• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result

Should You Retire In Nicaragua?

Kathleen Peddicord by Kathleen Peddicord
Aug 20, 2015
in Nicaragua, Retirement/Living
0
Retire In Nicaragua and enjoy The Caribbean at its best.
219
SHARES
3.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Retire In Nicaragua: The Good, Bad, And Ugly

We Americans bring considerable baggage to the table when the topic of conversation is Nicaragua. Mention the country to most Americans, and we think of the Sandinista Revolution… the Contra War… Ollie North…

That’s a shame, because Nicaragua has a great deal to offer that is often overshadowed by the Sandinista specter.

I visited Nicaragua for the first time 25 years ago and began hosting conferences and tours in the country almost 20 years ago. In 2005, however, I pulled back. In 2005, 2006, and 2007, interest in this country’s property market was at full boil. Prices were overly frothy for my taste.

Then came 2008. The bubble burst, and most foreign investors backed away. That’s when I started paying attention again. Prices for beachfront properties along this country’s beautiful coast fell by dramatic margins, as much as 50% and more. Meantime, the fundamentals hadn’t changed. Nicaragua was still a country of two long coasts, rose-colored sand, romantic 16th-century cities, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, rain forests, and killer surf breaks. The cost of living was still a bargain, and the people were as friendly and welcoming as ever. The only thing that had changed was that, almost overnight, property values had become much more reasonable. Indeed, they’d become an absolute global bargain.

Which is what they remain today… though I believe the bottom has been reached. We’re around that bend, and values are inching up again.

In other words, this is the best time in a decade to be looking at Nicaragua.

Let’s start by getting our bearings.

Nicaragua is in Central America, meaning it’s just a few hours from most U.S. exit points. Accessibility is one of the country’s big advantages. If you’re looking to relocate overseas but don’t want to be too far from the grandkids, Nicaragua is a good option. Major airlines offer daily flights to and from Miami, Houston, and Atlanta.

The population of Nicaragua is 6 million people, relatively large for the region. However, thanks to the country’s size, population density is low.

The official language is Spanish, but you’ll find a fair amount of English for a couple of reasons. One is tourism. In the colonial city of Granada, for example, one of the country’s primary tourist draws, hotel and restaurant staff speak English.

The other reason a lot of Nicaraguans speak English is because they left when the Sandinistas took over. Many went to the United States, had kids, raised families, and learned English. Now they’re back working hard to develop their country.

Tourists come for the history (Granada and Leon vie for title of “oldest city in the Americas”) and for the surfing. The breaks along this country’s Pacific coast are some of the best anywhere on this planet. The beaches are world class, too, some with white sand, others with sandy stretches that are rose colored, and the climate is not as wet and humid as in Panama, for example. It’s drier here; cacti grow along the coast.

That’s a tourist’s bird’s-eye view. We’re more interested in what Nicaragua has to offer the would-be expat, retiree, and investor. From our perspective, perhaps the biggest thing Nicaragua has going for it is its cost of living. Nicaragua’s is one of the most affordable lifestyle options in the Americas. This country is as great a bargain as Ecuador, for example, and its coast (in my opinion) is far more appealing. A couple could retire to Nicaragua on as little as US$1,000 per month, including about US$500 per month for rent.

You don’t need even that much monthly income to convince the Nicaraguan government that you could support yourself in retirement. To qualify for this country’s pensionado visa, you need show only US$600 per month in pension or Social Security income. That’s the lowest income requirement amount for any retirement residency program in the world.

Another noteworthy thing from a residency point of view is that it’s easy to establish here even if you’re not retired and even if you don’t have a pension. In addition to its pensionado program, Nicaragua also offers what’s called a rentista visa. To qualify for this, you need to prove income (from any source… could be investment dividends or interest payments, for example) of only US$750 per month. The minimum age to qualify for rentista residency is 45.

Would you be happy living in Nicaragua? You’d have to answer that question for yourself. On the plus side are the low cost of living, the low cost of property, the year-round sunshine, and the great beaches. You could live a healthy lifestyle here, eating locally grown organic foods and spending most of your time outdoors.

It’s not only easy to get to Nicaragua but also easy to get around the country once you’re here. Everywhere you’d want to spend time is a couple of hours away from everywhere else you’d want to spend time. The zone of interest extends from Managua north to Leon, south to San Juan del Sur, and east to Granada. Nicaragua is much easier to navigate than Ecuador, for example, or Panama. Because of its elongated shape, places can be deceptively distant in Panama. It’s a six-hour drive from Panama City to David, for example.

It’s easy to get around Nicaragua thanks to its geography. On the other hand, the infrastructure is lacking… though improving.

This is the second poorest country in the Americas. There’s not a lot of extra money in the budget. The country is underdeveloped in every way, and there is a lot of poverty. As one expat friend who lives in Nicaragua puts it, “If you can’t stand poverty in your face, then you probably don’t want to be in Nicaragua.”

On our most recent visit to Nicaragua, Lief and I stayed at the Hotel Gran Francia in Granada. One night we went for dinner at one of the restaurants along the pedestrians-only area leading down to the lake. We sat at an outside table, on the sidewalk, and, during the two hours of our meal, we were approached by no less than a dozen little kids. Some were selling things—trinkets, chewing gum, etc.—some were begging. These Granada street kids really get to me. These kids stay with me. I can’t stop thinking about them. So we’ve had to make a decision. Either we were going to stop going to Granada, or we were going to try to do something to help all the homeless kids there. We’ve chosen to try to do something to help the kids.

Spending time in this country, you’d eventually come face-to-face with this conflict, too. Either you don’t see the poverty, or, if you do, you decide how to deal with it.

For us, taking Nicaragua off our radar wasn’t an option. We’ve loved this country since the first time we visited and appreciate it more each time we return.

Kathleen Peddicord

Continue Reading: Wire Transfers For International Property Purchases

Comments

Tags: 'Nicaragua''Retire To GranadaExpats In GranadaExpats In NicaraguaInvest In NicaraguaLive And Invest In Nicaragualive in NicaraguaProperty In GranadaProperty In NicaraguaRetire In Nicaragua
Share91Tweet54
Previous Post

Is Panama A Stable Place To Live, Retire, Invest, Or Do Business?

Next Post

Kat Kalashian

Kathleen Peddicord

Kathleen Peddicord

Kathleen Peddicord has covered the live, retire, and do business overseas beat for more than 30 years and is considered the world's foremost authority on these subjects. She has traveled to more than 75 countries, invested in real estate in 21, established businesses in 7, renovated historic properties in 6, and educated her children in 4.

Kathleen has moved children, staff, enterprises, household goods, and pets across three continents, from the East Coast of the United States to Waterford, Ireland... then to Paris, France... next to Panama City, where she has based her Live and Invest Overseas business. Most recently, Kathleen and her husband Lief Simon are dividing their time between Panama and Paris.

Kathleen was a partner with Agora Publishing’s International Living group for 23 years. In that capacity, she opened her first office overseas, in Waterford, Ireland, where she managed a staff of up to 30 employees for more than 10 years. Kathleen also opened, staffed, and operated International Living publishing and real estate marketing offices in Panama City, Panama; Granada, Nicaragua; Roatan, Honduras; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Paris, France.

Kathleen moved on from her role with Agora in 2007 and launched her Live and Invest Overseas group in 2008. In the years since, she has built Live and Invest Overseas into a successful, recognized, and respected multi-million-dollar business that employs a staff of 35 in Panama City and dozens of writers and other resources around the world.

Kathleen has been quoted by The New York Times, Money magazine, MSNBC, Yahoo Finance, the AARP, and beyond. She has appeared often on radio and television (including Bloomberg and CNBC) and speaks regularly on topics to do with living, retiring, investing, and doing business around the world.

In addition to her own daily e-letter, the Overseas Opportunity Letter, with a circulation of more than 300,000 readers, Kathleen writes regularly for U.S. News & World Report and Forbes.

Her newest book, "How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad," published by Penguin Random House, is the culmination of decades of personal experience living and investing around the world.

Related Posts

Riverside in Tavira on a summer morning, Faro District, Algarve, Portugal.
Retirement/Living

Why Tavira Is The Best Place To Retire In Portugal

by Sophia Titley
February 24, 2021
0

Our 2021 Retire Overseas Index names Tavira, Portugal, as the single best place in the world to launch a new...

Read more
Cost Of Retirement In Portugal vs. Panama

Cost Of Retirement In Portugal vs. Panama

February 24, 2021
Dordogne, France.

The Challenges Of Living Abroad And How To Overcome Them

February 22, 2021
Beautiful Caribbean sight with turquoise water in Caye Caulker island, Belize.

10 Reasons To Reinvent Your Life In Beautiful Belize

February 17, 2021
View overlooking Corozal township in Belize.

Different Places To Live Well In Northern Belize

February 16, 2021
Paradise beach on Koh Kood island, Thailand.

Expat Community Share Their Biggest Fears Of Moving Overseas

February 14, 2021
Sunset at Algarve coast, Carvoeiro, Portugal.

The Key To Moving To A Different Country In Today’s World

February 12, 2021
Next Post
Kat Kalashian, Senior Editor

Kat Kalashian

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

how to retire overseas

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2021

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

WANT TO RETIRE OVERSEAS?

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately send you a free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE in style overseas. Each day you’ll learn about the best opportunities for international living, retiring overseas, offshore diversification and asset protection, and investing in real estate around the world.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.