Christina07945 said:
I liked Italy very much and would consider returning. We came to Argentina after 3 years in Peru. At the time we were worried about the political stability there, not too smart on our part as things there have generally gotten better in Peru and in Argentina things have gotten worse.
One problem with trying to retire overseas on a fixed income is that a place that looks good today can change in a year or two. We went to Italy when the Euro was about 90 cents to the dollar. The dollar weakened this year to the point it cost a $1.50 to buy a Euro. When we went to Italy it was about 20% cheaper than the states, at $1.50 it would a lot more expensive, today it's around $1.30.
In Argentina you have the same problem with high inflation. For example the cost of our Swiss Medical Plan for a person over 65 is now $945 pesos a month, or about $300, assuming a 25% to 30% hike in 2009 the cost will be pushing $400. For a retired couple its $800 a month. This is going to make Argentina unattractive for most retirees. With current costs the average retiree can live cheaper in the U.S. than in Argentina. Even Italy with the weak dollar would probably be cheaper. Your insurance costs there as a resident would be minimal(we paid roughly $200 a year), i.e. your $800 a month cost savings on healthcare would probably more than offset higher costs in other areas living in Italy.
Italy also is a lot better in every department, great food, lots of culture, endless things to see and do.
