Where to Retire to?

East side of Big Island has relatively cheap land about $20,000 for a rural 3 acre plot but this is way out in the boonies with unpaved roads, no electricity, nor water, with meth labs and pakalōlō farmers for neighbors not to mention the VOG and acid rain that results from it. Burglary, and uncaring law enforcement issues too. Terrible reputation medical facilities too which is not confidence inspiring for retired seniors needing any medical attention. Retirement in Hawaiʻi is for the wealthy not for anyone with my limited retirement finances. Living off the grid and off the land had great appeal to me as a young man, not so much now with the big 6-0 just around the corner, and chronic health issues to deal with.
 
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My eldest son is trying to talk me into retiring in rural Japan where property prices and cost of living can be quite reasonable. I can already speak the lingo though can't read nor write but Kana should be easy to learn if I just get off my 'okole. Many rural villages are almost ghost towns with youths exiting to urban areas for better employment opportunities these ones not wanting to farm. I have always enjoyed rural life so this has appeal to me.
 
Would you end up being near to friends and relatives in Rural Japan? If not then it sounds a doubtful move to me as I think that support networks are really important in old age. We have one older relative who lives alone and suffers with dementia, unfortunately he’s two hours drive away and vulnerable to abuse. My wife visits every couple of weeks to top the freezer up with food, to clean the house, wash clothes and the like. His wife died last year and my wife stayed in their house and attended to her in hospital too, essential care really but what do you do if it’s not there for you?

In Japan your wife would look like a native but unless you both speak and, importantly, read and write the local language then you will have problems. Here, in the U.K., we have many people that retire to France and Spain where the property can be cheaper and the weather better. After a good decade or two they return home in their 70’s and 80’s because they haven’t a support network for infirmity and didn’t learn the language properly. Currency fluctuations also upset their financial position - the pension payments in the weakened pound can leave them poor when living on euros.
 
Would you end up being near to friends and relatives in Rural Japan? If not then it sounds a doubtful move to me as I think that support networks are really important in old age. We have one older relative who lives alone and suffers with dementia, unfortunately he’s two hours drive away and vulnerable to abuse. My wife visits every couple of weeks to top the freezer up with food, to clean the house, wash clothes and the like. His wife died last year and my wife stayed in their house and attended to her in hospital too, essential care really but what do you do if it’s not there for you?

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I agree with that statement. We are going through that right now.
 
We would like to move away from California. There’s lots of good things here, but lots of bad stuff too. There are too, too many people here. Everything is crowded and the traffic is horrible.

We were gonna move to Idaho near an Air Force base, but decided that we’d hate the cold. We like Utah. We’ve driven thru it many times, and it seems like a nice place. And I was stationed in San Antonio, Texas twice and went to a school in San Angelo. We like the New Braunfels and Fredericksburg area, but the tornadoes are somethin’ to think about. I guess none of these places have a lot of water though.

Anyway, the thought of moving again gives me the shivers—all that packing—Ugh! Easier to like where you are! :eek:ld:
 
Half my life (by choice) has been in Central Floride - with absolutely no regrets. There's a variety of housing and life-style options to fit almost any budget, coupled with a no-state-income-tax posture. I'm in a rural county which has the largest over-55 community (thevillages.com) in the world within it. So, affordable retirement options within the "lower 48" still exist.
 
Would you end up being near to friends and relatives in Rural Japan? If not then it sounds a doubtful move to me as I think that support networks are really important in old age. We have one older relative who lives alone and suffers with dementia, unfortunately he’s two hours drive away and vulnerable to abuse. My wife visits every couple of weeks to top the freezer up with food, to clean the house, wash clothes and the like. His wife died last year and my wife stayed in their house and attended to her in hospital too, essential care really but what do you do if it’s not there for you?

In Japan your wife would look like a native but unless you both speak and, importantly, read and write the local language then you will have problems. Here, in the U.K., we have many people that retire to France and Spain where the property can be cheaper and the weather better. After a good decade or two they return home in their 70’s and 80’s because they haven’t a support network for infirmity and didn’t learn the language properly. Currency fluctuations also upset their financial position - the pension payments in the weakened pound can leave them poor when living on euros.

I can speak Japanese fluently (born there, first language, lived there for 7 years), but I need to brush up on my reading/writing. My wife reads very well but her speaking is a tad broken. We make a great communication team though. :shaka:
My Dad's family very small with his one sibling (passed away), not close to that side of family at all. My Mom's family had 13 siblings so half of Japan related to me though I have only kept in touch with a handful of my cousins. My wife has a brother in Japan married to a Japanese national. He is retired US Army, just bought a home there, and LOVES living in Japan. Of my siblings (we total 6) I am "last of the Mohicans" left in Hawai'i, and only close to two of them. One lives in SF Bay Area (can't afford to live there), and the other in SW Florida where I lean when talking a move to continental US.
Honestly though I have never found friends or family to be that reliable except a few examples here where I can't afford to live, and most have moved away anyways. Wife and I are very self reliant. A support network is a moot point as I will not allow myself to deteriorate physically nor mentally to the point where I become a burden to any friends or family. I'd like to find a place where I can enjoy my twilight years with my wife living comfortably on our very fixed income in a safe community at minimum expense. Am I asking too much?
 
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Japan looks like a great option.

Found this one in Chiba -https://www.century21global.com/property/皆吉-市原市-chiba-290-0232-japan-C21113051043-USD - Houses used to be that cheap in the nineties down here in NZ.
Now you are lucky if you can find a garage for this kind of money.
 
I can speak Japanese fluently (born there, first language, lived there for 7 years), but I need to brush up on my reading/writing. My wife reads very well but her speaking is a tad broken. We make a great communication team though. :shaka:
My Dad's family very small with his one sibling (passed away), not close to that side of family at all. My Mom's family had 13 siblings so half of Japan related to me though I have only kept in touch with a handful of my cousins. My wife has a brother in Japan married to a Japanese national. He is retired US Army, just bought a home there, and LOVES living in Japan. Of my siblings (we total 6) I am "last of the Mohicans" left in Hawai'i, and only close to two of them. One lives in SF Bay Area (can't afford to live there), and the other in SW Florida where I lean when talking a move to continental US.
Honestly though I have never found friends or family to be that reliable except a few examples here where I can't afford to live, and most have moved away anyways. Wife and I are very self reliant. A support network is a moot point as I will not allow myself to deteriorate physically nor mentally to the point where I become a burden to any friends or family. I'd like to find a place where I can enjoy my twilight years with my wife living comfortably on our very fixed income in a safe community at minimum expense. Am I asking too much?

With the additional information supplied it seems to me that Japan has a lot going for it as a viable option for you and your wife. I wonder what the health care arrangements are and how near you can be to your Brother and Sister-in-Law.

Friends and family can’t always be relied on, for sure that’s true, but at some time you or your wife will need something - virtually everyone does. I note your stance on physical and mental health and have seem the same from others. My Sister’s in-laws were very capable business people and had a similar determination to you, however her Mother-in-Law got dementia (though she’d always been mentally very sharp and a determined character) and a little later her Father-in-Law became completely infirm (he’d always been physically active). My Sister ‘bust a gut’ caring for them but eventually both had to go into a ‘home’ where they eventually died - my Brother-in-Law has one sibling who was no help what so ever, but his sibling still enjoys a nice inheritance.

Sometimes we only have flawed options, but that’s not to say one of the better ones can’t be made to work - I seem to have done or attempted that for most of my life.

Good luck.
 
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I'm not sure how it works for non-citizens, but Japan does have seikatsu hogo. And medical care can be a lot more affordable than in the U.S.

(Now I'm getting ideas for my future... Although I'll always look like a gaijin, I was once fluent in both the spoken and written language and know that it would come back if I used it...)
 
East side of Big Island has relatively cheap land about $20,000 for a rural 3 acre plot but this is way out in the boonies with unpaved roads, no electricity, nor water, with meth labs and pakalōlō farmers for neighbors not to mention the VOG and acid rain that results from it. Burglary, and uncaring law enforcement issues too. Terrible reputation medical facilities too which is not confidence inspiring for retired seniors needing any medical attention. Retirement in Hawaiʻi is for the wealthy not for anyone with my limited retirement finances. Living off the grid and off the land had great appeal to me as a young man, not so much now with the big 6-0 just around the corner, and chronic health issues to deal with.

Oh my! I wonder where you're getting your info from?

I've been in your boat before. I moved from Sonoma County, Ca, to Moloka'i in the 80's and spent 10 great years there. (Very expensive and inconvenient to live there. But lovely people and environment.) Then we had to move to Florida to put kids through high school and take care of aging parents and wound up spending 10 years there. We've live on both the Gulf and East shores. I liked Florida OK, mainly for the beaches and the bargain in cost of living. As was mentioned earlier, there is no state income or sales tax in Fl. Groceries and gas are ridiculously cheap compared with Hawaii. My wife hated it though. The people were......well, let's just say the Aloha Spirit is sorely lacking on much of the mainland. Having lived in Hawaii as along as you have you know what Aloha it's just that quality that kept calling us back.

Luckily we discovered the Big island where we have now been for the past 13 years. Puna is the fastest growing and least expensive district in the state (but that's changing fast.) Much of that growth is due to people from Oahu being forced out and resettling on BI. The rest is from retirees from the West coast. Now if you're a city boy this may not be for you. It may mean living with water catchment and even solar power if you wish and these things do require a little attention. In fact we are 100% off-grid and solar powered and we see that as a benefit. We live on a 2 acre piece of jungle, just a few minutes walk to the coast. The housing cost was comparable to what we had in Florida at the time. What you described about crime is what I think of when I think of the Mainland or even Oahu. You are correct that medical facilities lack here, often requiring the patient to fly to Oahu (covered by insurance) and if you need frequent medical care then Florida is the place for you. Everything else here is expensive, (perhaps a bit cheaper than on Oahu) but if you're clever you can get by on very little. Your budget would allow you to buy a modest home here. This will likely change in the next few years as property values are ever increasing (17% just last year.) And BTW, you get more vog on Oahu than we get here. Being on the east side of the island, away from prevailing winds, we are in a vog shadow. (Kona side gets all the vog.)
I'd say if you are looking for convenience and affordability then Florida would be a good choice. I'd definitely stick to the coasts as opposed to the interior for reasons I want get into here. There is an abundance of water though anywhere throughout the state. I prefer the central east coast (south is too crowded and the north is too cold) or anywhere along the gulf. Hurricanes are an issue. I'd buy a concrete block or brick house. If I had chronic health issues that couldn't be addressed here I'd be in Florida. Maybe.
OTOH, If you love nature, are not fond of crowds and rush hours and want to experience Hawaii as it used to be then BI might be your best bet. We're here for the Aloha and the culture and you can't put a price on that. We could never live anywhere else.

Good luck on your quest! :)
 
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We would like to move away from California. There’s lots of good things here, but lots of bad stuff too. There are too, too many people here. Everything is crowded and the traffic is horrible.

We were gonna move to Idaho near an Air Force base, but decided that we’d hate the cold. We like Utah. We’ve driven thru it many times, and it seems like a nice place. And I was stationed in San Antonio, Texas twice and went to a school in San Angelo. We like the New Braunfels and Fredericksburg area, but the tornadoes are somethin’ to think about. I guess none of these places have a lot of water though.

Anyway, the thought of moving again gives me the shivers—all that packing—Ugh! Easier to like where you are! :eek:ld:

Utah is a pretty amazing place to live - definitely cheaper than California, but not as cheap as the midwest. Some fun Utah facts:

- A high percentage of Utah's population lives in cities (90% in the 2010 census - only seven other states are higher)
- 80% of the population lives in about a 160 mile long by 40 mile deep stretch along the Wasatch Front.
- The public school system spends amoung the least per student in the nation, but if you look at the contribution per taxpayer, Utah is about midway among the states
- Utah has the lowest average age of any state (by about 3 years)

Plus, the health care situation is pretty good and Utah is usually listed as one of the best governed states.
 
There are a lot of American ex-pats in Costa Rica. Dollar stretches, lots of English spoken, good medical infrastructure. We are in the Midwest, fleeing to the Arizona sun.
 
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Oh my! I wonder where you're getting your info from?

I live here, local boy who has lived on Big Island, Oahu, Maui, with plenty friends and family on Kaua'i, Moloka'i, and Lana'i. My observations are based on my own experience and research as well as input from friends and family. I am not sure what points you are disputing that I have made. I stand by every point I have made. I lived in Kona in the early 80s and being a waterman who grew up surfing, diving, and fishing Kona was paradise back then even compared to windward Oahu where I was raised. The water conditions on west side of Big Island are second to none. Then Kilauea started erupting again and has not stopped since. Kona does get the brunt of the vog on tradewinds days but on Kona wind days the east side is just as bad, been there, experienced the vog and the resulting acid rain poisoning the catchment water. I won't talk about mold and mildew. Crime is high, meth use high, law enforcement lax. Big Island medical facilities the worst in the state. I have a ton of friends and family living there, and as a young man it was my dream too. One of my friends just retired there, and he's trying to talk me into it. I get tempted since I love to fish and hunt but my wife's sensitivity to the environment there is the main deterrent.
 
I live here, local boy who has lived on Big Island, Oahu, Maui, with plenty friends and family on Kaua'i, Moloka'i, and Lana'i. My observations are based on my own experience and research as well as input from friends and family. I am not sure what points you are disputing that I have made. I stand by every point I have made. I lived in Kona in the early 80s and being a waterman who grew up surfing, diving, and fishing Kona was paradise back then even compared to windward Oahu where I was raised. The water conditions on west side of Big Island are second to none. Then Kilauea started erupting again and has not stopped since. Kona does get the brunt of the vog on tradewinds days but on Kona wind days the east side is just as bad, been there, experienced the vog and the resulting acid rain poisoning the catchment water. I won't talk about mold and mildew. Crime is high, meth use high, law enforcement lax. Big Island medical facilities the worst in the state. I have a ton of friends and family living there, and as a young man it was my dream too. One of my friends just retired there, and he's trying to talk me into it. I get tempted since I love to fish and hunt but my wife's sensitivity to the environment there is the main deterrent.

Gee, and here I thought I was living in Paradise.
Stop over for a visit the next time you're here and I'll show you around. Good luck. :)
 
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