Photo: Google

By JUAN DE JESÚS BREENE 

When you think of popular retirement communities for foreigners in Mexico, what cities come to mind?

Lake Chapala, outside of Guadalajara? San Miguel de Allende with its six-to-one ratio for women to men over 60? The perfect weather of Cuernavaca? Surprisingly, these cities did not even make it to the list.

Of 15 cities compared by “Live and Invest Overseas,” Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, came in as the second-best place in the world to retire in 2022. Not bad!

The index concentrates on 15 cities popular for retirees in 15 different countries ,and provides specific information for retirees to make more informed decisions.

The cities selected are considered the corresponding country’s prime retirement community for foreigners.

The destinations are ranked based on 13 categories: cost of living, health care, entertainment, recreation, whether or not English is spoken, expat community, infrastructure (Internet, electricity, domestic access), access to North America, environmental factors, crime, real estate restrictions, residency and taxes.

Here is how the cities ranked: 1. Comporta, Portugal; 2. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; 3. Cayo, Belize; 4. Nicosia, Northern Cyprus; 5. Paris, France; 6. County Clare, Ireland; 7. Città Sant’Angelo, Italy; 8. Salinas, Ecuador; 9. Phuket, Thailand; 10. Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic; 11. Santa Marta, Colombia; 12. Kotor, Montenegro; 13. Tierras Altas, Panama; 14. Istria, Croatia; and, 15. Ubud, Indonesia.

Overall, Puerto Vallarta had the same scorecard as the first-ranked Portuguese city, both with a final grade of A. Comporta was graded slightly better on crime, even though the cost of living in Vallarta was a good bit cheaper.

This was Puerto Vallarta’s specific score: Cost Of Living: A- (Monthly Budget: $1,820), Health Care: A+, Crime: B+, Taxes: B, Final Grade: A.

A final grade of A is certainly a report card worth bringing home!