Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomadism
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Italy
      • France
      • UK
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Panama
      • Costa Rica
      • Nicaragua
      • Honduras
      • Belize
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
    • Others
      • North America
      • South America
      • Australia
      • Africa
      • Asia
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomadism
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Italy
      • France
      • UK
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Panama
      • Costa Rica
      • Nicaragua
      • Honduras
      • Belize
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
    • Others
      • North America
      • South America
      • Australia
      • Africa
      • Asia
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
👤

LIFE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR EXPATS, DIGITAL NOMADS, AND DREAMERS.

  • Central America

5 Myths About Living in Central America

  • June 13, 2017
  • BY Brooke Cobb
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

What’s holding you back from considering retirement in places like Panama, Belize, or Nicaragua? Could it possibly be that you’ve heard too many of the common myths surrounding life in those countries? A lot of people have the completely wrong impression about what it’s actually like to live in Central America, so here are 5 myths…debunked!

  1. It’s not safe.
    Of course, there are bad areas…just like there are in any other country. The United States has beautiful cities, but there are usually areas nearby that you wouldn’t venture out to. That doesn’t mean that city or that country is unsafe, so why should that rule apply to any of the countries in Central America?
    Crime rates in expat communities tend to be pretty low. These countries want the expat communities to feel safe, because they are good for the economy, as are tourists. If you do your research and seek out a nice expat community in a beautiful country like Belize, you’ll get to enjoy your new home and feel safe doing so.
  2. The healthcare isn’t good.
    Depending on your healthcare needs, you might have to narrow down your list of possible places to live in Central America based on hospital care. That’s okay! There is a hospital in Panama City called Hospital Punta Pacifica that is affiliated with Johns Hopkins. The school will attest to that hospital being a “state-of-the-art facility.” Not only does Panama City have this hospital, but there are also two others in the area that live up to U.S. healthcare standards.
    Another great spot for healthcare is Managua, Nicaragua. Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas in Managua actually caters to the high-end medical care audience, targeting patients from North America.[amazon_ads ads=mid]For any of these hospitals, medical care is only a fraction of what you’d pay in the United States, so it’s a win-win, really. Choose the country you’d best like to live in, and then find out where the best healthcare is if that’s your highest priority.
  3. You can’t live as well.
    Many think that if you move to a country in Central America, you’re giving up your quality of life in the United States or Canada for good. Maybe they don’t expect the homes to be as nice, or the WiFi to be quick and available.
    The truth is, life in Central America has come a long way in these developments. As a matter of fact, you can probably get a far better house than you’d imagine for much less than you’d have to pay in the States. The quality of living in Central America is like it would be anywhere else – what you make of it.
  4. You have to be fluent in Spanish.
    If you’re unwilling to commit the time to learning a new language in your new home, you don’t have to choose a country in which Spanish (or any other foreign tongue) is the national language. Take Belize, for example. The national language there is English, so you wouldn’t have to learn a new language at all. Many of the tourist and/or expat communities in the Central American countries will also speak English widely. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t try to learn at least some Spanish, just for the sake of embracing a new culture, but you really don’t have to.
    Consumer Resource Guide
  5. It’s too hot.
    So, maybe you see the possibilities of embracing a new culture and enjoying a lower cost of living, but you’re just not into the tropical or beach climates. Not everywhere in Central America is hot. Take, for example, the popular expat city of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. This city is known for its temperate climate. The homes don’t even need to have heat or air conditioning in them, because the weather is so mild. Places like this exist in Central America, away from the beaches. When you’re considering your options, just remember that beaches aren’t all that these countries have to offer.

With these five popular myths debunked, you can now free up some time to take a good, hard look into what living in Central America is all about. You might be surprised at the possibilities. You can potentially live a higher quality of life where your money goes a lot further and even gain a sense of community among a new circle of friends. Central America consists of a lot of different potential places to live, so don’t do yourself the disservice of lumping them into one generalized category. You’ll miss out!

Image credit: https://pixabay.com/en/civilization-mayan-city-ruins-2472959/

 

[amazon_ads ads=1] [amazon_ads ads=2] [amazon_ads ads=3] [amazon_ads ads=4] [amazon_ads ads=5] [amazon_ads ads=6]
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Previous Article
  • Africa

Jean Laffite – a Real Pirate of the Caribbean

  • April 19, 2017
  • BY David Steckenreiter
View Post
Next Article
  • Your Escape Plan

Invest in Colombia

  • August 12, 2017
  • BY Brooke Cobb
View Post
You May Also Like
The flag of Belize on the map.
View Post
  • Offshore banking
The Banking Opportunity of Belize
  • BY Luigi Wewege
  • July 2, 2025
View Post
  • Costa Rica
Medical Tourism in Costa Rica
  • BY EA Editors
  • April 22, 2025
The good life in Belize.
View Post
  • Belize
The Plan B Strategy—Securing Lifestyle and Liberty in Belize
  • BY Michael K. Cobb
  • April 5, 2025
A Practical Guide to Offshore Banking
View Post
  • Finance
A Practical Guide to Offshore Banking
  • BY Luigi Wewege
  • February 26, 2025
View Post
  • Costa Rica
Off the Beaten Path: 10 Must-Visit Places in Costa Rica
  • BY Dan Macharia
  • January 24, 2025
View Post
  • Costa Rica
Costa Rica Retirement
  • BY Dan Macharia
  • January 16, 2025
A young teak sapling. Photo courtesy of iStock/Kattiyaearn.
View Post
  • News
The Precious Gift of the Visionary
  • BY Michael K. Cobb
  • December 18, 2024
View Post
  • Belize
Investment Property Options in Belize
  • BY Lisa Richards
  • June 2, 2024
Trending Posts
  • Mauritius – One of the best Island to Live for Remote Workers and Retirees 1
    • Plan B
    The Best Places to Begin Again
    • July 9, 2025
  • Nordic chapter of adventure 2
    • Rest of Europe
    The Nordic Blueprint for Happiness
    • June 30, 2025
  • The first glimpse of possibility—abandoned, broken, waiting. 3
    • Field Notes
    How an Abandoned House in Spain Changed Everything
    • July 7, 2025
  • Long days, wild spaces, and the calm of the North. 4
    • Rest of Europe
    Scandinavian Summers Are the New Escape
    • July 3, 2025
  • Living in the Azores 5
    • Field Notes
    Living in the Azores
    • June 28, 2025
Subscribe
Know Before You Go
  • Mauritius – One of the best Island to Live for Remote Workers and Retirees 1
    • Plan B
    The Best Places to Begin Again
    • July 9, 2025
  • The True Cost of Leaving America 2
    • Interviews
    The True Cost of Leaving America
    • June 25, 2025
  • 3
    • Africa
    The New Africa Travel List for 2025
    • June 20, 2025
  • Rolling emerald fields and soft skies in County Kerry. 4
    • Ireland
    Top 10 Things to Know If You’re Moving to Ireland
    • June 13, 2025
  • A new generation claims space through movement. 5
    • Africa
    How Ethiopia’s Girls Are Rewriting the Rules on Wheels
    • May 30, 2025
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
Why Subscribe

The newly imagined Escape Artist brings you fresh content with a global focus, and sharp, up-to-the-minute coverage of the joys, challenges, and opportunities of life abroad.

For a limited time, we’re offering a special discount on all subscription deals, so be sure to lock-in these incredible savings and start receiving top-notch travel and expat content today!

Sign up for the EA Newsletter

Get important news delivered directly to your inbox and stay connected!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Escape Artist
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimer

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Newsletter Subscription
Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/