# Country to retire \[2025\]
**URL:** https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351
**Category:** Life Hacking
**Created:** [January 28, 2025, 7:08am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351 "2025-01-28T07:08:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Mirager](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Mirager)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/42 "2025-01-29T15:41:47Z")
> [@dom.swiss](#):
>
> It is time to settle the “gustibus” argument with some numbers
As with many questions in life, the answers can be found in either Friends, Simpsons, or The Godfather: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSFgDZJVYbo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSFgDZJVYbo)
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### Author:  [@stojano](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/stojano)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/43 "2025-01-29T15:59:58Z")
Did we mention retirement on a cruise ship? For you and your 25yrs old gf.
[some googling](https://smartasset.com/retirement/retirement-living-on-a-cruise-ship)
> yearly cost of living onboard permanently would range from $25,550 to $74,825
> the annual cost of retiring on a cruise ship would be $71,798
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### Author:  [@anon17469660](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/anon17469660)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/44 "2025-01-29T16:06:25Z")
> [@stojano](#):
>
> > yearly cost of living onboard permanently would range from $25,550 to $74,825
>
> > the annual cost of retiring on a cruise ship would be $71,798
Does that include barf bags?
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### Author:  [@assemblyrequired](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/assemblyrequired)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/45 "2025-01-29T21:11:58Z")
> [@EPeon](#):
>
> In the Southern part only though:
>
> > […] Sardinia […]
So I would have to move to a blue zone? Goddamnit, that’s a _negative_ withdrawal rate with how old I’m going to get living there.
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### Author:  [@EPeon](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/EPeon)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/46 "2025-01-30T07:41:41Z")
The merit of those blue zones is being challenged I think. Your retirement involving waking up every morning on the Costa Smeralda could be hardship enough of course 😉
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### Author:  [@monkk](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/monkk)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 8:15am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/47 "2025-01-30T08:15:22Z")
[https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/09/the-real-secret-of-blue-zones.html](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/09/the-real-secret-of-blue-zones.html)
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### Author:  [@ma0](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ma0)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/48 "2025-01-30T08:36:26Z")
Funny and interesting, since they have doctors on those ships.
Pity that they can refuse you if the see that you keep booking in order to live on the ship. I suppose the only way is to book a longer trip and switching between companies.
I didn’t find a cheap \>100days cruise though.
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### Author:  [@assemblyrequired](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/assemblyrequired)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 9:11am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/49 "2025-01-30T09:11:51Z")
Interesting… but maybe that’s an indication of a lax government with laws being more akin to opinions or recommendations, which would indeed increase longevity… of my portfolio 😉
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### Author:  [@stojano](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/stojano)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/50 "2025-01-30T13:23:50Z")
I thought the were fully aware of it and promoting it. But probably would need to find the perfect one…
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### Author:  [@Dr.PI](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Dr.PI)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/51 "2025-01-30T21:29:58Z")
7 posts were merged into an existing topic: [2nd and 3rd pillar after leaving Switzerland](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/2nd-and-3rd-pillar-after-leaving-switzerland/736/60)
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### Author:  [@ThePortugueseExpat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ThePortugueseExpat)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/52 "2025-01-30T15:11:15Z")
I will share a family anecdote.
Cousins of mine have lived for 40 years+ in Switzerland, originally from Portugal. Kids are here as well as grandkids.
They tried to go back to Portugal to test if they would be able to do it and they absolutely hated being away from family, friends and all the structure and relationships they developed over 40 years.
They sold their big house in Portugal, bought a small apartment in front of the sea for when they go to relax and enjoy the nice weather and now they are back in Switzerland.
It is easy to look at dividend tax, income tax, cost of living and all the nice metrics we, finance nerds, love to analyze but if in the end we are in a new country, far away from friends & family, is it worth it?
Just wanted to add a new perspective to the discussion!
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### Author:  [@90sArcadeKid](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/90sArcadeKid)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/54 "2025-01-30T15:48:19Z")
Damn onions 😭 that’s what lies ahead for me, a Ghost of Christmas Future sight.
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### Author:  [@Bojack](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Bojack)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 5:14am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/55 "2025-01-31T05:14:15Z")
> [@ThePortugueseExpat](#):
>
> but if in the end we are in a new country, far away from friends & family, is it worth it?
No worries, bro. I am already away from my family and I don’t have friends 👍 . What I mean to say is, it depends on the person. If you’ve invested a lot in having friends & family here, leaving will be a pain.
I think every time you switch places you feel homesick and lonely. It takes work to find your favorite places to hang out and make it feel like home, and to meet people. But I think it’s doable.
I left my hometown to study at the university and 10 years later I left my country for Switzerland. Both decisions were beneficial for my career and life overall.
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### Author:  [@FunnyDjo](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/FunnyDjo)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 7:22am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/56 "2025-01-31T07:22:52Z")
I do not feel the pain of changing countries after 6 months. I have done it 4 times already.
However it is true that it is harder to make friend as you get older.
And my wife despite these moves and took 2-5 years to settle missing friends and family.
I am not to convince to sell her this idea.
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### Author:  [@Mirager](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Mirager)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 7:27am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/57 "2025-01-31T07:27:00Z")
> [@FunnyDjo](#):
>
> I do not feel the pain of changing countries after 6 months. I have done it 4 times already.
> However it is true that it is harder to make friend as you get older.
Also changed countries many times (6), but I’m the opposite, the first 6-12 months is the honeymoon and after that I start missing things.
Agree on it being harder to make real friends as one gets older.
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### Author:  [@ThePortugueseExpat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ThePortugueseExpat)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 8:39am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/58 "2025-01-31T08:39:57Z")
I get what you are saying.
I had a similar discussion with a work colleague and she said “I don’t understand what’s the problem? You can always get on a plane to visit your family if you want to”.
So it depends a lot on what you value.
I used to be a pure numbers guy only looking at that number and trying to optimize all my costs. I got a bit looser with spending (5-10% increase) and started doing things like flying for birthdays of important family & friends back home in Portugal. It’s the best use of 1200 CHF/year that I have in terms of increasing my overall happiness
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### Author:  [@Bojack](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Bojack)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 9:10am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/59 "2025-01-31T09:10:52Z")
> [@ThePortugueseExpat](#):
>
> You can always get on a plane to visit your family if you want to
I have a feeling like with certain people only seeing them a few times a year actually makes you love them more. Ever feel like coming back to your parents’ house and you can do it for one week but eventually you’re glad you “have to” go back? Otherwise they start treating you like a kid again.
> [@ThePortugueseExpat](#):
>
> started doing things like flying for birthdays of important family & friends
To me money is one concern, but time is another. Since I have a full time work and little time to relax, I value my free time. If that time is spent going to the airport, doing the security check, sitting on the plane, switching to a train, taking the taxi, and then the whole thing back, to me that’s a lot of stress and exhaustion which I don’t need in my life. I have already rejected like 4 wedding invitations from Poland just because I can’t be bothered to get on a plane if it’s only for a weekend.
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### Author:  [@PhilMongoose](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/PhilMongoose)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 9:18am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/60 "2025-01-31T09:18:08Z")
I like Switzerland. The main downsides are that it is extremely expensive to live here and culturally, people seem to be more distant. However, things work well and there is a low level of bureaucracy.
I would consider the UK too, but that is also expensive esp. with taxes. But is socially more open.
I wouldn’t consider living in countries such as France due to the bureaucracy.
Is there a unicorn country which is not too expensive, has friendly open culture where things generally work well with little bureaucracy?
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### Author:  [@Mirager](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Mirager)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 10:57am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/61 "2025-01-31T10:57:07Z")
> [@PhilMongoose](#):
>
> Is there a unicorn country which is not too expensive, has friendly open culture where things generally work well with little bureaucracy?
Not to my knowledge but my knowledge is limited to “the west”, something’s got to give, somewhere.
> [@Bojack](#):
>
> I have a feeling like with certain people only seeing them a few times a year actually makes you love them more.
I’d agree (not that my opinion counts for much, it’s just an affirmation).
> [@Bojack](#):
>
> If that time is spent going to the airport, doing the security check, sitting on the plane, switching to a train, taking the taxi, and then the whole thing back, to me that’s a lot of stress and exhaustion which I don’t need in my life.
Would agree to that as well, I too find the whole airport travel - any travel to be honest, even in my car - extremely stressful and exhausting.
> [@Bojack](#):
>
> I have already rejected like 4 wedding invitations from Poland just because **I can’t be bothered** to get on a plane if it’s only for a weekend.
I’ve lost a friend or two this way, either because I didn’t go to their wedding or because they didn’t come to mine. One guy said to me “I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you”, to which I had to respond “When, how? When I get married again!?”. Ultimately it comes off as pretty selfish and calls into question how reliable, how much of a true friend is this person after all. You get to compare in your head, if one person goes to the trouble to get a visa to make it to your wedding because they consider being invited a particular honour and intimacy to involve them in a pivotal moment in your life, and another person can’t be effed to drive 45 minutes or get on a plane for 90 minutes. This is still an opinion (and hence, not particularly valuable) and not a criticism.
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### Author:  [@stojano](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/stojano)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 11:28am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/country-to-retire-2025/15351/62 "2025-01-31T11:28:01Z")
> [@Mirager](#):
>
> lost a friend or two
Friends come and go… not just because of distance, but also because people change. True friends remain, no matter what.
My few true friends I see maybe twice a year. According my personality that’s sufficient (my wife calls me “asozial”, but this is who I am). So, going to New Zealand and see them every second year is fine with me…
Ask yourself, are you “asozial” enough?? 😅
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