I still plan this time to leave.

Where would you go? Look into it and see if it works out for you.

If I could, I probably would. But my only option is the Philippines. Not horrible, but pretty chaotic at times. And infrastructure isn't as reliable as here. Since we are retired, most countries wouldn't want us. Those that would require a bond to cover our medical for several years (since we didn't pay into their system while we were working).

And health is an issue now. We have some good doctors here, but it took a while to find them. We'd have to start over in that regard, even just moving to another state. Much less another country.

I came back due to health in the Covid era - medicare doesn't work in the Philippines and many expats plan is to get on a plane home if the health problem is big. I had great foreboding coming home. There are some good plans in Cebu, VA covers war vets in Manila, and I liked the semi rural life I had up the mountain in Valencia. You don't need to learn the language, most people have a knowledge of English.

Oddly enough, the scratch in my throat in the Phils was cancer of the tonsil, I got diagnosed after antibiotics failed in SoCal.

This list will be changing soon. The Euro countries may have attitudes in the future. If the thug hit them with tariffs go there first and feel it out. Find some FB expat groups and sound them out. But most countries look past and see the individual. One friend of mine taught English in Thailand and he said the locals are always busting American chops in Thai, because few American speak it.

10. Thailand
9. Italy
8. Greece
7. Malaysia
6. Spain
5. France
4. Mexico
3. Costa Rica
2. Portugal
1. Panama

internationalliving.com - The best places to retire