[Deschodt]

Not sure I can help with "+" but I heard of some "- "

- Lots of people I know tried Portugal - well Vaca is not retirement. It is cheap, great food, nice views from your cheap apartment, etc... Almost all of them have returned. Not that much to do past the initial fun, big time medical desert in cheaper areas, hard language to learn, visa is harder now...no work at all if you want to do part time fun stuff to supplement income.

- Other cheap southern Europe places, northern italy, south of france, spain, away from the expensice touristy $$ areas: tough for US citizen and medical care. Socialized medicine yes, just not for you. Visa (so part time?), helps if you can prove EU ancestry and get a passport then it gets simpler somewhat.

- FL: I never understood that one (and I lived there and liked it), the property taxes are atrocious. The humidity may kill old people. Even if no state income tax, chances are you make less $ anyway in retirement, but still don't wanna live in a dump and we were paying so much property tax it was painful. Also $ for the bug guy, the yard guy (watch the damn grass grown in a day), AC guy, AC bills, boring roads, hurricanes, or worse, the effing HOA.

My haircut guy says you can live like a king in Danang (Vietnam), I know some did thailand too... I think the exotic nature of it all would be fun for 3 months and get old quick for me.

Currently I'm leaning towards a 1/2 retired (some remote work from over there) and half and half plan location wise. Sell expensive Cali property, buy cheaper smaller apartment (lockable and less maintenance) in the US elsewhere. Invest difference in a southern europe small village house (cheap & utilities are low vs the US), have fun from there on cheap ryan air flights everywhere across europe 6 mo / per year. Air BNB the US place while gone. For those with multi citizenships, I researched a lot and it's best to keep bank assets and address in the US for the IRS (cheaper too, not all countries recognize Roth IRAs as tax free for instance, and the IRS will follow you everywhere due to their grip on world banking), and return stateside half the year to see the kids and observe how much more decrepit the roads are (but how much less traffic cameras there are).