sign

Hi, currently living in the UK with a mate............i am single, no kids, no job, no house, no pension, got a lump of cash, looking for somewhere to spend the rest of my living days, no work, just relaxing, fishing, eating, drinking, just having a good time.

Anyone in a similar situation to me anywhere, it must be warm, cheap to live, safe, do not want to marry, do not want to buy a house, would like to meet women my own age, i state my own age. I am not interested in bar girls or young girls.

25 to 30 years living, where................ how much UK sterling do you think i will need.

Thanks for any feedback

JackTheLad

The only place I know very well in the Far East is Hong Kong. I would say you would need at least HKD15,000 for very basic accomodation & food & expenses per month. Assuming no inflation, HKD15,000/month x 12months x 30years, you'll be looking at about GBP500,000 at today's exchange rate. I don't know how you'll get a visa if you won't be working.

I'm sure there are many places in Asia where you can do it for less.

Mrs JTL

sign

Thanks, thanks very much.

I was thinking more of the Phillipines or Thailand or Malaysia or one of their islands. I was wondering whether there are any other 42 somethings got enough cash circa £500k plus annual interest to last till they drop with no responsibilities who are just chilling out and enjoying life in the far east?

My mate i live with, well are staying with currently is planning on living in Australia, but for me it is just too expensive an option.

Thanks.

JackTheLad

I certainly wasn't trying to encourage you to try HK as the cost of living is as expensive as most parts of the UK/Australia, if not more.

If you do a Search on this forum, you'll find quite a few threads by expats living or wanting to live in the countries you've mentioned. Some stories are quite interesting. But many are happy enjoying their life on the islands.

Mrs JTL

bakedbean

Assuming that you don't want to be an illegal stayer (no, you don't), check out the various visas that are available to you. No point in dreaming about one specific country, if you cannot get a valid visa.

I suspect you may find it a problem to get a Thai visa (legally) as you need to be 50+ for the one-year retirement visa.

You can check out links in the Malaysia sub-forum for the MM2H visa. At 42 it's possible, but maybe look at the government website and see if you can meet the criteria. I know people in their 40s who have the visa.

I suspect that the Philippines may be a viable option for you. I don't know too much about this one, but take a look at the various threads on this board in the Far East section.

Best of luck.

sign

Yep, an island off the Phillipines, or maybe mainland sounds good.

Any middle aged single guys living out there at the moment? What is the cost of living like etc? I think i will have about £1000.00 UK GBP to spend each month on rent, food everything. This will be index linked so rising inline with wage/RPI etc.

What sort of standard of living could i have? Any suggestions where what to do etc?

Thanks

britishbull

Well, I am an old Thailand hand, eventually got run out of there by some mafia thugs when they took a dislike to my living with a young Thai girl for almost free for six years... but if you are going to live a righteous life you should not have any such problems. If you don't mind a one room apartment with its own toilet (circa £150-200 a month) then Bangkok if you are into cities, Cha Am/Hua Hin for the beach... there are any number of places really but if you want to hang out with decent guys your own age those would be the best bets. Chiang Mai is a lovely city but generally an older crowd and Pattaya plays to the more thuggish tourist.

I am more into the Philippines at the moment but Manila is a hard nut to crack, and cheap apartments tend to be in the more dangerous areas (I know you have a grand to spend but why waste it?) whereas the odd farang in low rent areas in Bangkok is treated with amusement rather than violence. Angeles City won't interest you as it is full of bars and young girls, expensive on accommodation as well. Cebu is a definite possibility but you are looking £300 up for a studio apartment. The PI can be violent, esp Manila and sometimes Angeles but the further you get away from them the nicer things get. I know one guy who survives quite well on two hundred quid a month. living like a native on the outskirts of Cebu... may just be me but coming in cold it is quite hard to break into foreign groups of guys, usually end up talking to people through the girlfriend's friend's who also have foreign men - mostly nothing in common except a taste for Asiatic women.

So both of those are worth a try. I would avoid Laos as very nasty under the surface. Heard good things about Vietnam but have not gone yet. I found Phnom Penh more pleasant than Manila (not hard) and accommodation is as cheap as Thailand. I am not sure you would meet many women your own age and most of long term residents are either hardened bar-hoppers or into NGO's and charities.

Actually, if you like cities and want a relatively cheap yet civilised retreat, Kuala Lumpur might fit the bill. I have not worked out how to find cheap apartments there (only passing through for a couple of days) but I am assured that it is possible and the Muslim thing isn't in your face at all. Maybe make it your starting point as you can get cheap one-way ticket from AirAsia and then do the same to Bangkok or Manila or Phnom Penh or Bali if you don't like it. Visas for Malaysia are 93 days on arrival for Brits so no hassle or expense.

coffindodger

Life in the Pi can be fun.
Depending on where you want to live, you can have a look on this site it gives you some very good info.
http://www.myphilippineretirement.co...e-philippines-

I live in the Pi but work in Saudi, I know plenty of expats living in the Pi for less than 1500 $ a months.

jcartermad

I think that Thailand is your best option. Go to Issan around Udon Thani, Korat, Surin or Roi-Et. Lots of middle aged guys. Most are OK. Apartments cost about £120 a month. Food...eat street for £2 a day tops. Beer about £1 for 630cls bottle. Plenty of women, decent and not bar types, around your age looking for a nice boyfriend. No trouble here. Folks are kind, living cheap and where i live, Roi-Et, there are about 300 ex-pats. About 6 ex-pat bars but to be far the thai bars are ok. Visa wise you need somethink like a 4 month tourist and then do the visa run. Two hours each way and stamped and back in the same day. Buy an old pick-up or scooter and your away. Once you are 50 put £18,000 in the bank or have a good monthly income and its a year visa renewable by post.Marry a Thai and its £9K in the bank with no age restriction. Best of luck.

danjones1

Do you really want to end up like many other washed up expats drinking their lives away chasing young local women.

Do you want that life?

What's wrong with where you come from? Plenty of better options in Europe, maybe E.Europe?

sign

Great info thanks........................Sounds just about right.

I am 42, going nowhere here in the UK, friends all married either happily or very unhappily. Struggling financially, work long hours, just miserable.

Close family all dead, distant family just too distant.............

My best mate is off to Australia to live, he has a long term partner, whereas i have been single now since i was 39.

I have just inherited a large sum of money, well a house which i sold, so having now sold the house, paid the inheritance tax, i am left with around £490k, i am not working just living really.

I own nothing, no other investments or savings no pensions, so just want to end up like other washed up expats, chillaxing. I reckon i have enough to last me till i pop off my perch.

My old fella lasted till he was 66, i will not last any longer, so its finding somewhere to chill my bones.

Thanks.

sign

Nice middle aged women, yes sounds great........................

Kooky.

Don't pay any attention to dan, sign - a few months ago, IIRC, he was asking where to go for young Asian women to adore him.

ex reg

Do some proper checking first.
You might not like it and find you have burnt your bridges.

For every ex pat who says they love the life style there are loads who after a year or so throw in the towel.

Good luck.

bakedbean

Just try out different spots till you find the best place. Enjoy the rest of your life !!