It is estimated that 3.3 million baby boomers will retire abroad in the near coming years. For years, annual surveys published in The New York Times and other mainstream media outlets show that countries such as Mexico, Uruguay, Panama, Thailand and the Philippines are the best retirement destinations in the world. The pros and cons of these countries are usually categorised by the cost of living, distance from the US, and the availability of large shopping malls selling familiar items and American comfort food.
More serious reviews on the subject often delve into each country’s economic health, availability and quality of healthcare, and other factors that are of grave concern for folks who are in (or are reaching) their golden years. As a retiree myself, I find these economic factors more interesting, as living on a fixed income is an art in itself, with the global cost of living rising right along with sun, each and every day.
Based on my decade-long retirement here in the capital, here are my own list of pros and cons for any potential retiree to consider, starting with my assumption that Nepal is the best place in the world to retire in.
***
The Good
Safety
I’ve been all over the world, and I’ve never felt safer living anywhere else than here. For example, Panama is usually listed as the #1 retirement destination for Americans, but Panama has a consistently higher crime rate than in the US. Homicides, robberies, kidnappings and cybercrime abound. So no thanks. That’s what I am trying to retire from in the first place! In contrast, in the 15 years I’ve been here in Nepal, I’ve not personally witnessed a single crime outside of a petty theft by a rogue Didi.
Friendliness-Factor
Like GNH (Gross National Happiness), I’ve developed another indicator over my years of international travel: a friendliness factor from 1 to 10. For example, I give Kinshasa in the DRC a -1 for having trucks full of armed thugs roaming the city. It is also where stopping to ask a policeman directions would just route the thugs your way. Likewise, I’d give Mexico a +2 for the possibility of getting whacked on the beach by the Sinaloa Cartel for asking the wrong dealer for an ice-cream cone. I’d also give Panama a +5 for providing the same experience, as all the major Mexican cartels operate there as well, and kidnapping a white face is just sport for them.
On the other hand, Nepal gets the highest score of +10, as the worst organised crime gets here is a NPR 100 overcharge from the Taxi Cartel. But the most influential reason for giving Nepal the highest friendliness-factor rating on the planet is simple: this is truly the land of smiles, outshining Thailand in every regard. And since the Nepalese speak relatively great English, a friendly conversation is never hard to have.
Healthcare
While not rated highly, healthcare in Kathmandu is both professional and affordable. Of course you may get better healthcare in Bangkok’s Bumrungrad Hospital in the case of a heart attack or cancer, but care there will cost 10x as much for simple old-folk procedures. For example, I had a torn retina a few years back, and my treatments in BKK cost Rs 5.000 each, while the same identical treatments here were Rs 500, and my eyeball was lasered back together using the exact same equipment!
The Weather & the Food
Old people like warm weather (but not hot weather) and the weather in Nepal is one of the best in the world. With only two short months or so of cold, one can easily live without a heater (as proven during this year’s heating gas crisis). In addition, we don’t have to worry about typhoons, tsunamis or other weather catastrophes outside of the odd 7.9 earthquake or two.
On the food, well, that does not get much better as well, for both local cheap eats and quality continental cuisine, one can always find a meal within a pensioners budget. The food here is non-GMO, and in general, not processed into something deadly. Older Americans may miss their local greasy spoon diner, but with places like Imago Dei and other clean, inexpensive eateries, you won’t miss your local Denny’s for long.
Visas
Outside of Uruguay, Nepal has one of the more competitive and affordable retirement visa programmes. For example, a retirement visa in Thailand requires 23K USD in the bank and 2K monthly income coming in. Here in Nepal, one only needs the 20K USD in the bank and 1.65K of monthly income. But there are other Nepali visas to be had, such as a business visa (easy enough to get by partnering with any odd business) and the marriage visa is always an option for those single retirees – and I can say from experience, a Nepali spouse is the very best kind of partner you will ever find.
***
The Bad
Cost of Living
Inflation in Nepal is not good (12.10% as of Jan. 2016) when compared to the more popular retirement destinations (Uruguay 10.23%, Panama 2%, Mexico 3%, Philippines 3%, Thailand 2%) – and this indicator is of great concern to any retiree on a fixed income. In addition, real estate is through the roof (but low rents can be found) and the price of owning a car here is 300% higher than anywhere else on the planet. But if you are the type of retiree that can get by on a scooter (much like a motorised wheelchair), than those can be had for the cost of weekend vacation on a Thai beach.
Handicap Access
Forgettaboutit. My wife (nearing retirement age) can’t even walk from the house to the parking lot without falling down in heels, so anyone with a physical disability will have a hard time getting in and out of the car, let alone going from building to building.
Shopping
Admittedly, the shopping here is not so great, but has improved dramatically over the past decade or so. Older, fatter westerners with big feet may find it hard to find apparel, but such is the case in most other retirement destinations, and especially so in Asia. However, more and more businesses are bringing in nice imports from Thailand and offering them here at reasonable prices. And there are always cheap Chinese and Indian imports to keep you styled. Personally, I’m happy in just sweats and a t-shirt anyway; my days of corporate wear (and tear) are over.
—
Jigs Gaton is a quirky kinda-American retiree, happily living in Dhobighat with family and friends, and who would like to see Nepal become more retirement-friendly, both for those born here and for those from abroad.
Image: A still from Up, used for representational purposes; courtesy: Walt Disney Studios, 2009.
—
More from the author
Thamel: In the Garden of Unfulfilled Dreams
How to Survive your 20s: Advice to the Young Millennials from an American Baby Boomer
