Quote Originally Posted by jon c. View Post
I fantasize about the idea at times. Heat and humidity? It would actually be an improvement from conditions here in the summer (which I don't mind as I love heat and humidity).

Aside from concerns over medical care, the biggest concern I would have about retiring to the Caribbean is that it would be too costly. I live a modest life in the states and would be faced with significantly higher costs for housing, utilities, food and pretty much everything else.
Jon c,

I think that no one on this site lives any more modestly in the states or in Jamaica. I may be wrong but I live on less than $1,000 per month both here in So. Florida and at my home in Jamaica. It sometimes is less than that and very rarely more only if an extraordinary situation arises.

Medical Care cost me about $130 US for 5 days in Black River Hospital last year. I feel I received very good care for such a small amount of money. I did have to supply my own sheets, pillow and pillow case and towels and did wear my own clothes while in the ward. Of course, in the full disclosure statement, I do have VA Medical Care here in the states. I pay nothing for it and Ricky Scott pays my Medicare Part B because of my financial situation. I feel comfortable using the Jamaican health care system.

Housing runs me about $600 US per month in Jamaica but I don't live in Negril either. If you want to live there, maybe it would be too costly. Just saying.

Utilities: There is no pipe water in my town so we use plentiful rain water which costs nothing. Electricity costs me about $30 US per month average.

Food: Because I live on vegetables and fish, I can grow a lot of the vegetables and purchase the fish. I have to travel (usually by private car) to Santa Cruz to shop so that cost along with the fruits, vegetables and fish I require per week runs about $60 so a month is about $240,

That leaves me another $130 (or so) US to do "pretty much everything else" per month which is usually plenty.

Hard to find any place in Negril for $20 US per night that you would want to live in so living outside in the country is the key.

Hope this gives you an idea of what you could do on a limited budget.

Peace and Guidance