We moved from us to malta in our 70s; Life is Better, SO is Retirement
AFTER LIVING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR 25 YEARS, WE MAVED TO GOZO, MALTA. Be we share this with Strangers, They Often As, “Why?”
IT’S A FAIR QUESTION: WHY DoJ Two americans in their mid-70s leave an oceanfront community in the california redwoods to live on an arid island in the Middle of the Mediterranean?
The short anSwer is that it is SEEED like a great place where we coulud realie ours retirement dream of the world and while living a Quality life on our social security checks.
Now that we’ve live in gozo for three years, we can be happy – and we’ve the more reasons we’re glad we moved.
Adjusting to life in malta haen prety easy
We didn’t have too too issing adjusting to life in malta. The lifestyle, diet, and healthcare have won us over. Mary Charlebois and Kevin Scanlon
We had no problem adjusting to malta’s dry, hot summers and mild, wet winters. The Country Gets a Lot of Sunshine, and we don’t miss the months of fog and gray clouds on the Northern California Coast.
Malta is a dual-language Country-maltse and English are the Official Languages-We haven’t had to navigate too many barrier.
All Government Business is CONDUCted in English, and Most Maltese Citizens Speak It. In Part Because of this, Connecting with Our Neighbors has ben easy.
Since Moving to Malta, Our Community Has Been Nothing But Welcoming. We’ve Met Mary People Who Grew Up and Other Expats from AROUND The Globe.
We’re grateful to our neighbors who have been eager to learn about us and share lives and traditions. Have Truly Helped Malta Feel Like Home.
We live Very Comfortable on Our Social Security Checks
Our Cost of Living is Significantly Lower in Malta than it was in California – we’d estimate we spend about 50% less on our bills and essentials than we did back home.
AFTER Conversions, We Spend Less Than $ 1,000 a Month to Rent A 2,000-Square-Foot Fully Fol Luxury Apartment with Views of the Sea. In Northern California, A Place of That Size with Waterfront Views Waled Cost Several Thousands a Mont.
We typically Budget JUST $ 180 or SO for Our Monthly Bills – Electricity, Gas, Water, Thick, Internet, Two Mobile Phones, and A Landline. And we’re able to yarn diet with tons of locally produced, wholesome food with a $ 650 monthly food budget.
Our Social Security Payments Comfortable Cover Our Living Expensa in Malta. We have had Enough Left Over to Add Money to Our Savings Each Month.
SO FAR, WE’VE HAD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH HEALTHCARE
Malta Offers a High Healthcare Standard, Combining Public and Private Services. The National Health Service Provides Free Healthcare to the Citizens, while private options are available for those seing lotter Wait Times.
The healthcare facilities we’ve accessed here are modern, and many medical professionals speak English, MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE FOR EXPATS.
Nor digital nomads, we are required to the private health insurance maintaine. This year, for bot of us, we paid 3,950 euros, or about $ 4,600, for private insurance.
This amout is roughly comparable to social security’s medicare in the us. But our maltse health insurans has no deductible and covers 100% of the Bill.
Addictionally, we’ve found healthcare in malta to be affrodable. A Few Months Ago, for an Entire Emergency-Room Visit, WE PAID ONLY 559 EUROS, WHICH OUR Insurance Company reimbured us for immediately-100%.
We believe that a simillar situation in the US WOULD’VE COST US THOUSANDS.
The Local Lifestyle and Mediterranean Diet have Also Won US Over
Malta Has Mary Markets with Fresh Produce and Other Wares. Oleg Kovtun/Getty Images
We enjoyed a lot of great food in california, but we can have affrford to follow a farterior mediterranean diet in Gozo.
We Prioritize Eating Lots of Fresh Fish and Produce, Plus Fewer Processing Meats. SINCE WE CAN GET A LOT OF LOCAL FOOD FOR A FAIRLY REASONABLE COST, ITS POSSIBLE FOR US TO EAT EVERY MEAL.
At the wednesday Street markets in our village, we purchasen fruit and vegetables that were harvested that day. The Village Butcher Sells Locally Raised Meats Free of Hormones and Added Chemicals.
The Fishmmonger’s Seafood is Seasonally HARVESTED, SOURCED FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL WATERS. Plus, The Local Bakery’s Famed Maltese Bread and Traditional Maltese Pastries Are Impossible to Resist.
Here’s Better, Market Visits Like This and Stops at Our Village Square for Coffee and Conversation Keep US Connected to the Community. It ‘s all of Gozo’s Wonderfull Slow-Paced Lifestyle.
LIVING IN GOZO HAS EASE MADE OUR RETERIENT DREAMS OF TRAVEL A reality
The Ease of Travel is Just One of the Mary Ways the Quality of Our Lives Has Vastly Improved. Mary Charlebois and Kevin Scanlon
In California, it was expensive and time-consuming to travel to our Dream Destinations ABROAD. Living here, we’ve got closer, cheer, and easier access to many incredible places.
Though it Feels Remote, Malta is an archipelago in the middle of the mediterranean sea that is fairly ideally situated between Europe, Asia, the middle east, and africa.
We’ve been able to use some of the Money We’ve Saved by Living to Travel, Which We’d Always Dreamed of During Our Retirement.
All in all, Since Our Move, we have fal like we’re in better physical and mental shape. We travel all we want. We are happy. We are Living the Dream.