Some people decide to retire to another country as a way to get a lower cost of living and or for the "charm". Of course others often take work assignments paid for by their employers. In either case, there are some things to consider. Clearly, there are cultural and many times language differences between countries. And for Americans that are used to having everything at their finger tips and many services available to them when needed, living in another country can be very frustrating.
While foods are available in every major country in the world, there may not be the selection that is typical in an American grocery store. And, the prices for food could be higher in many countries in the world than is common in the US. And, then there are services. There is enough competition in the US that when we need to buy services, we can usually get things done pretty quickly. That is not always true in other countries.
However, the most important issue is medical services. Medicare coverage does not apply outside the United States. So retired people would have to come back to the United States to access non emergency medical care. But if something happens in country and travel is impossible, there could be a huge problem. Certainly, living or working in a country with substandard medical care could be life threatening. And, since you would not be a citizen of that country, it may be necessary to buy additional medical insurance to provide for coverage and or medical evacuation. If on a global assignment companies usually provide benefits necessary to deal with medical issues. Those just moving to another country would be on the own. There are lots of things to consider before moving to another country and or taking a global assignment. Make sure you check all the boxes.
