Retiring from gringolandia

Piatt says on Jul 2, 2008, 06:12:

36.000 dollars a year...you could live well. Barranquilla is an awesome city but you wouldn't want to live there...to hot and humid. go to Bogota....colder weather...and the women are pretty...more of a model type build and have much nicer hair

gordo

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papiChulo says on Jul 2, 2008, 06:33:

you'll live well anywhere you choose in Colombia. take your time and chill with everything when you get there. leave the rat race mentanlity behind.

carefull who you confide in about your assets... virtual and real life.

enjoy retirement for a long time amigo.

you'll never go before your time

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sanandressi says on Jul 2, 2008, 06:35:

A lot of Americans would like to have $3,000 a month in retirement and $100,000 in savings. You should live well in Bogota but have you looked at Panama City or Quito? Check out the El Boquete region of Panama and the area around the town of David.

How about 6 months on San Andres and 6 back home?

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Gator says on Jul 2, 2008, 06:57:

With that many USD(pesos) I would chose the north end of Bogotá in an Estrato 5/6. Say Rosales, where we live, or north from there. You would live well. Second choice would be Medellin

I would echo Esanch36, on San Andres, after say a month, you would either die of boredom commit suicide.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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ozgringo says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:08:

Look at Medellin also.. much more agreeable climate than bogota.. As for Panama city, I have spent about 2 years in PTY and whilst I like it, the development here is completely out of control now, and the prices are getting very expensive for what you get. Despite what you read the climate in Panama city is not for everyone. The rainy season lasts 9 months. It rains most days during that time. About 2 pm the black clouds roll in, and it usually rains for 30 minutes to an hour or so. The dry season is hot and oppresive.

Colombia will give you better value at least in the real estate stakes.

Personally, I would keep things flexible and simply rent for 3-6 months in Barranquilla, Bogota, Panama City, Boquetta (Panama) and Medellin and see which one appeals the most. Different climates appeal to different people. Personally I like the Medellin climate, always a comfortable temperature, no need for heating or airconditioning (some might disagree on this) though it does get quite a lot of rain, but nothing compared to Panama!

may a thousand mangy wombats shit in your billabong

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:12:

i have to disagree about bogota...........the OP does not have enough money to live there as well as do intl travel and live an american type lifestyle. maybe estrato 4 or 5, buy why?

gator, you bought your home a long time ago when prices were less. have you checked out what a decent condo in rosales-cabrera costs?

if you eliminate all coastal and luxury areas in the states, bogota is more expensive than 99% of the usa.

i have multiples of what the OP has and I can't afford to live in bogota.

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morphus says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:20:

Gringoloid, is'nt GIB living in a luxury apartment in Bogota for 200 bucks a month?

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Gator says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:20:

I would use the 100.000 USD for housing and live on the 3.000 USD. forgot to say-forget the car the traffic is now impossible and gasoline is going up fast. I wa not thing of 150 sq mters-there are a lot of apartamentos for sale up in our area. Rent temporally and pound the pavement and you WILL find good housing at a reasonable price.

Hell, if you want an American life style why even move?

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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aztec says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:34:

What ever you do be wise and take your time. Don't buy a house/apartment until you have been in Colombia at least a year. Try renting first.

When my wife and I started looking at different cities in Colombia we changed ours minds many times. We first viewed Cartagena as a pleasant place to retire. At that time the prices were a bargain. After making several trips there we realized we couldn't stand the place more than a week at a time.

First you need to realize that everyone has different goals when seeking retirement. Carefully define what you want for the last part of your life. You can indeed find a good quality of life in Colombia.

Just be prepared to adjust your expectations and be extremely patient. The Colombian culture in not on the same plateau as the North American culture. I say that to mean it is different and not better nor worse.

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:35:

what in the world can you get for 100 grand? in rosales that is. i believe it starts at $400K for a regular apartment.

i see plenty of apartments for 8 milliones a month in rent.........all the way up to 25 millions .................per month!

after a couple years of living here, hanging out just doesn't do it for you..............you need to travel, even if it is just to San Andres. an american lifestlyle includes travel.

i spend more money in Bogota per month than I did in Orange County, CA.

That's why i have to live in a less costly city like Medellin, but I left my heart in Bogota.

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:42:

morphus................GIB lives far from Rosales and there is always a big traffic jam in between him and there. we travel in different circles also as he doesn't like that area.

Rosales and the nearby area, is the only way to go in Bogota as far as i'm concerned, and it is expensive.

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dwmte7 says on Jul 2, 2008, 07:44:

friend....one hundred grand will hardly put you in with the rich...nay even the median. the rich in colombia, are fat rich and getting more so.

advise. find where you want to settle, and settle in most modestly, as if you only had ten grand in savings. don't ever show/talk about what you have. far better to appear/live at a very modest level that flaunt something which can easily work against you. it's far better to hold such conversation over 'PM' than in threads. a word to the wise.

dwmte

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nine inch nails says on Jul 2, 2008, 08:02:

Yeah travel around as much as possible and pound the pavement until you find an area you would like to hang your head for at least 6 mos. then can search even more after that!

Other than tired from the altitude liked Bogota and bet the sickness would go away after a week or two.

Congrats!

get down, get down. are you afraid of the boogie monster?

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Gator says on Jul 2, 2008, 09:20:

The drop to a estrato3/4 will not be extravagant living but make SURE you give it a GOOD look-btw, is Medellin really THAT much cheaper than Bogotá?

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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aztec says on Jul 2, 2008, 10:58:

Gator do you live close to the apartments that were cleaned out this week. Seems the residents were out of town and thieves took advantage.

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bickerss says on Jul 2, 2008, 11:52:

I think you could live well on that in Bogota. You can rent a reasonable apartment in the Zona Rosa area for 1.5 to 2 mill (small apartment). Less if you move out a bit to say maybe Unicentro. Chap alto is a nice place and much cheaper.

You would live even better in Medellin , better still say in Manizales, and much better in ie Rodadero (friend renting great apartment, overlooking the ocean, 2 pools, 700,000 pesos a month).

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 15:08:

exactly 1984, the difference between bogota and other cities is quite dramatic.

even in medellin, what i'm seeing is 40% less. and i'm also talking about the neighborhood of rosales.....not anywhere else like the zona rosa for instance.

bickeres, please give me the address of that aparment for rent for 1.5 mil and i'll go over and take fotos and we'll see what the trade off is.

i'd also like the address of the apartment for rent in the unicentro, that is less.

if you see something kind of reasonable, than there is a tradeoff.

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 15:15:

i hope this link is live below...........but here you have a 2 bd apt..........very near the auto norte.........this is not Rosales by any means and thats why i picked it, and this is a good neighborhood, but not the greatest. i've lived on this street and it is noisy with lots of traffic. you have a lot of older homes nearby; you still would have to take a taxi to go out in the pink zone. Your view from the windows would be that of an eyesore.

the asking price............$414.000.000 For what???


http://www.metrocuadrado.com/servlet/co.com.pragma.m2.servlet.demanda....

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papiChulo says on Jul 2, 2008, 15:17:

sometimes don't we get the taxi to bring the "pink zone to us"... jejej

you'll never go before your time

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gringoloid says on Jul 2, 2008, 15:24:

1984, you make a good point about the expense of living here. i don't know the OP and I'm just guessing..........but he as welll as a lot of others think that living here is a great bargain and he is going to have some great lifestyle here. no way, not on the money he has. now, I'm only talking north bogota here...........other ciites are a much better deal.

that would be my advice, before you move here........go shopping at Exito.

in fact, if i had to do this over again, i would have gone to the west coast of mexico........maybe not cabo san lucas where there are too many gringos, but not far from there. from there, you can return easily to the states for skiing, Las Vegas, etc. Outside of Cabo, or outside of Puerta Vallarta, you could live like a king.

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dwmte7 says on Jul 2, 2008, 16:13:

if folks forego wal mart and exito and buy national products, prices aren't so bad. too, getting out of these cities to areas that are known safe ie. between medellin and the airport, one can live to no end on that budget. but they need to get their feet wet and get to know a place. you can't just fly down from NY , land at the airport and know what's going on, where to go, what to do, who to rely on for help, etc. one needs to set up shop...minimum, 6 mos and really get out and about. don't settle in where you pitched your tent. go, see, meet, explore, taste, relax, learn, everywhere. that's the only way to know that you've made a sensible and seasoned decision. hold off buying for a year or more. really know what you're doing and how things work. develop reliable friendships. if you're a mason, there are lodges in all main cities...that's a reliable networking unit. too, the church. be creative. and, watch your ass. it's a new land, and new rules. 'when in rome.......................

dwmte

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bickerss says on Jul 2, 2008, 22:56:

The one for 1.5 million was a new (small ) apartment near to the Park near Zona rosa (ie go to Carulla) take the street 1 down from 15th and head towards P 93. I almost bought there in 2005 -kicking myself now. Unicentro dont have a specific jut general observations from walking around there. About 6 months ago I also went ot eh real estate agen on 15th right near zona rosa - apartments to rent from 1 2 to 1.5 million.

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gringoloid says on Jul 3, 2008, 05:38:

2005 and July 2008 are two different eras. my girlfriends apartment in bogota has gone up $15K since february. it's a dump and it is in La Coligna and now she is asking $70K usd, it's about 5 km from Rosales. btw, she paid $23Kusd for this place just 3 years ago.

i've been in the apartment rental business for about 18 months in Bogota, renting many apartments to people on this site.

i'm not saying you can't find an apartment for 1.5 or less; i'm saying it is a tradeoff that many retirees would not like to make, especially if they had a nice place in the states. who in the world would want to live around that Carulla? have you ever been on Cl 82between Cr 11 and 15 on a weekend night?

I have two apartments IN Rosales for rent at 1.6 m and two people from this site have seen them but did not take either one. Very safe, great neighborhood, but up by 1A and it is very steep there and a long hard walk up the hill. Also they are two very small apartments. They've been empty since last year.

sure, you can live in estrato 1 also for a whole lot less...............i just don't think people want these apartments.

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bickerss says on Jul 3, 2008, 05:51:

Gringoloid - given the difference from 2008, however was talking now for the rental point - it was just that I wanted to buy this place in 2005. The price i saw for rent was reasonably recently, this year. In 2005 the rent was 1million pesos. I pass through Bogota every 6 weeks or so and always check out the market.

I think you would like this place. The Carulla was a reference point. It is on the street going to wards the next park - a nice area. In fact many of the apartments over looking that park are very nice. The parks name escapes me unfortunately (has a popular coffee place on the corner)

Do you have any short term places near to zona rosa or P 93 for shot term stays?

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Gator says on Jul 3, 2008, 07:48:

gringoloid said"...and a long hard walk up the hill."

Amen, hermoso! Do you take a deep breath and close your eyes when you cross the Circunvalar. At my age I just take a cab up when we use the TM

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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gringoloid says on Jul 3, 2008, 12:21:

that park is called la virrey and yes, you're correct that is a very nice place. that is also the place where my friend showed me the $400K usd, very ordinary apartment. my friend lives there and he is the ambassador to mexico from colombia. my doctor who did lipo on me lives there too. this is the apartment that caused me to do all future business in Medellin. I just don't have the money to live there and hang with those kinds of rich colombians. I have no income not even a social security check............if it's tough for me, it would be tough for anyone here.

if you like that area, why don't you stay at the Suites Real 85? it's not far from parque 93.

i walked that distance this morning, and at night you could take a taxi for about $1.50, usd.

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gringoloid says on Jul 3, 2008, 12:30:

i have 2 apartments in cedritos, and you should think about these two as they are very reasonably priced. big deal, so it's 5 mil for a taxi.........look at all the money you're saving.

the one high up on 1A as gator points out that you would also need a taxi, but it is in Rosales.........the whole point of my comments here and a pretty nice place. small taxi fare to the pink zone.

there is one more at cr9 with 63........brand new building..........second floor with no view.

i don't own these apartments, i just translate for my colombian friends that can't speak english.

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rhydewithdis says on Jul 3, 2008, 15:14:

Bogota is like Mexico City now it seems. Or even Sao Paulo. To live well, you need to have liquid assets of 500kusd and income of at least 3-5k month. Caveat is if the dollar gets any worse, you are SOL.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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LDW says on Jul 4, 2008, 10:32:

My choice would be Armenia. Not a huge city like Bogota, cheaper to live, and a nicer climate.

On $3000 per month, even paying (North American) taxes on the income source back in the US or Canada, $3000 per month (American $ or Canadian $) would be a comfortable living in Armenia.

I am not convinced of the wisdom of owing property there. It could complicate things in my estate for my children when I croak. They will probably have no use for anything I own there.

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