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MERIDA RATED ONE OF EIGHT GREAT PLACES TO RETIRE ABROAD!

By Donna Fuscaldo July 9,2011
Contributing writer finance.yahoo.com

Merida, Mexico

Population:777,615

Climate:Tropical. Temperatures range from the low 80s to the mid 90s. Risk of hurricanes.

Proximity to major airport:Merida has an international airport with some nonstop flights to the U.S. Mexico City is less than two hours by plane.

Access to health care:There's a slew of quality medical facilities, including the highly regarded Clinica de Merida. Some retirees may qualify for Mexico's low-cost public health insurance program, known as IMSS. Mexico ranks 14th out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care.

Cost of living:Mexico tied for third (with Colombia and Thailand) on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Merida on $1,700 a month.

The draw:City living meets colonial charm. Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, is a world away from Cancun, its touristy cousin across the peninsula. Sitting 22 miles inland, Merida has a European feel, thanks to its Old World architecture and abundant culture. There are opera houses and cathedrals to explore, and foodies rave about the dining scene. There's a growing population of retirees from the U.S., as evidenced by an English-language newspaper and library. Merida has escaped the violence that has plagued Mexico's border towns.