By Bonnie Hayman
"Where
else could we find this life?" says expat Monica Sedgwick of the one
she and her husband James have created in Nicaragua. "We're living in
paradise, paying $200 a month for a three-bedroom apartment with a super
view of the bay."
Stroll
through Monica's beach town, and you'll see colorful buildings of all
different sizes flanking the ocean. They house surf shops, bakeries,
beach clothing stores, hotels, and hostels, from basic to top-dollar.
Buy hand-made jewelry from artists from every continent. Kick your shoes
off and put your toes in the sand, enjoying an ice-cold beer while you
lounge in a blue-and-white striped beach chair in front of beach
restaurant El Timón. Take a swim in the beautiful bay; watch the
multi-colored sunset.
This
little town radiates quirkiness—in a good way. You may see tee-shirted
Kathy walking her eight dogs with a parrot on her shoulder. Or you may
run into BJ twirling on a dance floor at night, in one of her glittery
costumes. And then there are the rest of us—expats from all over the
world, around 1,500 or so, who say they wouldn't live anywhere else.
With
a year-round hot climate (about 85 F on average) and gentle sea
breezes, no sleeves or long pants needed. Here you can live your life in
shorts and flip-flops. Before you know it, you'll be hard-pressed to
find appropriate clothes in your closet when you go home to visit.
It
won't cost you much to live in this funky town. A couple on a budget
can find a one-bedroom furnished apartment with water and WiFi, about a
block from the beach, for about $400 a month. Add to that about $200 a
month for food—and fresh, unprocessed food at that. If you like
eating out and entertaining, put a bit more into the budget. You don't
need a car, and that will save you the cost of gas and maintenance. All
told, a budget of $1,500 a month for a couple is easily doable.
You
can be busy here all day or do nothing but sit by your pool, dine and
drink with friends, and enjoy live music at night. It's a good place to
eat, too. The town has over 50 restaurants for you to choose from. Think
bratwurst and sauerkraut, lasagna, Mediterranean salads, raw-food
pizzas, veggie wraps, sushi, fish tacos, fresh-caught fish dishes...most
anything you want, usually for under $10. Duck into one of the souvenir
shops and negotiate your price for hand-made local ceramics and
brightly colored hammocks.
As
the sun goes down, this beach town transforms into a cool night party.
Lights, music, and laughter pour out of the many bars and restaurants,
which cater to all tastes. Have a sedate and elegant evening on Friday
nights at Pelican Eyes, the town's resident "fancy hotel," and listen to
James sing smooth jazz while you sip cocktails in the infinity pool
overlooking the ocean.
You
won't lack options in the later hours, either; several bars by the
beach street offer different types of entertainment until 2 a.m. Reggae,
blues, rock ‘n' roll, salsa, merengue—it's all there.
You choose the exact lifestyle you want here. No traffic jams, no stress, no financial worries. What more could you want?
