exile1
LE
As we get older our priorities usually change. Health provision, security, ease of transportation and being able to fund a life style better than when living in the UK. To that mind, having experienced life in all four corners of the world and having been retired abroad for 19 years (8 in Spain), I would view Hungary as a good choice for many reasons.
If below retirement age you can buy into their health service for around £20 a month. If retired and you take up residence then the NHS is free and includes free dentistry as well. The NHS is comparable with UK but more importantly, timely. I stepped on a rusty nail recently, phoned my GP who said go to A&E. Drove to the town hospital, was seen by a Doctor, tetanus jab and out the door in 15 minutes. Yesterday I phoned the village dentist and told him a loose, amalgam filled molar was playing up. Come down now he said as I'm going on holiday tomorrow. 5 mins to his surgery, straight into the chair, injection, wait 10 and examination of remaining pegs, then extraction and out the door. I can't imagine being able to phone your doc or dentist in the UK. Hospital food is dire and you have to take your own kfs and toilet rolls but the treatment very good with modern equipment and the money is spent at the front end.
Most if not all villages have a GP, Dentist, Post Office, Pubs, Restaurants and shops.
Public transport is cheap and free for pensioners. Any train, tube, bus or tram at any time anywhere in the country. Car tax is a local one and in my village is about £30.
Large 4 bed detached house on quarter acre with garage with all mod cons in a decent village around Lake Balaton will cost anything between 50 and 150K depending on condition. My council tax is £60 pa.
Food, booze, fags and eating out is cheap, the motorway connects with the rest of Europe (I can drive to the Chunnel in about 15 hours), It takes me about 5 hours to the Croatian Coast, 2 to Vienna, 7 to Venice.
Children are polite and always speak, it's generally a safe and clean environment with cold but dry winter's and hot summer's. Zero alcohol tolerance driving. The language could be a problem but most professionals speak English and it is taught in school but in everyday life I find that a mix of pointing, a little German, Hungarian and English does the trick.
Around 300 Brits live or have holiday homes in various locations around the western end of lake Balaton.
I hope this gives an insight to life in Central Europe. Feel free to pm me if you have any personal questions.
If below retirement age you can buy into their health service for around £20 a month. If retired and you take up residence then the NHS is free and includes free dentistry as well. The NHS is comparable with UK but more importantly, timely. I stepped on a rusty nail recently, phoned my GP who said go to A&E. Drove to the town hospital, was seen by a Doctor, tetanus jab and out the door in 15 minutes. Yesterday I phoned the village dentist and told him a loose, amalgam filled molar was playing up. Come down now he said as I'm going on holiday tomorrow. 5 mins to his surgery, straight into the chair, injection, wait 10 and examination of remaining pegs, then extraction and out the door. I can't imagine being able to phone your doc or dentist in the UK. Hospital food is dire and you have to take your own kfs and toilet rolls but the treatment very good with modern equipment and the money is spent at the front end.
Most if not all villages have a GP, Dentist, Post Office, Pubs, Restaurants and shops.
Public transport is cheap and free for pensioners. Any train, tube, bus or tram at any time anywhere in the country. Car tax is a local one and in my village is about £30.
Large 4 bed detached house on quarter acre with garage with all mod cons in a decent village around Lake Balaton will cost anything between 50 and 150K depending on condition. My council tax is £60 pa.
Food, booze, fags and eating out is cheap, the motorway connects with the rest of Europe (I can drive to the Chunnel in about 15 hours), It takes me about 5 hours to the Croatian Coast, 2 to Vienna, 7 to Venice.
Children are polite and always speak, it's generally a safe and clean environment with cold but dry winter's and hot summer's. Zero alcohol tolerance driving. The language could be a problem but most professionals speak English and it is taught in school but in everyday life I find that a mix of pointing, a little German, Hungarian and English does the trick.
Around 300 Brits live or have holiday homes in various locations around the western end of lake Balaton.
I hope this gives an insight to life in Central Europe. Feel free to pm me if you have any personal questions.