What are the safest countries in Latin America to move to from the U.S.? (life, places)

[aab7855]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

I wouldn't say that. It does happen, even around your area. Why do you think people keep live-in bodyguards in their houses? (And, no I'm not talking about mafiosos, I'm talking about regular people with money who live in nice houses in gated communities.)

I´ve tutored in the homes of plenty families and never seen a live-in bodyguard. Porteros in the building? Yes. Night watchman in the neighborhood? Sure, we have one too. I don´t know if I´m going to stumble on what you speak of tomorrow or something, but I´m 6 1/2 years deep, have friends of all social classes, and I haven´t seen it yet.

To each his own in terms of their own concept of safety. If someone is miserable in a country because they constantly fear that something bad is going to happen, real or imagined, then they´ve already lost. I´m not here to deny that there are problems in many countries in Latin America, but there are certainly much worse places than the Eje Cafetero, rest assured.

Also conditions change fast...if someone were to say 15 years ago that Acapulco would turn into a no-go area, people would have just laughed. The first time I visited Pereira a lady who was originally from Manizales but hadn´t been living in Colombia for probably a decade took me there, the bus let us off by the Éxito and Ciudad Victoria, she literally told me to run with her to the taxi up the road, and to not stop or look at anyone as we did so..well since 2001 that section is one of the safest sections of Pereira, her concept of the area was what existed 20 years ago..a galeria full of drug addicts and prostitutes. Times change, some people´s fears don´t.

Mejor dicho, I think if anyone thinks about retiring or buying property in Latin America, they should choose a country and have us break down the place, area by area. I am convinced that almost every country has go and no-go zones. I have friends in Ecuador who said they´d never visit the United States because they feared becoming victims of a mass shooting. The media has a way of getting in our heads, no?

[Enigma777]

Originally Posted by Schwartzmann

I've been hearing that, depending on country, American expats who move to Latin America do best in places where other expats live and often in gated communities or semi-fortified dwellings. Home invasions and possibly in-home beatings, murders, or just being tied up have been happening in Mexico (areas outside of San Miguel de Allende and in/near Lake Chapala), Costa Rica, and Panama. I imagine it is the same in Ecuador and Colombia, other "hot spots" for American expats. Foreigners who are most at risk are those who locals judge to have money and who venture out on their own into their country of adoption away from security measures put in place where other foreigners congregate.

If you are American (look and sound different, basically a foreigner) and locals perceive that you are wealthy, are there any places in Latin America where one could live on a small rancho among the locals with minimum security without fear of being robbed or killed?

There are a lot of retirees heading to Mexico--they aren't worried. A friend just went to a destination wedding in Mexico City. Tech companies are moving there, as well.

We're looking at Portugal/Spain ourselves for personal reasons, but same deal--lower cost of living. I would go to Mexico or Panama if I was interested in living in Central America with expats.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by Pueblofuerte

Also having a "Rancho" (a the OP requested) in and around San Gil, Barichara, Socorro, Floridablanca, Zapatoca, Guican, Giron, etc. is perfectly fine and safer than a large swathe of the States let alone most places in Latin America.

I disagree with the last half of your statement. Having a farm or ranch or any sort of money in the States does not make you a target of any kind whatsoever. Now you probably are correct about those places you mentioned because you know a lot more about them than I do (I know nothing about them), but knowing what I know about Colombia in general I would be hesitant to give people the impression things are rosy.

Originally Posted by aab7855

I´ve tutored in the homes of plenty families and never seen a live-in bodyguard.

What kind of houses are you going to? I know several people with bodyguards down there and most of them are not mafiosos. The kind of houses they live in are nice - two or three stories, swimming pool, half acre of land, small guest house separated from the main house. They have money but they're not "uber-rich". Also it's clean money. I also know people who live in regular houses and townhouses (also nice, stratus 5-ish, but not the same kind of luxury) who do not have bodyguards. If you haven't run across anyone with bodyguards in Colombia then I don't think you're getting out as much as you think you are.

Originally Posted by aab7855

Porteros in the building? Yes. Night watchman in the neighborhood?

That's normal. Can you rely on them to prevent crime? No, they don't do anything.

Originally Posted by aab7855

The media has a way of getting in our heads, no?

That's why we have to have realistic conversations on forums like this.
My advice to the OP: there may be places in Colombia where you won't be a target if perceived to have money, but my experience it's a definite possibility. For example I know a guy with a few pretty large farms around Armenia who was kidnapped and had to fork over a substantial amount of money to be liberated.

Originally Posted by Enigma777

There are a lot of retirees heading to Mexico--they aren't worried.

Are they retiring to Chiahuahua? I doubt it. Most retirees go to Mexico City or a couple specific locations where there are a lot of expats. We already know those are (fairly) safe.
I've never been to those expat communities, but knowing the little I know about expats, I wouldn't consider those places "Mexico", I would consider them American communities encerradas within Mexico. In other words, retirees don't go down there to integrate with the culture. They go down there to create their own little version of the U.S. within Mexico. To say this is Mexico is kind of a stretch, in my opinion. They aren't really living in or familiar with the Mexican culture, so I would take with a grain of salt any opinions they have on the matter.
So to the OP: it depends on whether you intend to live as a local, not in an expat community - in which case I would be hesitant if I were you - or if you intend to live in an expat-dominated community, in which case you should probably talk to them and ask them.

Or if some people from Chile or Argentina can chime in, those might be better options where you don't have to worry about any of this kind of stuff.

[reds37win]

My wife and I and a couple of friends are considering retirement in Costa Rica. From what I can gather, Costa Rica has better healthcare than the US, has a much cheaper cost of living and is one of the safest areas to live. Again, that is all a matter of perspective, but there are several areas of the country recommended for expat retirees.

I'm hoping to take a trip there soon to explore options and meet with some expats.

[aab7855]

Originally Posted by reds37win

My wife and I and a couple of friends are considering retirement in Costa Rica. From what I can gather, Costa Rica has better healthcare than the US, has a much cheaper cost of living and is one of the safest areas to live. Again, that is all a matter of perspective, but there are several areas of the country recommended for expat retirees.

I'm hoping to take a trip there soon to explore options and meet with some expats.

Costa Rica is a wonderful place. Forget GDP and size, I honestly think Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are by and large the most developed countries in Latin America. If I had a good job and owned property in those places, I wouldn´t even think about moving back to the States.

[Snapshoot]

Originally Posted by aab7855

Costa Rica is a wonderful place. Forget GDP and size, I honestly think Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are by and large the most developed countries in Latin America. If I had a good job and owned property in those places, I wouldn´t even think about moving back to the States.

Crime is increasing fast in costa rica, 2018 was a bad year. And saying Costa rica is developed is not accurate, costa rica for the most part is an underdeveloped jungle.
Panama y way ahead in development even if income inequality is larger.

[aab7855]

I´d venture to say though that Panamá is none too developed culturally. Pretty anti-intellectual place, even if foreign investment has appeared to have built it up. I have not been back to CR since 2010, so times change. Is the drug trade heating up there?

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by EVANGELISTTI

I think you could live in a ranch in any most German descent cities in the souther Brazil countryside because you will blend easily with the locals, (by look) many agrobusiness wealthy people, (you won’t be the wealthest) and these areas in inner Brazil are pretty safe.

What are some of these cities?

[supfromthesite]

I say Chile, Argentina, Uruguay

[recycled]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

What are some of these cities?

Blumenau, Joinville, Fraiburgo, Brusque, Santa Cecelia are in the southern Brazil state of Santa Catarina. There is a high percentage of people with some German roots dating back to the late 1800s.