Im due to retire in 5 years, looking to relocate out of the UK...is the Bahamas a good location? crime, weather, cost of living and housing...
Not being one of those people with millions is it out of my league..
Would be nice to speak to anyone who has an opinion, especially if from the UK.
thanks
Les

The outislands are very nice .. you may want to take a look at one of them .. there are many and they are all beautiful in their own way ..

Im due to retire in 5 years, looking to relocate out of the UK...is the Bahamas a good location? crime, weather, cost of living and housing...
Not being one of those people with millions is it out of my league..
Would be nice to speak to anyone who has an opinion, especially if from the UK.
thanks
Les



i burst out laughin when i read that cuase i was going to quickly reply that it is a great place to retire if u had millions. i dont know how much money you have but if u plan to retire in the bahamas u have to have a good bit of cachingas to give u an idea gas is about 5.00 a gallon.

rory is right if u dont mind bein bored out of ur mind and living on an out islind like exuma or bimini your money will go further in terms of land and housing. there is alo grand bahama the land is cheaper than new providence but i think food is expensive all over the bahamas.

in any event if a person has deep pockets the bahamas is the perfect place to retire.

Im due to retire in 5 years, looking to relocate out of the UK...is the Bahamas a good location? crime, weather, cost of living and housing...
Not being one of those people with millions is it out of my league..
Would be nice to speak to anyone who has an opinion, especially if from the UK.
thanks
Les

Maybe you should look into Florida or Arizona as well. Of course in the Bahamas you cant beat the weather, except it gets hot as hell in the summer. Cost of living and housing is dead expensive.

Im due to retire in 5 years, looking to relocate out of the UK...is the Bahamas a good location? crime, weather, cost of living and housing...
Not being one of those people with millions is it out of my league..
Would be nice to speak to anyone who has an opinion, especially if from the UK.
thanks
Les


The requirement for Permanent residency is a $500,000.00 investment in the country. If you have $500,000.00 you should be able to invest some in a home and some in a business. There is then the requirement of paying lawyers and immigration processing. Without at least a million dollars it will be tight especially if you expect to partake in the various recreational activities that make The Bahamas special. But even with just $600,000.00 you should be able to comfortably live in The Bahamas and meet the immigration requirements for permanent residency. If you have a retirement fund set up as well it will be that much easier as it will give you living expense money while you research the type of business to invest in.

thanks all for the advice...few points, think we would be looking around Freeport or New Prov'... At todays prices about $300,000 for the house with a good pension to live on...

you did make me laugh when you mentioned the cost of gas.. here in the UK it is £0.93 a litre x 4.5 to the gallon = £4.18 convert to $ 4.18 x 1.8 = $7.50

road tax is nearly $350 per vehicle a year.........
a one bed flat in my area (I think you call a condo) is $350,000
I pay 40% income tax and about 13% National Insurance (for the rubbish health service)
Running costs for my house are $180 heating, $150 electric, services (police,fire, rubbish collection etc) cost $300 ...total $630 PER MONTH

The worrst thing about over here is the awful weather, its nearly always grey, wet and cold...and because we have so many people on a small island we have a water shortage...and the people are so miserable

Compare that to the cost of housing and gas there, the blue sky, sun, nice people and you can probably see why I love it there and HATE IT HERE..

Anyway, I thought you could get residency if a property costs over $250,000..and what would be the rules with bringing over a motorbike built in 2000.

Hope to see you all soon for a nice cold beer.

:dancer2:

thanks all for the advice...few points, think we would be looking around Freeport or New Prov'... At todays prices about $300,000 for the house with a good pension to live on...
you did make me laugh when you mentioned the cost of gas.. here in the UK it is £0.93 a litre x 4.5 to the gallon = £4.18 convert to $ 4.18 x 1.8 = $7.50
road tax is nearly $350 per vehicle a year.........
a one bed flat in my area (I think you call a condo) is $350,000
I pay 40% income tax and about 13% National Insurance (for the rubbish health service)
Running costs for my house are $180 heating, $150 electric, services (police,fire, rubbish collection etc) cost $300 ...total $630 PER MONTH
The worrst thing about over here is the awful weather, its nearly always grey, wet and cold...and because we have so many people on a small island we have a water shortage...and the people are so miserable
Compare that to the cost of housing and gas there, the blue sky, sun, nice people and you can probably see why I love it there and HATE IT HERE..
Anyway, I thought you could get residency if a property costs over $250,000..and what would be the rules with bringing over a motorbike built in 2000.
Hope to see you all soon for a nice cold beer.
:dancer2:


Vehicle licensing (equivalent to your road tax) is about 150 to 225 depending on vehicle size. Any product you purchase will have a premium anywhere from 0 to 50%. Your expenses for your home should run you about the same, maybe a bit more in Freeport or any Gated Community. The only one of those that you would pay normally would be electricity (which would include your cooling).

You do have to make a $500,000 investment for permanent residency. As far as I know this can include investments in a business so that will allow for sustained income. While I can understand your wanting to be around Nassau or Freeport I would suggest that you consider one of the other islands also. They can offer a lot.

Oh and if you import your bike you will have to pay duty based on the estimated value, I think 45% duty plus 7% stamp tax.

DaRedhead said most of it, $500K investment, not $250K (used to be that).
Its going to be a huge culture shock moving to New Providence, much more crime unfortunately in comparison to the UK, but the outislands are basically crime free, to an extent, not to mention much more beautiful, and clean.

Also health services dont compare to even the National Health in most cases, and the very few that do or are better, are very expensive. Dont expect the food to be anything like what you will find in the UK, typically everything here is imported and especially in the fresh Vegatable area (they are imported and sprayed with insecticied everynight in the stores - I know how the brits love their fresh veggies). If you like Fresh Fish though .. you will be right at home. :)

Driving here is nothing like the UK also .. at least on New Providence. Expect a serious shock there. Actually you may just laugh that off .. :)

Agreed, cost wise Gas is cheaper here, but one of your largest expenses may be in the food area, no where as cheap as it is in the UK, and there is very little control over its quality. Once again, if you like Fresh Fish, you will be fine. :)

Basically if you have alot of money, you will be able to live comfortably (without a job). Though I would suggest a trip here first, and to the outislands, before any final desision. Also by Trip I mean more than a stay at a Time Share or Hotel .. something that will get you closer to living here, than a vacation.

The weather in the UK is definately one of the main reasons that keeps me away now .. and then there are all the imigrants these days .. that is even a more major factor to me. The UK has changed .. for the worst.

Also, If its retirement you are after, alot of people retire to the outislands, not really New Providence ... no current comment on Freeport as I dont live there now.

Yes take a few trips first and get the know the islands, this will definetly give u a better idea. U will fall in love right away but your decision will not disappoint you.

you did make me laugh when you mentioned the cost of gas.. here in the UK it is £0.93 a litre x 4.5 to the gallon = £4.18 convert to $ 4.18 x 1.8 = $7.50


Yeah, I laughed too when I saw that.
People are so ignorant of things in other places and are quick to jump on how bad things are in their location lacking knowledge of where it is worse. Point and case, the price of gas in the Bahamas vs. where you are.

The Bahamas has one of the largest register or UK permanent residents in this hemisphere. They do like the weather, cost of living (taking into account direct taxes in the UK and also indirect ones) and what remains of British influence (still enough to remind you of where the Bahamas came, lol)

I would recommend; Long Island, Eleuthera, Exuma or Grand Bahamas. (In order of my fav. picks for retirement life)

I cannot say they will be boring (how can anyone for that matter) because I obviously don’t know your lifestyle (you may like to read and fish, who knows, but if that’s the case, you'll love them) but I would suggest you take a trip and see.

All the best and enjoy the Bahamas.

they are imported and sprayed with insecticied everynight in the stores - I know how the brits love their fresh veggies


Really?

Which stores spray their imports every night with insecticides?
I know Prime and BFS (imports fresh veggies) everyday and have a fast turn over.

Really?
Which stores spray their imports every night with insecticides?
I know Prime and BFS (imports fresh veggies) everyday and have a fast turn over.

Supervalue and city market.
Supervalue is the dirtiest also, i serviced their alarms (both of them) for a few years under another company, and they are both a disgrace, major health violations, but we have no enforced health laws here so that hasnt changed at all. To put it in perspective, ive never shopped for food at Super Value, since i first saw the conditions of their stores .. and dont let the front of any of the stores (either these two franchises, or other stores in Nassau) fool you, even if it looks clean in the front, it is very unlikely to be that way in the back where the food is stored.

That said, I have been in the back of Solomons and they were the cleanest I have seen in Nassau, no complaints there.

Supervalue and city market.


Oh, i never buy fruits of veggies from them anyway.
Thank goodness for the many places that dont do this crap.

Thanks Rory.

Oh, i never buy fruits of veggies from them anyway.
Thank goodness for the many places that dont do this crap.
Thanks Rory.

yeah i think ill start shopping at solomons, they are much cleaner anyway, just that I always shop late and there isnt much choice besides City Market which is open to 10pm .. :-(

Where's the other places you go for them?
Prime Bahamas? Ill have to check them out .. thanks.