Expat Community > Nicaragua

RichardArunachala
Joined 2013
Posts: 46

Move to Nicaragua from India?

11 years ago

We have lived in South India for the last six years. We are happy here, living in a small city, Tiruvannamalai, where there is much spiritual influence, and a good community of expats. Very much not an equivalent US lifestyle, but that is fine, mostly. Who needs all that stuff that we surround ourselves with?

We are thinking, though, as we approach our 70s, of moving closer to USA. To fly to California from here is a 4 hour taxi ride, 2 hours in the airport, then 24 hours on planes and waiting at airports, another couple of hours clearing customs and getting a rental car. This is too long, and expensive (round trip about $1300 each for my wife an I). This makes it hard for us to travel to visit kids and grandkids.

We have only Social Security, and some savings, so income is low.

My wife has some Spanish, so we are thinking about heading south of USA. We read that places like Costa Rico have gotten expensive. Mexico seems not too safe. Belize maybe too expensive. Good places in mountain in Panama, but again getting expensive now. (I think anything over about $1200 is too expensive for us. We can spend up to about $1600 per month, but this leaves little reserve. Flights from Ecuador seem longer than we want.

So we have been thinking about Nicaragua. They have long term residency for retired old people who can prove income about $800/month for a couple and good health. There is a good hospital in Managua. Granada has a good expat community of about 1000 we hear. There are also mountain cities where it is cool year round. People who visit Nicaragua also say that they like the people there better than any where else in Central America. It is poor, so prices are low, and we can surely live just fine on our budget. Living fine means to me: OK residence, good internet connection, good fresh food available in shops, some selection of western eating places, welcoming people, access to needed health care.

Does anyone have experiences to offer? Or their own thinking about these subjects? Because of our India experience we are, I think, much more tolerant about 3rd world living, and a bit more knowledgeable about what is needed for us to be happy (Like inverter and battery so we can have electricity when the power goes out).

What do you think?

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