Dry Climate for retirement?

Question

I am reaching retirement and am looking for the perfect climate for me. I do very well in dry climate. So I am looking for a place any were in the world that had a dry but not dreadfully hot yearround tempature.. I did very well in the UAE but there are 3 or so months that are to hot and hunmid. I live in Southern California and it is to expensive to retire here for me. I do not want to live in 2 places. So where in the world is there a constant pleasant 80 to 100 degree dry climate.

Answer 1

How about Phoenix Arizona - it gets slightly cooler and warmer, but nice year-round

Answer 2

I too am from Cali.

I think something comparable to Cali. but even more temperate would be the following (80 to 100 degrees):

Hawaii
Baja California - Central or Southern Baja
Mazatlan, Mexico
Arizona - southern
Texas Beaches (so I've heard)
Southern Spain, Costa Del Sol (beautiful)
Southern France
Shoot - All the northern countries that border the Mediterranean...
Someone mentioned Greece, I've heard good too
I'v also heard good things about the slavic nations lately - they say GREAT deals for retirement - beautiful seaside villages and aamazing prices...
Then you have the South Pacific and places like Australia. Check the weather channel's for year round temps and humidity... Anything closer to the equator - but not too close - due to the extreme heat or humidity.
Really check the year round weather - some people mentioned Southern South America - but my family is from there - and has seasons like the East Coast... not so much as Brazil and the other Northern South American countries though... and those are closer to the equator...

A lot of people mentioned Phoenix, which I think is terribly hot during the summer - waaaay past 100 degrees - it's stifling...at least for a Cali girl.

I mean, if you are going to put up with that sort of heat - really, Palm Desert has some AMAZING retirement communities where you will experience hot-damn weather only three months out of the year (typically late July, Aug, Sept, early Oct.)... check out NOW - because they are still selling development phases, but the resorts are mostly developed so you can see what you get!! We have two homes at Del Webb's "Sun City" and my uncle has one in "Trilogy". These resorts are unparalleled for what they offer and the prices of the homes! And you are still driving distance to SoCal. You need to be 55-plus or you can put in a parent's name in the meantime...

It's the second largest retirement community - and will soon surpass southern Florida... amazing.

Answer 3

There are a lot of place in the world that would fit the bill in climate. But, you are entering retirement age I would think you would consider a lot more then just the climate in your consideration of where to move to.
I'm from a diplomat family so lived in many countries growing up. The places I loved when I was young I couldn't even consider living there today.
If you can't afford to retire in SoCa. you have a problem. The more stable places with good health care and a quality of living is a lot more expensive the SoCa. Those issues you better think hard about at your age.
There is no utopia in the world especially in today world climate of unrest. We don't even enjoy traveling out of the countries as much ( pain in the rear to fly anymore) but we been there did that and glad we did.
We bought an RV and travel between three states we live in and be can pick the best time to be there when we take time off. We have met many couples who RV full time and love it. Maybe that is something to consider.
GIad we were lucky to have made plans a long time ago.
I don't think I would like being in your position today. But, with some good research you just might find that perfect place.
Best of luck.

Answer 4

You have a tough predicament. You can't afford to live in the United States, yet the best, most pleasant places to retire are here. You really can't get better than Arizona or Nevada for a warm climate. I live in Southern California myself, and I don't think I would turn anyplace else other than the two mentioned places for retirement, except in and around my own city of Los Angeles. Living abroad and having a dry climate is going to be difficult unless you plan to move to the Middle East, and I don't think it is very safe out there. Try Texas...I hear the living is very cheap out there (more so than Nevada or Arizona.) New Mexico is also less expensive, but Santa Fe is the nicest, and most expensive in the state.

Answer 5

I currently live in Sierra Vista, AZ. I can not stand the heat and I love it here. It is not hot like the rest of Arizona, it sits right at the base of the mountains and hottest month is July and it only got to 95 degrees this summer which they said was an unusual year. The only down fall is the monsoon season, but I think it is a beautiful time of year. It spans August and the first of Sept. It would be the hottest time of the year except just as it starts to get hot, it rains. The desert is beautiful during monsoon season. It is not like Tuscon or Phoenix, it does not ever get above 100 degrees and the winter is very mild. It is going to be 72 today and sunny. Good luck finding the perfect place

Answer 6

Sarah - your post on the A & NZ patch suggests you are thinking of this continent. Your problem is that a constant 80 to 100F implies an oceanic climate, or at least a seaboard one. That of course means humidity.

I could suggest the region south and west of Sydney, Australia. In the elevated areas truly hot weather rarely lasts more than a few days. I'm in the national capital and I have seen both snow and 40C which is above 100F but not on the same day.

Possibilities include Bowral, Moss Vale, Berrima. Bowral is expensive by Australian standards but probably cheap compared to Southern California. Within a couple of hours drive of Sydney and up the hill from coastal towns like Kiama.

In Queensland look at Mapleton/Maleney which is within a few hours drive of Brisbane and close to the beach resorts on the "Sunshine Coast" eg Alexandra Headlands, Noosa and Mooloolaba.

Another possibility is Armidale in northern NSW which can be cold in July. It's a university town and the centre of a sheep and cattle raising area.

Check with the Australian consul, there's one in LA,

2049 CENTURY PARK UN., E, FLOOR 19TH, 90067.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Answer 7

STOP, and THINK!

It's not just the dry climate. It's safety, crime rate, and most recommend college/university towns. I believe it's because the allumnae come back spend money, and donate to keep the college/univ. of their choice alive & well.

I suggest you check out:

Where you'll live
If your idea of retirement is expanding your horizons, where better than a college town?
CNN8
http://money.cnn.com/2005/10/10/retirement/bpretire_introduction_0511/index.

1. FL Marco Island 139
2. GA Evans 136
3. CA Rancho Mirage 135
4. WI Oregon 132
5. GA Peachtree City 132
6. AZ Fountain Hills 131
7. WI Verona 131
8. CT Southbury 130
9. MN Chanhassen 129
10. IA Bettendorf 127
Note: Golf activity index based on marketing survey information.
Source: OnBoard
Based on data for more than 1,300 places in the Best Places database. Included are cities with population of more than 14,000 with above-average income, population growth and real estate appreciation during the past five years.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/08/retirement/bestplaces_retirementguide_fortune/index.htm

Answer 8

Try somewhere in New Mexico. I live in Albuquerque and we sometimes have wet winters but if you can handle 2 inches of snow every now and then then thats fine. In the summer it is usually 90 something degrees and NO humidity. It rains but only off and on and sometimes we go a couple months without rain.

The winters are cold but not that bad. 40 degrees is about the norm unless a storm is passing through. the only thing you have to consider is Northern New Mexico has weather that is like Colorado and Southern is more of what I described. Also, in the early spring and before winter we get really bad wind, but it doesn't last more than a couple weeks.

Answer 9

The Baja desert is a good choice
You have to move closer to the Ecuator.
I'm also thinking Central America because is pretty.
Nicaragua has some nice colonial towns. Granada and Leon.
The weather is a little dry, drier in Leon, but Granada is still nice.
I prefer Granada.

other nice cities in Central and South America are more humid because of the proximity to the ocean and the forrest.
you can also try India or Africa

If you want to stay in California, Temecula is nice year round.
Arizona and New Mexico are too cold in the winter for someone that has lived in southern california.

Answer 10

You may want to visit Colorado. Grand Junction is a huge inexpensive retirement area. Parker near Denver would be a more fashionable choice. We are dry with pleasant year-round temps. We have more golfing days than anywhere else in the United States. We don't get much rain or snow. Our temps are very comfortable. The air temps that you see are much lower than what you feel. Because we are mile-high, the beating sun warms us even in winter. You can be outside year-round because there is a portion of every day that is comfortable unlike Arizona and Florida. You can also maintain a suntan year-round. Typically all you need in the winter is something similar to a sweatshirt.

Answer 11

Anyone who says Arizona or Nevada is NUTS!
I have lived in both during the hot season and the average temperature is 117 degrees. Nice in the fall and winter, but that is it!

We live in Ruidoso New Mexico. Summer temperatures average 80. Sunshine 333 days a year. If it snows in the winter it usually melts within a couple of days. Cold nights and mild days in the winter.

No humidity...no mosquitos...no pesky bugs like fleas and ticks.

We keep talking about moving back to New England until we think of the wind chill factors, humidity, stick hot and bitter cold.

Definately New Mexico....

If you want more desert, Las Cruces does not get as hot as Nev or Ariz
It is warmer year round than Ruidoso.
I am not a desert person because I hate snakes and desert creatures.