Where Do Gays Retire | Gay Retirement | Queer Money

We all want to retire somewhere that’s both affordable and LGBTQ+-friendly. But do places like that exist? What else should we consider when deciding where to spend our golden years?
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Mark Goldstein hosts Where Do Gays Retire?, a podcast that explores safe, affordable places for the LGBTQ+ community to retire. Mark is also the creator of the Where Do Gays Retire Facebook Group, a 13,800-member community for conversations around the best places to retire.
Listen in to understand the relationship between community and longevity-and learn how to find the right place to retire based on your priorities.
Topics covered: where do gays retire
What inspired Mark to start a Facebook group and podcast on where gays retire
The most stereotypical places where LGBTQ+ individuals retire
Examples of surprising places where gays retire Mark has discovered through his platform
Why Mark’s podcast episodes on Uruguay and Ajijic, Mexico are among his favorites
The wide range of preparedness for retirement among the queer community
Why there’s a growing interest in retiring abroad among LGBTQ+ individuals
What to research if you’re considering retiring outside the US
Mark’s challenge to start your retirement planning by considering your priorities
Why healthcare is such an important consideration for gays in retirement
The habits and behaviors of LGBTQ+ people who’ve retired overseas successfully
Where Mark is on his own personal retirement journey
The relationship between longevity and being part of a community in retirement
Sponsors
Capital One
We’re David and John Auten-Schneider, the founders of Debt Free Guys and creators of the Queer Money® podcast. We help queer people (and allies) achieve financial, relationship, time, and location freedom by helping them architect their Wealth Builder’s Pyramid.
#queermoney #lgbtmoney #lgbt #lgbtpodcast #gaypodcast #queer #pride #personalfinance #gays #gay #wheredogaysretire #gayretirement #retirementplanning #retirementinvesting #gaycities

[@tryrobb8594]

Need to hear more for gay SINGLES. Anyone can do about anything with double incomes multiplied for years or decades. Try that on a single income and see how far ya get. Sometimes dying earlier than later isnt all that bad. Just enjoy your days be it short or longer.

[@queermoney]

You’re right we do need more discussion on retiring single. We interviewed Dr Sarah Zef-Gebber about this. There are a lot of options, which she discusses in her book. Here’s her interview kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6SwaZ6cmrtghdksi=8APCRVCHd_d_ys27

[@pompom11]

Gay and single, and did not marry a woman if he did and now paying alimony and child support for decades, because he couldn’t stay in the closet any longer, being single is great for having disposable cash. Any old gay guys that I know are because he couldn’t stay in the closet any longer, loaded with money and properties and investments. Some nephew or niece will hit the jackpot eventually. 💰

[@timward3116]

For me (gay, retired), the most important thing is the proximity of the people (straight and gay) who are nearest and dearest in my heart. There are places outside the US that I like a lot more than where I am, but I love seeing the faces of loved ones in real life, not on a screen. And what if they need my help or I need their help in a way that does not allow being 5,000 miles away? I think that, if existing relationships are important to you, you should try to find something livable and affordable within a couple hours drive away.

[@rexholt6044]

My husband and I retired in Southern Oregon and love it here, not a very big gay community but it is a friendly place and there is a lot happening culturally.

[@queermoney]

For the most part Western OR seems to be good for the community. Otherwise it seems like a rough place with lots of T supporters and those that was to break OR in half and merge with ID. 😒

[@dennispowell-g4o]

Reno is worth looking into - tax advantages, 6 hospitals in 15 mile radius, 4 seasons but very little snow, growing airport, 3+gay bars & "Our" center for lgbtq community, lots of music events & theatre and close to Lake Tahoe

[@sprague49]

I retired in Montgomery Alabama after living in LA for most of my working years. I also had family here. Alabama is red but the major cities are blue blue. There is no tax on retirement benefits. Cost of living here could not be lower and still be in the US. There is a nice gay lounge just a block from my home. Speaking of homes, the average house lists for about $90K to $120K in my neighborhood, most of which are 1920's bungalows. Downtown is lively and has a lot of architectural richness, being the capital city. The gulf beaches are just 2 hours away. There are three gay campgrounds in Alabama, also only a couple hours drive from Montgomery. All in all, my husband and I love it here and keep hoping our neighborhood will become the "gay ghetto" of Montgomery, LOL.

[@queermoney]

Love hearing your real world experience from Montgomery. It was tied for the Most Affordable LGBTQ Friendly City in AL. There seem to be a lot of hidden “blue” gems hidden in “red” states the the community overlooks. Here’s our video on AL: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6uvg6tmlJt_fKssi=MFi1cIwh4rRHyJ-l

[@MRMATTX2]

This is encouraging, especially for those of us who won't have a large retirement fund. We are currently in California and it is very unlikely that we will be able to retire here.

[@TropicTrdr]

Point Clear and Fairhope down on the coast are nice.

[@douglaslandry7740]

So happy for you!!!

[@teriscott685]

I'm here in Chandler Az,great place,my wife died in 2015 of cancer and she had great health care here,we live in a gated 55plus community which is where I still reside,I have never had any problems here and I grew up here and I'm now 66yrs old,we are still really a red state we just don't like crazy,most voters here are independents

[@blondspike74]

Just found this channel; pity it doesn’t cover topics directly to do with Australia…but I’ll keep watching! Keep up the great work! ❤ 🇦🇺

[@queermoney]

Awww. We 😍 Australia. Visited for Mardi Gras back in 2013 and we’re just talking about how we’d like to go back. We are looking at covering some international cities in the next year so stay tuned. It’s just a lot harder to find data that is apples to apples

[@brennt1]

This is a great summary and advice regarding many topics I’ve looked at over the past year. Husband and I are long time Floridians and hope to retire in 5-10 years. Politics, affordability, and climate change has become a concern here. One issue with planning is not knowing how things will change over time. I once looked at Ecuador but it now has a lot of political unrest. Mexico has become more expensive and their economy is seeing growth so may get even more pricier. I also saw Spain had complicated tax implications and initially dismissed but now taking a second look as I think some concerns can be mitigated with careful planning. Starting to conclude that moving overseas is more of a last resort and perhaps staying put will end up the best option especially if political situation in US stabilizes.

[@queermoney]

You’re right that it’s seems to be a moving target to land on the right place with retirement and changing laws and finances. The more prepared we are the more options we have. This is our mission to help more LGBTQ folks be better prepared for the retirement of their dreams. We 😍 Spain, but need to understand all the potentials to make for a great future

[@kanakapono]

We are gay, we moved to Honolulu Hawaiʻi from NYC and we are the most happiest we ever been. The weather is great, itʻs a very blue state, the hospitals are top notch, and the people are loving, caring, inclusive. They embrace you if you want it or they leave you be if that floats your boat. 🤙🏽🐣🌈

[@queermoney]

Yes Hawaii is awesome, just very expensive compared to the mainland. We were on Maui about 10 years ago and had a blast. Swam with turtles and snorkeled. I’d move there in a heartbeat if we had the $$$

[@JPDAngelo]

We are considering the exact same - not quite ready to retire but Honolulu is looking really good to us!

[@twalsh1801]

@@queermoney yes my latte is 7.45 here - 5.95 in dtla

[@xavierminchello8431]

HAWAII IS ALSO 88% above the National Average cost of living ,

[@xavierminchello8431]

@@queermoneyYES! HAWAII IS 88% ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ON COST OF LIVING!

[@chuckrichards4603]

Thanks for this podcast. I live in Palm Springs and I agree with the guests comments concerning Healthcare. There is always 2 weeks to months wait time before one can get an appointment for Specialists. Urgent Care is the most common place to receive Primary Care. Access to Healthcare in Hawaii is terrible as well. The further away from Honolulu especially on the Big Island and Kauai health care gets worse. Molokai heathcare is basically non existent. It is common to fly to Honolulu to receive care. If you can afford the cost of a plane ride. Additionally Hawaii is very expensive. Everything you purchase is at least 25% greater than on the Mainland. On Oahu a gallon of Milk is at least $5 and it’s not uncommon to pay $9 per gallon.

[@xavierminchello8431]

I AGREE WITH HAWAII HEATH CARE …I WORKED THERE AND THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT FROM COWORKERS WHO WERE ISLANDERS. I WOULD VISIT EVERY OTHER MONTH FROM THE MAINLAND BECAUSE IT WAS MY AREA OF WORK WITH A MAJOR CORPORATE EMPLOYER.

[@queermoney]

Thanks for your on the ground experience. This really helps since we don’t have experience living in all these locations 🤩

[@queermoney]

Thanks for sharing a bit more info.

[@marcmcpherson6960]

I'm still about 30 years away from retirement, but I can see myself in the Coachella Valley for retirement. Though I grew up in the South (currently live in Ohio), I have a ton of relatives in the Inland Empire which is only about an hour & a half drive away. I'm also looking at the fact that I don't like places that get too hot, so I may end up staying in the Midwest and moving to Chicago (where I also have a lot of relatives). The main things I'm looking for are (1) places where there are a lot of other LGBTQ+ retirees, (2) places that do not have laws hostile towards LGBTQ+ & people with HIV, and (3) proximity to some family. I have healthy relationships with many of my relatives and would love to be somewhere that I can easily visit family or family can easily visit me. I have absolutely no desire to move back to the South, especially Florida. Though, I’m masculine-presenting, I do fall under the trans umbrella and, another thing I think about is access to gender-affirming care. That’s the reason Florida and Texas are two states that aren’t going to be on my radar-I’m not going to move to a place that’s actively putting laws in place that would impact my care. I’m also someone living with HIV and the thing I’m looking at are places with great safety net and healthcare programs. A third thing is that I’m Black. I’ve experienced acts of racial discrimination in my life and I don’t want to put myself in a place that I wouldn’t feel safe in because of the color of my skin. There are a lot of places that are LGBTQ+-friendly, but not Black-friendly, and vice versa. I still have about 30 years, so I have time. I may ultimately end up retiring “in place”. I have a community here and I know & interact with a lot of older LGBTQ+ people here in Ohio, so this may be it. I do love living in Ohio. It may not be the most exciting, but there is a huge and diverse LGBTQ+ community here, it's affordable, and not far from a lot of major cities.

[@queermoney]

Wow! This is an amazing, well said and very informative comment. Love that you’re thinking about this so far away from retirement. Where in Ohio? We’re in Toledo. We’ll also be in Cincinnati & Columbus later this year for speaking gigs. Let’s connect. Ohio is great. Is it for everyone one? No, but there are so many welcoming cities that score really well with HRCs Municipal Equality Index. We’d suggest starting a savings plan that will allow you to have as many options as possible in retirement. Rochester, NY and Sacramento, CA are both becoming known as trans safe havens. Hopefully in 30 years there will be more or it won’t even be an issue. 😍🏳️‍⚧️

[@tommoncrieff1154]

If you are 30 years away, you can’t make that decision now. The Coachella Valley has one gayish city - Palm Springs, but it was not very gay 30 years ago and likely might not be gay at all in 30 years time. Society, economy and technology change rapidly. The population of the valley will be at least 2.5 times what it is today, it will be a large metropolitan very built up area. And it’s VERY hot for 3 months of the year. I bought in Palm Springs 28 years ago at 125k. These houses are now $2m. California is the most expensive state and the highest taxed and that’s not a great combination for retirement unless you are well off.

[@TropicTrdr]

I've heard that Columbus is Gay friendly.

[@ericfreshcorn3590]

Here in Ohio

[@markfalcoff1743]

I have never lived in Uruguay but I did live in nearby Buenos Aires and I can tell you several things about Uruguay. Number one, it is much more expensive than you imagine. Number two, it is BORING. People have to go over to BA to escape the provinciality and soporific atmosphere. Third, if you don't like beef at every meal you won't like the food. I am amazed at the provinciality of some of the remarks that have been made about foreign countries in this podcast (Portugal, Spain, etc.) The assumption seems to be that even though you don't speak any foreign languages you can just continue to live your same life in some foreign land without having to make any adjustments, and also on US dollars which by the way do not go anywhere near as far as they did some years ago.

[@queermoney]

Thanks for your personal perspective and experience. It’s helpful since we can’t visit every city we analyze or talk about. As for language you are correct that many make the assumption that they don’t have to learn the language. Although if you listen to Mark’s podcast when a foreign country/city is highlighted, most of the guests talk about learning the language either before moving or shortly after moving. I know a bit of Spanish so I can get by when we’re in Sitges and is part of the reason we prefer visiting/living or planning to retire in a Spanish speaking country

[@hdrider201100]

I'm retired for two years in the Philippines, a culture that is surprisingly very gay accepting although far from gay fabulous. It's very affordable with an assortment of pros and cons.

[@Mister-Reno]

I've been giving the Phillipines and Bali Indonesia a hard look. briefly what's the con that bothered you the most ?

[@benhume2874]

Poverty levels unusually high in Philippines. And weather af 40+c is hard to lived in. Boracay Island highly attractive. And climate change is going to be a concern. Guadalajara AJIJIC beautiful, 45 min uphill from Guadalajara. Great food. Highest canuck ex pat community in Ajijic! (And a cobblestone hell !) San Miguel de Allende Leon Growing gay population. Live in land Visit P V for 7 days every 2 to 3 months. Gay positive + affordable. And fly cheap $90/1 way to Puerto Vallarta

[@YesItsMeGuys68]

Everyone should consider retiring to Puerto Vallarta , Mexico. There is a very large expat community here . Its a huge international gay resort town . A warm welcome by locals also . It's Wonderful here and the cost of living is just a fraction of NYC or Boston ( where I am from) i have been here 6 years now . The Best decision i ever made ... you really all need to investigate .

[@gordonpi8674]

Also, it is terribly hot and moist.

[@benhume2874]

Expat moving in driving up rents and real estate as Mexicans are getting resentful and its building. Just barely starting in Ecuador. Costa Rica higher degree of English spoken and prices cheaper than Mexico without the expat resentment yet. Ecuador peaking this year. Move fast. For 2 year residency (6 months a year). To qualify for citizenship and Ecuador passport! Costa Rica lower cost of living. Nice but Ecuador better medical insurance plan Costa Rica better cost of living and lower rent. All places there are safer and unsafe areas in every city around the world. So don't freak out by stories. Ex pat crime is less in Europe and Portugal especially attractive! And Portuguese language one oc the hardest I have ever tried to learn. Spanish has 96% what you hear is exactly how words are spelled. Great language. 190 continuous weeks of study free Duoljngo 3.5/5 quality. 12 verbs tenses that are poorly explained on Duolingo. You get what you pay for. Love Porto and cosy, lower cost of living. Great culture, gay +! And fabulous food, people and rapid transit. Quality rentals short long term best of Europe. Unless you want to buy $1000 home and renovate in Greece Italy because of smaller towns aging population. With population growth world wide dropping Italy has a world highest senior rate. And some communities are looking at long term extinction. ❤ Love Spain! Finding right city is a challenge. Long term flooding and countries sinking. Venice? Yup. Sri Lanka! Madagascar, Philippines, Indonesia all high risk for 2040-2100.

[@PBG345]

Good points, (1) research the hell out of it and (2) have an escape plan if something changes.

[@queermoney]

Right! No ignorant decisions. Get informed first. Then decide.

[@qpc1263]

We are retired and moved to a suburb of Austin Texas. Never had problems and have been welcomed but we decided we needed family near by and my hubby is from El Salvador so we built an estate there and moved this year. Gay community is not large and quite closeted but this allows us to travel where we can enjoy a better standard of living.

[@queermoney]

Sounds nice. We haven’t heard much about El Salvador. Maybe Mark should interview you for his podcast and pique the interest of others.

[@franklove]

I'm in the typical retirement Florida destination Wilton Manors. I've been here for 14 years and lucky to own a place here. It's getting very expensive for newcomers. And not ideal anymore for retirement unless you have plenty of savings. I'm currently working but once I actually retire I'll probably end up somewhere else.

[@jimbox8762]

We own our home in NY. Uproot our life and move to a new location is hard. But, my husband and I are thinking of becoming one of those Palm Springs show birds. Just spending winter months in Palm Springs to enjoy the company of friends out there. Palm Springs is just two hours away from LA where my brother and his family live there. Some other friends are thinking of retiring in Thailand and South Asia.

[@johnwwirtanen1283]

Regarding Palm Springs healthcare: I couldn't disagree more with Mark Goldstein's statement about its healthcare. I've lived in Palm Springs since 2009. I have a Medicare Advantage plan, which, being an HMO, automatically narrows one's choices. I have never had a problem that wasn't well addressed. I've used two hospitals - Desert Regional in Palm Springs and Eisenhower in Palm Desert. Both are great facilities. There is no problem finding a doctor who isn't well addressed and sensitive to gay issues. I've lived in the Detroit area and within California, San Francisco, L.A., and now Palm Springs. For my healthcare needs Palm Springs fully comes through. I don't need to travel outside my area for doctors, sometimes need to wait 3 weeks, rarely longer, for doctor appointments which is on par with L.A. and San Francisco. Regarding overall cost of living and housing, yes, higher than the national average but much more reasonable than San Francisco, L.A., and San Diego.

[@queermoney]

Oh, that's good to hear. We were kinda disappointed to hear that the healthcare in Palm Springs might not be that great. Goes to show that we all need to do our own research to see where is the most optimal for us.

[@joelandre1548]

Regarding travel and drug cartels in Mexico, it’s not just US media but check the state department travel advisory that runs between level 2 to 4 depending upon the state. There are very few places in MX that are level 1 (take normal precautions) and half of MX is level 3-4 (do not travel)

[@queermoney]

You’re right that we need to stay on top of any location we’re looking to travel or move to outside the country.

[@remitremblay2091]

So very interesting! We moved to a ski area/winter wonderland area in our province, and…we are so happy! Away from Montreal where we both lived for our work life (convenience and all) but so happy to not be there anymore! We are now doing so much outdoors…and meeting like minded people, any people and we share this with them/meet them and feel welcomed! Great conversation! Thanks!

[@queermoney]

Love that! It’s great to find what makes life fun/thrive at all stages. We want to do more outdoor activities in retirement too… but our will probably include a beach since we used to live in Colorado and both skied and snowboarded.

[@JLgG2454]

Hello Mark, and John Auten-Schneider, Thank you for this excellent KZbin video. Can anyone of you tell me where the best place is to retire to in Italy where one can enjoy LGBTQ+ that migrated from the USA. I lived in the U.S. for 25 years of my life before I moved to assist my Mother's later years, which allowed her to escape her fears of ending her life in a retirement home. Because of 2016 I opted out of converting my Permanent Resident status to a Citizenship as I foresaw that the Trump hold on the U.S. sense of politics was going to severely damage the sense of Democracy upon which America was founded on. This gives me that edge to still hold on my European Union passport, which helps me to not be exposed to damaging taxations. Enjoy a great day! Jean-Louis

[@markgoldstein4663]

There is no best place. All places are subjective due to your personal preferences. I did a podcast On Lucca, Italy, and Rovigo. They may interest you.

[@cycle_25]

Nice discussion. Now that I'm retired I've been thinking of whether I want to move, or just travel a lot. I agree that there aren't many blue states that are warm, but there are a few options. You mentioned Las Cruces and that's near the top of my list. Florida is too red, too hot and too crowded. Texas, forget it! But even red states have islands of community. You brought up Lexington and Wilton Manors, but even in deep red Tennessee there is a great community in Knoxville. And if Arizona gets too hot in the summer, you can always come to Michigan!

[@douglaslandry7740]

What I not getting from this podcast is what if you only want to live four months of the year out of your country in a small condo because you want to keep your primary residence you have a small rental unit in it that will help subsidize it. I’m a small university town, we are very fortunate partner is quite incredible and we both have preconditions for health so that would always be our number one safety is number two, which I’m glad you address but one thing I wish you would address part time living out of your country not full-time I’ve been with my partner for 37 years. We have a simple, quiet life that’s all we want in retirement why we have not made to move yet because my partner is taking care of this mother, but we’re trying to prepare for that time. I hope you do a podcast on part-time living as a gay couple out of the country sincerely thanks for all the great information.

[@queermoney]

No this podcast episode didn’t cover “snowbird” type living/retirement options. It was more focused on places that Marks’s podcast guests live/moved to as permanent residence. You do bring up a good point that we could explore cities that are affordable temporary retirement options.

[@doctorj6030]

Not all of us want to live in a desert or where its 120 degrees, but prefer a place with 4 seasons. What is affordable & friendly in the north.

[@queermoney]

Have you checked out our Affordable LGBTQ Friendly Cities series? We’ve cover cities in all 50 states. You can watch some of those here: kzbin.info/aero/PL7VPTGQcBGPhKHF5eCFT_5YW8qATeocl8&si=9kzTtc8K-mNlVC_v

[@johnsumerlin122]

I very much enjoyed your thoughtful presentation of issues for the gay community and retirement. If I were going to add one issue to your discussion, it would be the levers for the maintenance of one's health span, particularly important in retirement years. The concept of community was discussed as it was presented in the Blue Zones, that was terrific yet also look at their diet and activity levels. A curious point, google the longest lived people in the world and you would discover that none of the longest lived, lived in a Blue Zone; e.g, Jeanne Calment. I am definitely looking forward to future broadcasts.

[@queermoney]

Thank you. Great feedback. Of course there are outliers for age in every location. My grandmother lived to 102 in Dickinson, ND. I doubt that had a whole lot to do with her location and more to do with lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle in almost any city correlates to a longer life.

[@paulbailey4843]

Useful information. Thanks for sharing. I expected this content to be all about Palm Springs and Wilton Manors (both wonderful places) but appreciated the diversity of options discussed. For my husband and me, we have chosen to have dual residences in both our respective hometowns- mine a small town in the Triad region of North Carolina and his hometown of Curitiba Brasil. The cost of the two homes combined would probably barely cover the cost of a modest home in either Palm Springs or Wilton Manors. I realize most older gay men would prefer a larger LGB community (every thing else being equal we would too) but we both feel so fortunate that we are very close to our biological families AND that our families live in such affordable and safe places. Thanks again.

[@queermoney]

Thanks for your awesome feedback. Glad you two have found something that works for you and your families. 😍Mark’s group and podcast are great because he looks at cities all over the place. We also have an Affordable Gay Cities playlist where we looked at cities in each state plus some other topics. You can see that here: kzbin.info/aero/PL7VPTGQcBGPhKHF5eCFT_5YW8qATeocl8&si=CL3z70adcXikou53

[@SanCarlosGuy2001]

Very enjoyable discussion. Moving out of the country wasn't for me. I chose to move to the Coachella Valley in California. Home to a string of cities: Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and several more. Palm Springs has gotten bit expensive but much lower housing coast than the coastal cities. Cathedral City was my choice, it's next to Palm Springs but less expensive, more diverse, less crime with a liberal city government like Palm Springs. Both cities routinely receive 100% scores from the HRC.

[@queermoney]

PS was the top spot when we did the most affordable LGBTQ friendly cities in CA, which kinda surprised me. It’s a great city. We’ll be there on Sunday 5/12/24 for a meet up at Quadz. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJi4iaWAmaaEsNksi=7F2RhQa1pIc5kkHm

[@wheredogaysretire]

I would love to continue this conversation about living in Cathedral City. We will be in PS on Sunday at Quadz at 4pm for a Where Do Gays Retire meet up. Cathedral City is a place we are considering retiring to. Thanks for watching!

[@johnparro2226]

Totally agree. PS is awesome. Love being here! Actually, we are in PS for the season, Chicago for the summer. Great combination!

[@wheredogaysretire]

We will be in Palm Springs and Cat City next week. Join us at Quadz on Sunday 5/12 at 4 PM for a Where Do Gays Retire/Queer Money Meetup. Love to see you there!

[@sprague49]

What about Belize? I wonder why it's off the radar as far as gay retirement. I've read it's very libertarian politically with a live and let live attitude. Placencia seems culturally nice, right on the beach and for North Americans, the official language being English is a plus. 1500 British troops are stationed there for security. It's said that a couple can live comfortably on $2500 a month.

[@queermoney]

Belize is a great place to visit, but same-sex marriage is illegal and homosexual sex was only made legal in 2016. So, I think it’s still iffy for many couples, especially for buy property and paying taxes. Just more headaches like it used to be in the US before 2015.

[@cmacmenow]

Spain! Wonderful country and super accepting. I'm retiring out there next year so I am getting planning. I've actually been planning this for a very long time. It's a toss up with Malaga and Valencia. Both cities and regions I have been several times and love them equally. Someone, anyone, help me to decide!

[@queermoney]

We’re right there with you on Spain. We 😍😍 it. Although recent changes in Madrid around trans rights is kinda worrisome for the rest of the country. We love Sitges, but it’s getting pricey now too.

[@richardkochen1839]

Hola....From Marbella moved from San Diego California ......Very happy here

[@wheredogaysretire]

Malaga and Valencia cultures are different. I have done podcast episodes on both.

[@TrotseHaarlemmer]

Spain is a fantastic country, one of the most gayfriendly countries in the world. If you can retire there, by all means do so. Malaga and Valencia are both wonderful cities so I cannot offer advice which one to choose. The major gay cities in Spain are Madrid, Barcelona, Sitges, Torremolinos and Maspalomas. If you want to be nearby a major gay destination, then choose Malaga as it is very close to Torremolinos.

[@JeremeyHowlett]

Most gays retire in Brazil, in cities like São Paulo and Rio De Janeiro, they have very very lax laws and most gays like to live in a populated city.

[@queermoney]

Do you have personal experience with this. I’m curious what the immigration experience is like in Brazil

[@JeremeyHowlett]

@@queermoney No, but by looking at their cities and the amount of growth they’ve experienced over the last century, seems like they invite everyone, if there’s no room they build more skyscrapers. Looks like a pretty laid back comfortable lifestyle. Crime is very low because they have very lax laws on prostitution.

[@ehudjacob1999]

For the past 10 years we have been living in Brazil as a gay couple and we can say that we have no intention of returning to NYC... In Brazil we have free medical care with excellent professionals and hospitals, free medication, great dentists with affordable prices, very good food, surrounded by friendly and helpful people. We live in a mansion by NYC standards and with all the comfort and security... We love Brazil, Brazilians and nd Brazilian culture.

[@ScottRiddleArtist]

Yes, we’ve had a lot of friends that left Florida. It used to be a lot more gay friendly. Now the politics there are making it not so attractive. Another thing that you really have to take him into consideration with investing and where you’re going to live now. Is climate change!which took Florida off the map for us.

[@queermoney]

Agreed. FL is under a state of emergency per HRC. We did an episode about climate ready LGBTQ friendly affordable cities. You can watch that here if you’d like kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJfTmmSjeLR6kMksi=3FdXp2xJ18BseDVO

[@pompom11]

We moved to Ft Lauderdale in 2011, the first few summers were beautiful then every summer got more and more hot and humid 🥵 To walk out to the mailbox the sun burns my face and arms. We can’t go to the beach at all, the house has tripled in price so want to get out of Florida. Unsure where to live now 😕 The family is in New England but I don’t want to shovel snow again.

[@jeffburton4507]

So some one like myself who is married and living on $1,400 a month I'm sure my options are very bleak... Any recommendations?

[@keithmcdonald1909]

My husband and I live in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Surprised there was no mention of Rehoboth. Lots to offer the LGBTQ community.

[@queermoney]

We’ve heard some good things about Rahobeth but it only got a 61 out of 100 on HRCs municipal equity index. For that reason it ended up in 4th when we looked at DE for affordable LGBTQ friendly place. You can watch/review it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX-5aqyoZ85rgqMsi=8QuQxmiiepbaafJU

[@thepassportlife]

How far is Rehoboth Beach from Dover?

[@keithmcdonald1909]

@@thepassportlife About 45 minutes

[@aguijohn1321]

I think I'd love ot move back to the South Georgia or some place like that. Cheap, and you can always visit the beach when you need. I'm just tired of how expensive the gay lifestyle is. I'll have more than enough for retirement. Would be great if you had more info re: singles retiring! :)

[@queermoney]

Totally get the comment about the “expensive gay lifestyle.” Seems we’ve created some unreal expectations as a community for what it means to be successful and gay and if you don’t live up to it you’re ostracized. 😣 For more about singles in retirement check out this episode we did about solo agers: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6SwaZ6cmrtghdksi=pemQxCbNwOVjYWJx

[@huntervickers5372]

I hear alot about Asheville NC. And surrounding areas are very good, for cost of living and LGBTQ

[@queermoney]

We’ve heard the same. We need to go check it out.

[@wheredogaysretire]

My husband and I visited Asheville over 10 years ago. We enjoyed the city, and it was very LGBTQ+ friendly. At that time, the surrounding areas outside of Asheville could have been more friendly but I have heard that has changed. I did a podcast episode on Ashville if you are interested, wheredogaysretire.com/asheville-north-carolina-with-john-brock/

[@BlueEyed888]

Well that didn’t age so well. 😖

[@jeffinphoenix]

Great episode! What I am curious about is what do gay people do that do not have family or a partner, and at some point are not able to make decisions for themselves, nor able to manage medical or financial decisions. Who the heck do you get as a guardian??? Please help!

[@queermoney]

That's a very real-world concern. We talked with Dr. Sara Zeff-Geber, who studies solo agers. She shares excellent information in her book 'Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers' and on this episode of Queer Money: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6SwaZ6cmrtghdk

[@jeffinphoenix]

@@queermoney awesome thank you!

[@chuckmurray1825]

I'm going to do staged retirement. I'm cutting back to 16 hrs a week at 65 and taking Social Security. I'll work those few hours to stay engaged and up to date on technology without all the stressed. If my health holds up, I'll probably work to 70 and then just volunteer somewhere.

[@queermoney]

Sounds like a solid plan. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@cliffm6566]

So funny listening to American gay guys talking about other countries… esp Mexico and Latin America, crime, Catholic Church, lol. Most Americans live in a bubble and even though they might leave the US they still behave as if they are in the US. I have a house in Lake Chapala Mexico, very popular with gay expats but unfortunately most bring their bad American politics with them, as if the Mexican people should be interested in US politics. As well many exists do not learn the language. In Europe you can speak English almost anywhere, but not in Mexico. Outside the main tourist destinations like PV Cancun etc very little English is spoken. If you move to Mexico, learn Spanish.

[@bruintoo]

Retiring this year and so far, we are planning to stay here in Long Beach, CA. It's a big city with a small town appeal. Adjacent to LA and OC without the hassles of living in them.

[@queermoney]

We’ve heard good things about Long Beach. It’s just pricey if aren’t either conditioned to living in a high cost city or have amazing income. Sounds like you’re one of the lucky ones. 😉

[@larryjones9773]

I'm considering moving to Irvine in 3 years (from Houston TX). I gotta get away from the heat/humidity.

[@qpc1263]

Houston to OC wow. Be prepared to pay multiple millions for a house.

[@larryjones9773]

@@qpc1263 Yeah, I'm not happy about the cost of OC housing, but I can't change it. I'm looking at $1.5 million. I've always been very frugal, as I grew up extremely poor (no toilet, shower, bathroom) until age 10. I now have some money, so I just as well spend it, as I can't take it with me.

[@qpc1263]

I live in LA for 30 years. California will take as much as they can between the crazy car registration, income taxes and fees for everything.

[@leslieseale9761]

My hubby + I were in Lisbon 11/23. Noone offered us drugs on the streets.

[@queermoney]

We got offered a number of times. We stayed right by the elevator, a high tourist traffic area. I guess they must have pegged us as potential buyers 🤪🤪

[@TrotseHaarlemmer]

Lisbon is certainly nice but you should be careful. There's quite a lot of crime.

[@jazzyflorida3757]

Plenty of gays in tampa bay just not so much in suburban Apollo Beach! Although I met a couple of young gays recently that moved there and built a lovely brand new home, they are wanting a suburban master planned community for raising a future family, since they are both in their 30’s and are top realtors. They can live anywhere and chose Apollo Beach. I love Downtown Saint Petersburg is very gay, but pricey. So not for all gays. Just like Ft Lauderdale. Very gay areas, If you have the wealth. You need $700,000 min to buy a cute place in Saint Petersburg or Wilton Manors. Notice I said cute. Not lavish.

[@chuckmilne1833]

I retired to St Pete 5 years ago and was very affordable then. However you can still find a condo from around $200,000 I line in a 1450 sq ft condo in Kenneth City about $225,000 15 minutes to Grand Central [the gayborhood] , 15 minutes to St Pete beach, Sunset beach the gay beach. I am a mile from the mall and lots of chain restaurants. 15 minutes to downtown at the end of Grand Central with the St. Pete pier, Fine Dinning, Art Galleries, and lots of shopping. Also 15 minutes to Gulfport Florida …. A left over product of the Hippie generation. They have a Fabulous Sunday Drag Brunch. Weekly street festivals and lots of all inclusive bars. Straight , gay, bi, & trans. St Pete also has a very large active Primetimers group with 12-15 events per month. Also St Pete has one of the Largest Gay Pride Festivals in the country.

[@bill90405]

It certainly isn’t very affordable, but Ive never regretted selecting Palm Springs CA.

[@paulcgrout5108]

The new upcoming area. Including an new gay community center. Bermuda Dunes and North INDIO. CALIF. Less crime less drugs. And alot less utility bills. Safer and cleaner and your money goes alot farther. Bigger homes new and used most with pools. There is a Lgbtq group in indio with over 400 members.

[@queermoney]

Good to know. My uncle has a place in Indio. We visited and liked it, but didn’t know about the community there

[@wheredogaysretire]

Not too far from Palm Springs. Isn't that where Abi Carter is from? :-)

[@Donnie-hf5du]

I retired by force medical. I have ALS/LOU GEHRIG. I had to go with care.

[@queermoney]

Very sorry to hear this. A family friend growing up had ALS. Where did you end up returning?

[@harold1901]

Where is best gay area or place to live if you are on SSDI fixed income?

[@queermoney]

Is that your only income source? Do you have any other assets such as a home or property? It all really depends on yiur income level and what services you need. You’re probably going to have to focus on smaller cities in the Midwest since they tend to be the cheapest right now. Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and St Louis keep coming up when we’re looking a locations that are cheaper and LGBTQ friendly. Check out our Affordable LGBTQ Friendly Cities series here: kzbin.info/aero/PL7VPTGQcBGPhKHF5eCFT_5YW8qATeocl8&si=yM2LmgScIRsVIIz9

[@ericfreshcorn3590]

I,m a Gay man From Ohio and Single 42 years Old with a Retirement where i work at there not a lot in it but I,m a Christian Praying for a man to spend my life with

[@queermoney]

Where in Ohio?

[@ericfreshcorn3590]

@@queermoney Kenton Northwest Ohio

[@dangimer3919]

I'll pray you'll be born again and that the power of Jesus will transform your life. Hellfire awaits as does Jesus with open arms. I hope you choose to straight in narrow. ✝️🛐 or 🔥🏳️‍🌈🔥

[@unclenelvis]

Good luck and don’t give up hope. I’m 53 and I thought I’d never love again but I’ve met someone and we now live together.

[@jeffreyerickson6766]

Hi Eric.

[@paulcgrout5108]

We bought our home 2 yrs ago. 3 bed 3 full baths. 3575 Sq feet. With new pool. We paid 375.000. And our utility's bill are alot cheaper. We moved from the bay area. We love it.

[@queermoney]

Are home prices holding or dropping like PS?

[@twalsh1801]

@@queermoney ps dropping due to restrictions on short term rentals?

[@xavierminchello8431]

Property taxes are big in CA.

[@robyoungquist5803]

Any thoughts on Portland, Oregon? 🤔

[@rcbturbine9]

Pdx has insanely high taxes. Beware. Plus the once beautiful city continues to crumble.

[@paulj2948]

Oh God no! No California Oregon Washington for obvious reasons.

[@denniskillin3090]

Hi guys I.m retired in the uk my husband and I live in a village that is very supportive being able to integrate with the community .Also for me having shops and other a menities at hand is more Important than being part of a gay community

[@michaeldalsky1209]

I can’t imagine moving out of the country especially with healthcare

[@queermoney]

It’s interesting how some folks seem to struggle in some countries with healthcare and others find a healthcare oasis. It really depends on the location and money. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JeffreyJohnston724]

oh we are in florida the jax area

[@fredflintstone2234]

Any suggestions for France? Single here as well.

[@queermoney]

We aren’t currently analyzing countries. Although we plan on diving into some for personal reasons and will probably share that info. Definitely check out @wheredogaysretire podcast. Mark has several episodes on cities in France. I know that some places have lower cost of living, but take into consideration the legal, tax and moving costs. Those can add up quickly 😉

[@frankgroff2604]

great info. instead of your talking heads format, why not show. photos of the areas he's describing, after all, a picture says a thousand words

[@queermoney]

We’d love to do that with the long form podcast episodes but it’s very time consuming and expensive for us to have a producer do that. We do it with our short form episodes. You might find this one more along the lines of what you’re looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpzYi3pprbOZaM0si=1Y35kG_HVzrtB0cf

[@claymccleery9451]

Enlightening. And scary. I'm gay, seventy, and single. In small town Indiana!

[@queermoney]

Indiana can be a tough spot for LGBTQ folks. How close to Bloomington or Evansville are you? Those 2 came up as the best places when we looked at IN as a state. You can watch that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJOqfWumhtp3aJYsi=EvJTjNQqnsO3bWVH

[@claymccleery9451]

I spent 25 years in Bloomington, Indiana. It has become highly taxed, and densely built with student apartments. Not a pleasant place, anymore.

[@TC2014-mo]

From Indiana but Californian now for nearly 2 decades. Indiana is a good place to be FROM but a dangerous place to live as a member of LGBT. Those MAGA ultra religious fanatics in Indiana are very unhinged, with zero laws of protections.

[@merlingeikie]

Gays are accepted everywhere.❤

[@queermoney]

Oh I wish that were true. 😉

[@fredflintstone2234]

R u smoking crack? See Russia.

[@sprague49]

@@queermoney I'm 75, living in Montgomery Alabama and feel quite accepted. My husband and I wear our "Bear" and "Rainbow" tees shopping, dining, etc., and never encounter a problem.

[@BlueEyed888]

There’s still places where gay sex is punishable by death like Maldives or Iran. And then there are places where gays are just barely tolerated like the Bahamas. And then there’s Florida.

[@hunghopper1993]

Best episode yet!

[@queermoney]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed. What was it you liked most the, topic, guest or interview in general?

[@leesteele]

My partner and I live in Merida, Mexico, and I can say first-hand that what Mark heard is correct. Merida is very gay-friendly,too.

[@queermoney]

Nice! We’ll have to check it out.

[@MikeS-sc5qv]

Cool. My partner and I were just there did the first time last month to check it out and complete the temporary residency process

[@xavierminchello8431]

I MOVED TO PHOENIX FROM SAN DIEGO! SO GLADI DID. AFFORDABLE AND A LARGE LGBTQ COMMUNITY!

[@queermoney]

We hear lots of good things about Phoenix. Plus AZ seems to becoming a more Blue state. 🤩🤩

[@xavierminchello8431]

@@queermoney YES INDEED AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY MY FRIENDS FROM CALIFORNIA SAY WHEN THEY VISIT IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE LIKE CALIFORNIA MORE EVERY TIME THEY VISIT. LOL! 😝

[@voxjanet]

I believe that Portugal decriminalized drugs in 2000. So it's been a while.

[@queermoney]

Interesting. I didn’t realize it was that long. I would have expected it to be more like Amsterdam with the drug culture if it has been that long 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jomo8385]

Great ....enjoyed...can you do one about gay couples retiring in Canada for Canadians

[@queermoney]

@@jomo8385 Thank you and we hope so. Researching a way to do an international series now. Hope to have something shortly.

[@jonlouis2582]

We move to Palm Springs.

[@queermoney]

What’s your opinion of retirement in PS?

[@nomadpi1]

I wonder if any homosexual has retired to the Middle East. I'm curious about the cultural courage of those who affirm themselves non heterosexual and the treatment they receive from their host country. How about SE Asia?

[@tgreathouse1964]

What is the name of the Facebook group?

[@robyoungquist5803]

Where Do Gays Retire

[@AndyLeos-j2l]

I moved to Milwaukee from California five years ago and I plan to retire next year. The Gay community in Milwaukee is like a ghost town. Any suggestions as to where I should consider moving to in the US when I retire?

[@queermoney]

That’s a bummer to hear. We’ve heard form others that the community is vibrant, but we all have our own unique experiences. 🤩

[@RobertoLarreaIglesias]

os esperamos en Uruguay!!!

[@queermoney]

We want to come visit and see for ourselves. 😍😍

[@robertperry814]

The movie you reference at 43:18 is "The Sum of Us", not Jeffrey.

[@queermoney]

Thanks

[@robertperry814]

@@queermoney a young Russell Crowe as a gay man :)

[@timlee6782]

Point Roberts, WA Future P-town of West coast if we have more LGBTQ people coming to build the community. Affordable and seclusive. Best part--srrounding 3 sides of ocean and city life of Vancouver.

[@queermoney]

Wow! Thank you for sharing. Color us intrigued. We've added a new destination to our list.🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@mattoneill1272]

ive been waiting for this one

[@queermoney]

Hope you enjoyed the conversation 😍

[@duanes2000]

I want to throw out a vote for the Washington DC metro area. The taxes will be lower in Virginia.

[@queermoney]

Yes the DC area is awesome. Also has the most LGBTQ folks per capita at 14.3%, but it is expensive if you don’t already live there and have higher income than average. Alexandria has show up on several of our lists for more affordable places. Here’s our video on Virginia: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZq8maOXn9R4rNUsi=mdUEPTtcytz1npLL

[@KidCity1985]

What is an unusual behavior in the gay community?

[@queermoney]

Ha! Dating or marrying someone of the opposite sex? 🤷🏻‍♂️🤪

[@KidCity1985]

@@queermoney but is it?

[@pblackcrow]

Roanoke, VA.

[@queermoney]

When we looked at VA, Roanoke ended up as the 5 most affordable & LGBTQ friendly city in the state. It got an 86/100 on HRCs Municipal Equality Index, which kept it from being higher. What’s your experience like living there?

[@pblackcrow]

@@queermoney I am probably going to be moving there next year. Right now, I am in TN and hate the crap that is going on here! Johnson City has became a city of the MAGA cult. I LOVE Roanoke. It is a bastion for liberals and progressive. An Amtrak station, kendo, fencing, large library. an actual gay library, friendly people, UU Church, soccer, rugby, not far from a Buddhist monastery, Buddhist temple being built there when I was there last, LOTS of role-playing games, and is about 3-4 hours from Norfolk and Alexandrea where my Mother's family are. It's sort of like Knoxville, without the absolute bull that goes on there.

[@queermoney]

@@pblackcrow Thanks for sharing! These are great details. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@pblackcrow]

@@queermoney And that is just scratching the surface. Lots of parks, hiking trails, etc. Yes, there is crime, but as long as you don't go looking for trouble or drugs, etc; you are okay.

[@queermoney]

@@pblackcrow Thank you for sharing!

[@johnbruce-el8ld]

Its the hands contantly moving and distracting. Stop it!

[@daylinlott5723]

Why do we want acceptance? Doesn't that lower our standards? Oh, yeah, we're talking about the West coast of FL ...neo-nazi land. Florida is complicated. I live here, and there is little culture, few parks, and lots of wide, hot, same-looking megalopolis with very pricey housing, for the hoards of conventional straight people who won the career lottery.

[@88keyed1]

Hmmm, Lexington KY has a large trans community? What great advice for a gay man, another city I will avoid. As 3 gay men, how about focusing on cities GAY MEN might want to go? Casting the net too wide guys. I really don't care about living in a trans-friendly place, they do not have any sort of resonance in my life. Period. Thanks.

[@daylinlott5723]

Embedded ad ...skip!

[@benhume2874]

Costa Rica or Aquito Ecuador

[@queermoney]

Costa Rica keeps coming up. I’ve heard many good things about it. I’ve visited 3 times but that was 20+ years ago.

[@155gerard]

Could the older guy in glasses being interviewed possibly talk any slower than he is, gets tiring to listen to the slowness of how he drags out every syllable of every measured word, snore

[@queermoney]

Wow! I certainly hope you’re not a member of the LGBTQ community, a community that loves each other unconditionally and wants us all to be our true selves without judgement.

[@lkjeasen1643]

Study the proven aspects of quantum physics. God is energy; god is not a person. Everything is god and everything is energy. There is no beginning or end. There is no death…only a change of be worlds.

[@queermoney]

Love quantum physics. We watch videos about it all the time

[@superdougie10]

Another reason to not live in FloriDAH....lol Too many New Yorkers.....LoL

[@queermoney]

Ha! Seems like every city is being invaded by people from somewhere else. We’re all searching for lower cost places to live 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jammasterjay4298]

How can I delete you

[@queermoney]

You can’t, but you can delete yourself from this conversation. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@raymondjay3895]

Oh God stop trying to be fabulous and all and just get to the point!

[@MichelleKumler]

Key West 😂

[@queermoney]

Key West is beautiful. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there. It’s petty pricey though.

[@MichelleKumler]

@queermoney OK how about Sarasota 😃 Ciesta Key is popular

[@yawnseadersformerlyknownas6921]

I don’t think you guys are good at managing since you moved to Florida without knowing gays should not retire in Florida!

[@queermoney]

Wow that’s a pretty judgmental statement! Mark and his husband moved to FL over 10 years ago. This was before De Sanctimonious became governor and the state legislature and executive branch went to $hit. Pluse there are an estimated 900,000 LGBTQ folks living in the state. We all make choices on what’s best for our own circumstances. Many choose places or stay in places because of needs/wants that you have zero experience with. Please don’t be so hard on people you have zero knowledge about and watch this kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX_PqmlrfbCZqtksi=P-JqCyQRodPboldD

[@michaelc9287]

Not all gays think that the sky is falling on gays in Florida. Plenty of guys are content to live there (some are even Republicans) and it's on my list of places to consider.

[@sprague49]

@@michaelc9287 Thank you for that. We have friends in Wilton Manors FL, whom we just visited for Pride Week. Wonderful gay city, especially for older LGBTQ folks.

[@jaredleemease]

Oh; from Rainbow Valley and Queen Valley…AZ is perfect. 🏜🕺🏻🐕🏖

[@queermoney]

Never heard of these places. Are they rural or is this something within Phoenix or Tucson?

[@VintageVaughnVehiclces]

The sex life is over if you're single move to russia, so you can have high quality Health care, no flood of migrants, no tornadoes no earthquakes no heat Dome Summers and a cozy wood stove to cuddle with in winter. Five different forms of transportation in the city areas so you don't even need your car. Lots of fine restaurants and zero racial tension.

[@hellhello6108]

Russia is a fascist state!