana" factor a bit towards the end of the book. Here in the U.S., we tend to expect - and get - businesses and people to do what they say they will do, on time, and in accordance with the prepared cost estimate. Most other cultures around the world, for various reasons, are a bit more relaxed about things, and very few projects actually go according to plan or schedule.
There is an extensive middle section of the book where she describes in great detail some of her top picks for overseas livings, based on factors such as affordability, culture, climate, quality of health care, education for dependents, accessibility from the U.S., and special benefits available for expat retirees. If you already have a vague idea of somewhere you want to visit extensively, grab a locale in the same area from this book, and pick Mrs. Peddicord's brain.
I think one of the best things in this book is a section on the decision making process that leads to moving overseas in the first place - some questions to ask yourself ...and your spouse. They'll determine, first, the particular locations that would make you happy, and second, whether you should move overseas at all.
A sample from this list:
Do you enjoy a change of seasons?
Do you need regular sunshine?
Do you mind rain?
Can you handle heat? Humidity?
Do you lose your cool if you can't send an e-mail the first time, every time you try?
Would you mind living on a dirt road?
Would you mind your road access being temporarily cut off during the rainy season?
Do you need American television?
Would you be comfortable owning a car and driving yourself around in a new country?
Would you be unhappy without your favorite comfort foods?
Do you have children or grandchildren you want to see regularly?
Do you speak a second language? Are you terrified at the idea of learning one?
What's your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?
What would you like to see from your bedroom window? The ocean? A mountainside covered with wildflowers? A vineyard? A busy street scene?
Have you spent much time outside the United States?
From where will you derive your income in retirement?
This is a great book, really makes you think about things, and gets down to brass tacks about a subject that seems, for most of us, castles in the sky.
Most countries, as you'll learn in this book, limit your stay on a tourist visa to six months maximum, so if you want to live in a particular country longer than that, you'll have to apply for legal resident status, which Peddicord discusses extensively. She also covers thoroughly how to find a place to live, and the pros and cons of renting vs buying vs building or remodeling overseas.
I think the most important takeaway from all of this is that we, as Americans, have to realize that almost everything we take for granted here can very well be different overseas. This includes things like buying real estate, setting up a bank account - simple here in the U.S., but akin to attaining a security clearance most other places in the world - getting utilities, phone and Internet connections hooked up, and just getting around the area in your new home.
She talks about the "manana" factor a bit towards the end of the book. Here in the U.S., we tend to expect - and get - businesses and people to do what they say they will do, on time, and in accordance with the prepared cost estimate. Most other cultures around the world, for various reasons, are a bit more relaxed about things, and very few projects actually go according to plan or schedule.
There is an extensive middle section of the book where she describes in great detail some of her top picks for overseas livings, based on factors such as affordability, culture, climate, quality of health care, education for dependents, accessibility from the U.S., and special benefits available for expat retirees. If you already have a vague idea of somewhere you want to visit extensively, grab a locale in the same area from this book, and pick Mrs. Peddicord's brain.
I think one of the best things in this book is a section on the decision making process that leads to moving overseas in the first place - some questions to ask yourself ...and your spouse. They'll determine, first, the particular locations that would make you happy, and second, whether you should move overseas at all.
A sample from this list:
Do you enjoy a change of seasons?
Do you need regular sunshine?
Do you mind rain?
Can you handle heat? Humidity?
Do you lose your cool if you can't send an e-mail the first time, every time you try?
Would you mind living on a dirt road?
Would you mind your road access being temporarily cut off during the rainy season?
Do you need American television?
Would you be comfortable owning a car and driving yourself around in a new country?
Would you be unhappy without your favorite comfort foods?
Do you have children or grandchildren you want to see regularly?
Do you speak a second language? Are you terrified at the idea of learning one?
What's your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?
What would you like to see from your bedroom window? The ocean? A mountainside covered with wildflowers? A vineyard? A busy street scene?
Have you spent much time outside the United States?
From where will you derive your income in retirement?
This is a great book, really makes you think about things, and gets down to brass tacks about a subject that seems, for most of us, castles in the sky.
Read
March 7, 2017This book was published in 2010 so it is starting to be a bit dated given that the author tries to provide current information about the cost of living in the places she recommends. It is filled with good information about the costs both day to day and long term; tax breaks; retiree cost breaks; the issues with living in the country; the weather; some of the customs; the language; driving; getting bank accounts; buying or renting; building or renovating. She even provides advice on resettling and assimilating. No pictures but you can look those up yourself.
September 15, 2022
That’s the plan!
June 7, 2022
I have been listening to this, but I wish that I had read it. I could have skimmed virtually the entire book, which is filled with detailed information about budget and expenses, directed mostly towards the FIRE community, who are used to scrimping and plan to continue doing so. Having lived in Ireland, Paris and Panama, the author emphasizes those locations. Somehow, she found Paris to be affordable. Still, it contains lots of info about getting residency, taxes, and the quality of schools, hospital and infrastructure (especially internet.)
August 8, 2022
Plenty of things to think about here. However, the book mostly focuses on Central and South America, with a few Asian and European places rounding things out. Why the focus on the Americas? Because they share or are close to U.S. time zones, so it's easier to do business with the U.S. from these places. The reasoning doesn't make sense for a book about retiring! Perhaps the author should have stuck with her expertise and titled this "How to Live and Work Overseas."
January 11, 2011
got tired of the expression "the local lingo"; author found that the United States is by far the most favorable to the employer and that other countries, to varying degrees, give more protection to the employee; the best parts were drawn from personal experience of the author
July 25, 2015
It's certainly not everything you need to know. But who really believed it would be? It's a good book to get the ball rolling: to realize that everything you need to know isn't going to be found in a book, and whet the dream - which may be the most important thing.
Read
April 27, 2016Gave me a lot to think about. Asks good questions.
February 15, 2017
Made me think of things I had not thought of before. Gave me more details and items to consider while making this decision!
March 29, 2018
I'm not planning on retiring overseas, but it had lots of good info.
May 14, 2025
This book is like part intermittent memoir and part self help. While it does have some relevant information here and there, it doesn't hold up to today's standards (a lot of information has probably changed drastically post COVID) and it's filled with American exceptionalism that makes it's downright cringey at times. The target audience is clearly white heterosexual retirees that only know vacationing to gated beach resorts in Playa del Carmen and have a dream to live in an exotic location without ever interacting before with someone who doesn't speak English.
There's lots of repetition and redundancy throughout the book with the author's personal experiences in target countries she ironically is owning property in or working in (despite being a retirement book). She also loves to paint Latin and South America countries with a broad brush calling them "mañana countries" or "the land of mañanas and fiestas" repeatedly, perpetuating a colonizing stereotype of these countries being lazy, inconsistent, and unreliable or not up to the American standard of grind culture. Isn't that supposed to be the exact thing you're attempting to free yourself from by moving out of the US in the first place?
There's lots of repetition and redundancy throughout the book with the author's personal experiences in target countries she ironically is owning property in or working in (despite being a retirement book). She also loves to paint Latin and South America countries with a broad brush calling them "mañana countries" or "the land of mañanas and fiestas" repeatedly, perpetuating a colonizing stereotype of these countries being lazy, inconsistent, and unreliable or not up to the American standard of grind culture. Isn't that supposed to be the exact thing you're attempting to free yourself from by moving out of the US in the first place?
December 12, 2019
Man this book sucks. The author pretty much just goes back and forth, saying that you could really choose anywhere, depending on what kind of lifestyle you prefer. This book is really just a bunch of stories about when they moved from the US to Panama, Ireland and Paris.
There are a few useful tips woven throughout, but not enough for me to have purchased the book. I will be returning it.
I read about 90 pages and finally just gave up.
There are a few useful tips woven throughout, but not enough for me to have purchased the book. I will be returning it.
I read about 90 pages and finally just gave up.
March 6, 2023
There is a very narrow target audience for this book: white, wealthy, and in search of sunny climates. At least that's what the author assumes, that only such people would want to retire abroad. A guide for how to live like a spoiled American brat in another country. There is some useful information, but I'm amazed that there's virtually no practical information about bringing pets. Don't read it if you don't want to live near a beach!
March 11, 2023
Book should be titled how to Live and Work Overseas.
Can you work in your new country? Probably not. But you can start your own business, because that is what you want to do in retirement.
You should look for the cheapest places to live, and once you are there, you can hire a full time housekeeper, a gardener, and maybe even a private driver. And then while they are running your household, you can run your new business and shop for baguettes.
Can you work in your new country? Probably not. But you can start your own business, because that is what you want to do in retirement.
You should look for the cheapest places to live, and once you are there, you can hire a full time housekeeper, a gardener, and maybe even a private driver. And then while they are running your household, you can run your new business and shop for baguettes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2025
It's not a bad book, its just that a lot of it concerned countries I did not have any interest in retiring to, so I found myself skimming quite a bit over all those countries. The Information it did share about the country I was interested in was all good but I also found myself skimming a lot here when a lot of what was written was stuff I had already gathered from other sources (not the authors fault - just why my rating wasn't as high as it might have been otherwise).
May 1, 2022
This is a broad overview of life in a select few of the authors’s favorite overseas cities. It’s a good start with a bit of information on important topics on living overseas in each city. I listened to the audio version of this book and I will be acquiring my own print copy to use for future reference.
April 4, 2025
Covers the basics and gives a series of example retirement spots along with prices, etc. Published pre-pandemic, it's a bit out of date. She has a website.
https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com...
https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com...
August 23, 2021
An interesting overview. I do wish she included more counties for comparison aside from the few she’s lived in herself. Would have loved to see how Portugal fit in her chart.
October 6, 2021
Great book. A good starting point when you are looking to invest in property overseas.
December 29, 2011
An excellent first stop for someone reseearching the idea of LIVING -- not just retiring overseas. Written by the author of liveandinvestoverseas.com, Peddicord has lived in Ireland, Paris and Panama and explains carefully the differences involved in each locale.
She deals with each of the significant issues: taxes, health insurance, cost-of-living, schools, part-time residence and is careful to make recommendations for when to engage experts (above all in immigration and real estate transactions) and how to research issues on your own. Peddicord even rates 14 of the top retirement locations, including Paris and southern France (the Languedoc region).
A surprise to Americans accustomed to paying $750 per month or more for health insurance is how inexpensive medical care is in most countries, including Latin America.
She deals with each of the significant issues: taxes, health insurance, cost-of-living, schools, part-time residence and is careful to make recommendations for when to engage experts (above all in immigration and real estate transactions) and how to research issues on your own. Peddicord even rates 14 of the top retirement locations, including Paris and southern France (the Languedoc region).
A surprise to Americans accustomed to paying $750 per month or more for health insurance is how inexpensive medical care is in most countries, including Latin America.
July 9, 2013
This is a very practical book, detailing all aspects you might want to consider when pondering a true adventure: moving somewhere overseas after retiring. The author has many years of experience in the 14 places she recommends as "retirement havens." My favorite was Cuenca, Ecuador, one of the most affordable places with a great climate (spring every day), a beautiful Spanish colonial environment, and they use the U.S. Dollar! A surprise was Paris as an extremely desirable place to live. Another surprise: Nicaragua. She gives all the details you'd want to know: cost of living, how to buy a place, cost of renting vs. owning, transportation, banking, taxes, and health care. It looks as if you could retire overseas and have a pretty good life with just social security as your income.
February 3, 2014
Let's consider How to Retire Overseas my fantasy book for this month! I lack the nerve, the gumption to live overseas, but if I planned to, I would certainly consult Kathleen Peddicord for advice.
Peddicord, her husband, and school-age children have lived in Ireland, Paris, and Panama City, plus she has written a blog about living overseas for several years. She recommends 13 countries, many in Central and South America, based on her analysis of costs of renting or buying a home, health care, tax advantages, and several other criteria.
I may not have been inspired to live overseas, but I am now much more interested in visiting Croatia and Belize.
Peddicord, her husband, and school-age children have lived in Ireland, Paris, and Panama City, plus she has written a blog about living overseas for several years. She recommends 13 countries, many in Central and South America, based on her analysis of costs of renting or buying a home, health care, tax advantages, and several other criteria.
I may not have been inspired to live overseas, but I am now much more interested in visiting Croatia and Belize.
April 8, 2015
introduced me to a ton of new spots i wasn't aware of...not sure that this is in the cards for our family (although personally i'd love to!) but it caused some conversations :)
i appreciate the logistics it helps with - health insurance options, and tons of tips that helps you be more prepared like knowing you won't find off the rack clothing if you move to a spot where you're much taller than the rest of the population (although there are bespoke options)
her #1 pick for living inexpensively (while living well) was cuenca, ecuador
#2 chang mai, thailand
but i like that she also went into options for mountains, beaches, etc
i appreciate the logistics it helps with - health insurance options, and tons of tips that helps you be more prepared like knowing you won't find off the rack clothing if you move to a spot where you're much taller than the rest of the population (although there are bespoke options)
her #1 pick for living inexpensively (while living well) was cuenca, ecuador
#2 chang mai, thailand
but i like that she also went into options for mountains, beaches, etc
May 8, 2016
This book is just inspiring enough to make a person want to do more research or at least dream of possibilities. But, keep in mind, it's aging more every year and the world has been changing around it. Also, readers are getting many first hand impressions and recounted stories of one individual - so some results may vary. Read the book too quickly and the author quickly becomes annoyingly elitist with a strong preference for Paris. This might not have been so obvious had I read just a few pages at a time over months, rather than the entire book in about a week.
January 30, 2012
Again, just skimmed through the information - a little more current than the last book I checked out of the library on this subject. Different "top 14" countries to retire in listed - sadly, no information on Portugal listed............... My other half has at least 2 more years until he retires - he just wanted me to start the research........ sad that we can live better overseas than in our own country.
July 14, 2015
Although written in 2010, I kept wondering how up-to-date it was. For example, after checking some information on-line, I discovered that La Bamba Uraguay is probably only for the very rich at this point in time. I also wish there had been a bit more information for those who do have to retire only on social security, and more information on availability of health care for those who are going overseas after the age of 65.
May 12, 2010
Excellent 'How To' book for what you need to consider and how to achieve not only a retirement move, but probably any move overseas. It also has interesting location ideas and information. I signed up for Ms. Peddicord's free e-letter as well at www.liveandinvestoverseas.com and get more information on where to retire.
August 7, 2012
As the title says, this guide gives advice to those with fat pockets or retirement accounts how they can go about retiring overseas, while the rest of us rot here in the U.S. on Social Security and no health insurance.
October 4, 2012
A useful overview of options. Good for fantasizing -- also for a reality check about what it would really cost and what you might have to learn to live without. You would need to go online to do some more in-depth research if you were really going to live abroad, but this is a good beginning.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews