I'm a retired American who is also looking for a place to settle. Since I couldn't have afforded Spain or Ireland or even Prague before the dollar tanked, I have been looking at less expensive places. With my limited funds, even they look like they will be a problem over time. While Thailand is dramatically cheaper than the US, the baht is very strong, which combined with the rising dollar for a decline of over 20% since the end of October. Prices have gone up, too.

I'm in Malaysia now, and its currency isn't as strong, though it is still gaining against the dollar. Next I think I'll look at Mexico and Panama. Panama has the advantage of using the dollar, which eliminates the conversion rate concern. It also has a very American infrastructure, is out of the hurricane zone, doesn't have earthquakes, and has an liberal retirement visa.