Many people ask me this question so here are some “clues”. As I only have first-hand knowledge of Central America, I am only going to talk about that area. And thanks to wikivoyage.org for the map. And, of course, you should download Escape to the Tropics for more information. It’s a great deal as it is free.
I have lived in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Nicaragua so those are the destinations I know the most about. I have traveled through El Salvador, Honduras and Panama.
First, let me remove what I consider bad choices for everyone from the list.
- Belize is a small country with virtually no high altitudes. That means, everywhere in Belize is hot. If you are into always hot it might be worth considering, otherwise forget it.
- Honduras remains scary. There is way too much crime and corruption to seriously consider it.
Of the remaining countries, each one has advantages and disadvantages. For each person what is a plus and what is a minus may be different. As I explain in the book, you need to visit before finalizing your choice.
I consider Costa Rica the best “starter country”. That is, it will be easiest for you to get comfortable. Here are some points:
- There is a reasonable assortment of altitudes making it easy to pick an area where you are comfortable.
- Costa Rica is probably the most “gringo friendly”. That may just mean Ticos (that’s what Costa Ricans are called) consider a gringo as a source of money but it is pretty common to just be accepted.
- San Jose, the capitol, is at a reasonable altitude meaning the weather is comfortable virtually all the time.
- There tend to be lots of little airports so it can be a quick flight rather than a long drive to, for example, the beach.
El Salvador was not a realistic choice because of crime when I was first shopping for a country but, today, it is possibly the safest country in the Americas. How did that happen? President Bukele decided that throwing criminals in jail was a good idea and he did it. Recently elected for his second term, El Salvador remains a safe destination.
The only real down side of El Salvador is a small country with a relatively large population. That means it is not food self-sufficient meaning higher food prices. San Salvador, the capitol, it at only 658 meters which makes it warmer than my preference but it is not horrible.
I have a very positive view of Guatemala. It’s not perfect but it offers a lot of options depending on what appeals to you.
- There are lots of gringos both on Lake Atitlan and in Antigua so you can live in Guatemala and still be “fairly gringo”.
- Much of the country is at elevations over 1500 meters meaning there are lots of choices where the climate is comfortable.
- With the exception of Guatemala City there are more roads than people making travel by bus or car reasonably easy.
- Unlike Costa Rica or Nicaragua, the local currency (the Quetzal) has been very stable against the US dollar.
Nicaragua is probably the roughest of the choices. I don’t mean dangerous, just the biggest diversion from what you may be used to.
- Nicaraguans have been the friendliest people I have ever been around.
- There isn’t a lot of areas at at high altitude (and, thus, cooler temperatures) but there are some.
- The biggest problem I see with Nicaragua is the government. While not repressive you will quickly find out that if you are a Sandinista things are easier — all things.
Finally, Panama. I don’t know enough to say much other than I would not rule it out. I do, however, know two people who moved from Panama to Guatemala because they felt “it was better”.
Bottom line: read Escape to the Tropics, pick a country and visit. There are great places to live but what is great for one person may not be what someone else is looking for.