RickS Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 Of the top five southern cities to retire in for less than $1,500 and COL 25% below the US average, one publication specifically called out the town of Brownsville, Texas, as its top pick. McAllen, Texas, just up the street is in second place thanks to its cost of living being 24 percent lower than the national average. “With a zoo, state and historical parks, and wildlife refuges, Brownsville offers a happening retirement period for nature enthusiasts,” the website explained of the town located on the western Gulf Coast. “The cherry on top is the cost of living – 25% lower than the national average – that leaves senior citizens with a spending budget for the nicer things in life.” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 These stories need to be taken with a grain of salt. Most of these stories and studies are done remotely and the author(s) have never visited the city. Average rent includes substandard, and government subsidized housing in the figures thus a city with a lot of lower income people would have a lot more lower cost apartments. Yes the "nice" apartments would less because of market conditions. Even some stories suggest groceries are less (doubtful) Would love to see what $1500 a month breaks down to in Brownsville, Tx..... "To live comfortably in Brownsville, Texas, a minimum annual income $28,800 for a single person is recommended." says another website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 I don't see many expats moving from lakeside to Brownsville because then they would have to learn Spanish. 🤣 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldWEB Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 Also, what area to rent in is a factor. Note there are no 'green' areas in the link, 'cept the airport. https://crimegrade.org/safest-places-in-brownsville-tx/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 I live between those two towns. This time of the year it’s very pleasant to live here. Summers, though, are hot and humid. Rents went up substantially last 2 years but nothing compared to San Antonio, TX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 20 hours ago, Kiko said: I don't see many expats moving from lakeside to Brownsville because then they would have to learn Spanish. 🤣 True Dat! Actually, here in the Rio Grande Valley a large proportion of the residents speak both Spanish and English. The first language is almost always Spanish but their English is usually better than your Spanish so you end up speaking English. Frustrating after living in Mexico where your Spanish is better than their English so you get to practice your Spanish. Some, obviously, don't speak any English and then knowing Spanish is a big advantage, especially over the Winter Texans that are baffled over Hola. Spanish is surely the predominant language you hear people speaking in almost any store you go into. We live in Alamo which is closer to McAllen than Brownsville. Our subdivision is Alamo Country Club, which has 524 homes around a 9 hole golf course. Consistently voted best 55+ community in the Valley. There are about 80% stick built homes and the rest MH but no more mobiles are allowed even if your home would burn down. We are in a MH of about 1300 sq. ft. which would sell for about 115 K if we put it for sale. Many people here walk across the bridge to Progreso for dental work and generic prescriptions along with hair care, pedicures, etc. We all have golf carts to get around the subdivision and our HOA fee is $190/Mo. which includes golf, pool, etc. and best of all 24 hour security at the gate. In almost 5 years here I have never heard of any crime whatsoever. Alamo is starting to grow just as the whole Valley itself is. COL is definitely lower than the Houston area with food probably about the same but housing still lower. Our property tax is just under $900/Yr. with the Homestead exemption. Those who remember RV Gringo on this board may know they lived here for a while before returning to Yuma where he passed. Our Medicare Advantage plan prevents us from seeking medical care in Mexico and thus we needed to get back to the US but we only made it about 10 miles inside the border. We love being in Hidalgo County which is 87% Hispanic. If anyone else finds a need to get inside the US for any reason I would suggest Googling this area. Traffic is nothing like Guadalajara or even Lakeside for that matter. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usvetsinmexico Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 4 hours ago, pappysmarket said: True Dat! Actually, here in the Rio Grande Valley a large proportion of the residents speak both Spanish and English. The first language is almost always Spanish but their English is usually better than your Spanish so you end up speaking English. Frustrating after living in Mexico where your Spanish is better than their English so you get to practice your Spanish. Some, obviously, don't speak any English and then knowing Spanish is a big advantage, especially over the Winter Texans that are baffled over Hola. Spanish is surely the predominant language you hear people speaking in almost any store you go into. We live in Alamo which is closer to McAllen than Brownsville. Our subdivision is Alamo Country Club, which has 524 homes around a 9 hole golf course. Consistently voted best 55+ community in the Valley. There are about 80% stick built homes and the rest MH but no more mobiles are allowed even if your home would burn down. We are in a MH of about 1300 sq. ft. which would sell for about 115 K if we put it for sale. Many people here walk across the bridge to Progreso for dental work and generic prescriptions along with hair care, pedicures, etc. We all have golf carts to get around the subdivision and our HOA fee is $190/Mo. which includes golf, pool, etc. and best of all 24 hour security at the gate. In almost 5 years here I have never heard of any crime whatsoever. Alamo is starting to grow just as the whole Valley itself is. COL is definitely lower than the Houston area with food probably about the same but housing still lower. Our property tax is just under $900/Yr. with the Homestead exemption. Those who remember RV Gringo on this board may know they lived here for a while before returning to Yuma where he passed. Our Medicare Advantage plan prevents us from seeking medical care in Mexico and thus we needed to get back to the US but we only made it about 10 miles inside the border. We love being in Hidalgo County which is 87% Hispanic. If anyone else finds a need to get inside the US for any reason I would suggest Googling this area. Traffic is nothing like Guadalajara or even Lakeside for that matter. Part of the reason we left the usa wad in colorado we had 4 different walmarts with workers who didn't speak english and we talked to a manager and was told that walmart policy allowed that. Was part off the long list of usa problems that led us to sell our beloved betty our 40' CC diesel pusher and move here. Might as well get the lower prices with no english... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 I have been to Walmarts all over the US and have never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. Fact checking you is getting to be a chore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usvetsinmexico Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 1 hour ago, Jreboll said: I have been to Walmarts all over the US and have never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. Fact checking you is getting to be a chore. Lol fact check like the liberal you are it still happened. Wow the size of your head must be enormous with how much you think of yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Rvgringo told me that the humidity in the valley was causing him issues with his heart so the move to the Tucson area. He was an interesting guy with a life full of accomplishments but yet humble and down to earth. DEP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 2 hours ago, Jreboll said: I have been to Walmarts all over the US and have never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. Fact checking you is getting to be a chore. There are many Walmarts with Spanish only employees. Laredo is the first example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Here in the Rio Grande Valley most towns have 80+% Hispanics. I’ve never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. I’ve been to Laredo, lived in Houston and San Antonio and have never seen an employee that didn’t know English. most Spanish spoken in Texas is 2nd or 3rd generation Spanish. Spanish passed on and not learned in a formal setting. You can distinguish a native Mexican from a Mexican American. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibarra Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 In Laredo many people don't speak English. Try getting help in English at Macy's at Mall del Norte. I use cabs on a regular basis there, usually speak Spanish to the drivers. We lived in San Carlos, Sonora for many years and went to Nogales, Arizona regularly. More English there than Laredo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 I think it is factual to state that some walmarts have some employees who speak only spanish, some walmarts have some employees that speak only english and some walmarts have employees who are bi-lingual but few walmarts in the USA are 100% mono lingual.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 7 minutes ago, Jreboll said: Here in the Rio Grande Valley most towns have 80+% Hispanics. I’ve never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. I’ve been to Laredo, lived in Houston and San Antonio and have never seen an employee that didn’t know English. The average Walmart has 300-400 employees. I am sure you spoke to all of them in Laredo, Houston, and San Antonio. Totally illogical to think your not seeing one is proof they do not exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Read the original comments. He went to 4, count them, 4 different Walmarts. I’m sure you’ve had the same experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEWMtnMama Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 He left Colorado because he couldn't shop at a Wal-Mart? I don't know because Boulder didn't have Wal-Mart. I can't imagine moving to Texas. My Dad used to say "I was born in Texas but when I turned 4 I got smart and moved the family to Kansas." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voir dire Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Walmart 2972 Iris Ave Boulder, CO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted February 18 Report Share Posted February 18 24 minutes ago, NEWMtnMama said: He left Colorado because he couldn't shop at a Wal-Mart? I don't know because Boulder didn't have Wal-Mart. I can't imagine moving to Texas. My Dad used to say "I was born in Texas but when I turned 4 I got smart and moved the family to Kansas." I got out of Tamaulipas before the narcos got there. I tiptoe when I’m passing through there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usvetsinmexico Posted February 18 Report Share Posted February 18 Living in a RV you stay in walmart parking lots at times when you are driving from one destination to another. Get supplies and stay overnight then leave very common for full time RV owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEWMtnMama Posted February 18 Report Share Posted February 18 3 hours ago, Voir dire said: Walmart 2972 Iris Ave Boulder, CO Interesting. For many years while I was there Boulder refused to allow Wal-Mart in the city limits for a variety of reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibarra Posted February 18 Report Share Posted February 18 10 hours ago, NEWMtnMama said: Interesting. For many years while I was there Boulder refused to allow Wal-Mart in the city limits for a variety of reasons. According to several articles, there have been many protests. It appears to have opened in 2013. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 (edited) On 2/17/2024 at 4:07 PM, Kiko said: Rvgringo told me that the humidity in the valley was causing him issues with his heart so the move to the Tucson area. He was an interesting guy with a life full of accomplishments but yet humble and down to earth. DEP Wow, did he ever have stories to tell. Quit his good job with Eastman-Kodak and sailed the Pacific with his family for several years. Truly a humble man. Yes, people here do complain about the humidity and surely it must be higher than in Tucson but after 10 years living in PV we assure the locals "You ain't seen nothin". Lol Edited February 19 by pappysmarket Spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 On 2/17/2024 at 4:42 PM, Jreboll said: Here in the Rio Grande Valley most towns have 80+% Hispanics. I’ve never seen an employee that doesn’t know English. I’ve been to Laredo, lived in Houston and San Antonio and have never seen an employee that didn’t know English. most Spanish spoken in Texas is 2nd or 3rd generation Spanish. Spanish passed on and not learned in a formal setting. You can distinguish a native Mexican from a Mexican American. For sure, some of the uh, not so nice, "expressions" I learned in Mexico are not known here. If I want to let one of the locals know I know a little Spanish I ask them if they know the expression Saludca. "Saludca???" "Yeah, Salud Cabxxn". 3 second pause and huge laughter. That one hasn't made it to The Valley yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 On 2/17/2024 at 9:03 PM, NEWMtnMama said: Interesting. For many years while I was there Boulder refused to allow Wal-Mart in the city limits for a variety of reasons. Yeah, mainly snobbery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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