10 exotic, affordable retiree havens

By International Living

Once you allow yourself to look beyond U.S. shores for a place to retire, the choices get downright exciting. Mexico, sure. But how about Panama? Or France? Or Romania?

The right spot can allow you to live the life you'd only dreamed of: crashing surf, mountain air, bustling cities. You can comb beaches to your heart's content, or you can find a place to learn. You can relax, or you can find new opportunities.

But you've still got to find shelter, food and a way of life. We've put together some basic information on 10 of our favorite retirement destinations, but that's only the beginning of your exploration.

A note on the figures

To give you an idea of living costs, we've priced an array of goods and services in each country of a quality that retirees might expect and enjoy. The bottle of wine, for example, isn't anything fancy but good enough to bring to a dinner party without offending the host.

A few notes as you compare destinations:

• The price of a cup of coffee is for a good cup of coffee, without going to the most expensive joint in town. (If you really want to get gouged in Nicaragua, for example, you can pay up to $3.50 for your cup of joe.)

• The meal for two includes wine, at a restaurant you might come to think of as your "regular." For a special occasion, you'd more likely dine somewhere a bit more expensive.

• Most theaters in our destinations offer typical matinee or senior discounts to moviegoers, but we've quoted full-price tickets.

• The price of a taxi is for a ride from the main international airport to downtown. In Ecuador, that distance is but three miles. In Paris, you can get an airport shuttle for less than one-fifth the price of a taxi -- and equally as convenient.

• In some countries -- Panama, for example -- a visit to the doctor will cost more for the initial consultation than for additional visits. When that's the case, we quote the cost of the initial consultation.

• The utility costs are per month and include electricity, gas, water and heat. In Paris, water is included in the rent. In the Latin American countries, the cost of electricity is high, and if you don't constantly run the air conditioning (as most expatriates do), your utility bills would be a lot lower. Furthermore, we quote utility prices for the type of accommodation an expat couple would most likely choose; in Paris, that's an apartment. In Mexico, it's a much bigger house.

• A live-in maid is a Central American phenomenon; it's relatively rare in Europe. Where a live-in maid is the norm, we quote the monthly salary; where it's not, we quote the cost to get a comparable level of domestic help.

Panama

Panama has the most appealing program of special benefits for foreign residents and retirees you'll find anywhere in the world today. Good-quality health care and modern hospitals are available throughout the country, and many Panamanian doctors are U.S.-trained. Here you will enjoy the benefits of a developing economy where you can still take a taxi across town for a buck or two, get your hair cut for a couple of dollars or enjoy dinner with a bottle of wine at one of the fine restaurants in Panama City for $30. There are also lots activities to enjoy, from jazz clubs to art openings to English-language theater performances.

• Bottle of decent wine: $6

• Coffee: $1.25

• Meal for two with wine: $30

• Movie, full price: $3.50

• Taxi from airport to downtown: $25

• Doctor visit: $40

• Utilities: $55

• Maid: $120

• Rent (Panama City): $600

Continued: Check out Malta

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