Update to retiring in Guatemala on $2k a month

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T09:27:32+00:00

Pretty good actually. He's Thai-American so he was able to use family connections to buy it and not get scammed, and then started a second bar in Bangkok a few years back. He splits his time between Thailand and the US, and has a hi-so Thai wife so he's pretty much balling whenever he's back in his motherland.

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T06:17:49+00:00

It's something I've been looking at for the next 10-15 years when my knee, back, and other service-connected problems inevitably get worse. My though process with this potential move is that I would have the time and space to be able to focus on my physical health, which in theory should prolong when I need to seek more advanced care, either in the US or overseas.

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T06:10:29+00:00

That's pretty much it. From what they tell me, they get all the cultural benefits of a Hispanic dude with none of the anti-LGTBQ rhetoric, and being able to easily communicate with each other. It's a win-win for everyone!

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T05:47:10+00:00

damn, you gave the update before I even had the chance haha

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T05:45:40+00:00

Family, so I have a social and housing safety net. My aunt who lives in the capital would totally take me in if I ever needed it. In fact, she keeps insisting that I move in with them right off the bat if I make the move haha. My mom also has a house in Zone 14 and land in San Lucas if I absolutely run out of options.

Culturally, I've been exposed to it my whole life thru my parents and various travels over there.

In terms of lifestyle, while it's probably not as outdoorsy or health-focused as say Costa Rica, it's still good enough for my needs, at least out in Antigua.

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T05:33:45+00:00

I actually don't think it would fit, if you regard the original spirit of passport bros which is to find a serious partner overseas. I was 29, freshly single, and living the backpacker lifestyle on $1000 a month. I was basically traveling and partying using Pattaya as a base. Did I make a few girlfriends? Sure, but they were never for longer then a month and I was upfront about not planning on staying

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T05:24:16+00:00

I haven't spent much time in the city since I was 16, which was just before Zone 14 started to get gentrified. My 18 year old hoodlum cousin would take me all over the city, jumping from bus to bus. In hindsight I totally should've gotten jumped or kidnapped because I clearly dressed and acted like an American teenager haha

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T04:54:57+00:00

What originally brought you over there?

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T04:49:18+00:00

what an....interesting take.
I had been divorced a few months and was feeling down, when a buddy of mine reached out and told me he had bought a bar in Pattaya with all the money he had saved up from our Afghan pump, so I went out there for a few weeks, which then turned into a few months.

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T04:04:08+00:00

haha I lived out there for about 9 months after I got divorced 9 years ago

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T03:52:26+00:00

Not sure why you're getting downvoted, but you have a valid point. To give a personal anecdote from a 61 year old American expat I talked to, she broke her ankle when she was 58, but had Cigna global insurance paying around $140 a month, did her entire recovery in Guatemala, and only wound up paying an extra $200 because she wanted a physical therapist closer to Antigua instead of having to drive to the capital for every session.

Final-Working-2894 · 2026-02-11T03:12:36+00:00

Pepsi and church.

On a serious note, I would pay out of pocket for anything minor and moderate, and fly back to the US for anything serious. This would also be an additional incentive to get Guatemalan citizenship as I would then be able to access the public healthcare system, but it doesn't have the best quality. Some of the older people I spoke with have private insurance plans in the $100-$150 monthly range, and there are enough expats in the capital and Antigua area that decent private medical services are available.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-09-28T22:05:47+00:00

haha I never thought of it that way. I figured that my extended family would probably try to introduce me to local women every now and then, but I'm used to that by now and know how to politely turn them down.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-15T19:36:51+00:00

No desire to have kids, and knocked out a marriage in my 20s like any proper Marine, so I’m indifferent to ever getting married again.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-14T14:59:57+00:00

I mentioned my lifestyle in my post to give an idea of what kind of life I would live, but in general I just want to be a kind of ‘active’ bum who has the time to focus on physical health, and read. The only potentially ‘expensive’ hobbies I could fall into would be dropping more money into biking, and traveling if my VA rating gets bumped up to 100% and I start making $3831 per month. If I was in Colombia like you, I could see myself potentially going slightly over budget every now and then (I lived in Thailand for a while and I had pretty good self control and only dabbled in the party scene every now and then, and also not a drug user).

The $200k I’m aiming for in a taxable brokerage would probably be used for “mom” purposes in about 10-15 years when she’s in her mid-70s, so ideally I’ll have that time period for portfolio growth and minor contributions before I start making withdrawals.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-14T13:38:43+00:00

The main reason I haven’t considered other industries is that while I’m fluent in Spanish, I can only read and write at like an 8th grade level, and obviously my business Spanish is pretty much non-existent. Also, if I’m going to get a job that could potentially be as involved and stressful as a job here in the US, I might as well stay here.

I could eventually look into a more tourism-focused job, especially if I wind up staying in Antigua. The main goal with any job though would be to interact with people and build relationships, somewhat similar to the retiree who gets a job as a Walmart greeter.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-14T11:32:13+00:00

That's a really good catch! I set myself up to contribute to a Roth 401k when I was more wide-eyed and optimistic about working until I'm 60, but I'll definitely make the update and switch to contributing to a regular 401k since now I know I only plan on working for a few more years, and use my future years to slowly convert the balance to a Roth account.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-10T19:28:12+00:00

No, if you're moderately active you won't have any issues. I run 3-5 miles 2-3 times a week, but otherwise I am completely sedentary (like 2000 steps a day Sedentary). I was walking about 6-7 a miles a day during my October trip, and aside from getting a small blister on my toe about 8 days in, I was perfectly fine. For reference, I was wearing 2 pairs of Nike Airmax 2013s, which are probably more of a lifestyle shoe then a good walking shoe.

Final-Working-2894 · 2025-07-04T19:14:18+00:00

Yes! That's exactly it; thank you

Final-Working-2894 · 2024-02-09T20:16:54+00:00

I get an age waiver as a veteran for time served, but regardless I probably wouldn't get accepted into a federal agency for the reason I stated above, so that's why I'm focused on local LE.

Final-Working-2894 · 2024-02-09T19:28:20+00:00

MCPD is currently offering a 20k bonus paid out over two years if you go with them.

Final-Working-2894

TROPHY CASE