Retiring In Sicily Vs Texas: Weighing the Pros and Cons

Are you dreaming of retiring in Sicily, Italy? We dive deep into the allure of Sicily versus the charm of Texas as your potential retirement haven and explore the pros and cons.

Is a slow-paced, culturally rich lifestyle surrounded by stunning Mediterranean scenery your ideal retirement? Sicily, with its unique blend of historic towns, delicious food, and affordable living, offers a retirement experience like no other. The allure of this Italian island is undeniable, drawing many to its rich cultural experiences.

But what about Texas? Known for its vibrant cities, wide-open spaces, and strong economy, it offers a retirement experience filled with diverse cultural experiences. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of both locations, helping you decide which one aligns better with your retirement goals.

We cover everything from the cost of living and healthcare to climate and cultural fit in this video and also this one:  See Video.

This video help you gain a clear understanding of whether Sicily’s laid-back charm or Texas’s dynamic energy is the perfect match for your golden years. So, are you ready to explore your retirement options? Let’s get started!

Transcript:

Thank you for joining us as we take on the challenge of explaining why we chose to retire in Sicily over Texas.

Make sure you stay to the end because we’re going to share our biggest con, what we think is the biggest negative of living in Sicily, but we’ve turned it into a positive, so we’re excited to share that.

We’ve been blessed to live in both places. Texas and Sicily are very similar in size, in rich history, and a very strong sense of community.

But it’s not just about finding a place to rest your feet. It’s about finding a place that will nourish your soul.

High On The List

The first thing to think about is the cost of living. Yes, absolutely. Heading into retirement, if you are not as prepared as you would like, Sicily is a wonderful place that you can live on a very modest budget.

For example, we can live on Croce’s Social Security alone and have extra to spare each month. We took our living expenses from Texas and Sicily and did a side-by-side comparison, which we want to share with you now.

Housing and rent is 60 percent cheaper in Sicily.

Food is 57 percent cheaper.

Now, there are two categories that are either the same or a little bit higher, more expensive.

Electric is, by itself, 32 percent cheaper in Sicily over Texas.

However, when you factor in natural gas, the gas that we use over there, it kind of cancels that 32 percent out. So electric is neutral, the same. Car insurance is 3 percent more expensive in Sicily.

But water, sewer, 100 percent cheaper because a lot of places have well water, and we don’t pay anything. Garbage is 100 percent cheaper. Internet is 66 percent cheaper in Sicily. 

The medical and dental is 96 percent cheaper. Cell phone is 84, 84 percent cheaper in Sicily over Texas. And eating out, I didn’t calculate that because we just do a whole lot more of it in Sicily.

Gas or diesel is 30 percent cheaper in Sicily. So those are the rounded numbers.

We did a video where we broke down our personal expenses for living in Sicily, and I’ll link that below so you can check it out.

Lifestyle

Another crucial aspect to consider is lifestyle. And Sicily offers the perfect mix of relaxation and cultural experience. Between the beautiful beaches and the ancient ruins, there’s always something to learn and explore.

We have not uncovered even half of what we’d like to see in Sicily. The quality of life is so different. This is where Sicily shines.

The pace of life is a lot slower and people take time to really enjoy getting to know their neighbor, spending time with family and friends.

And it’s wonderful because I think people work so that they can live, they don’t live to work. So that’s the biggest difference. It’s a wonderful place to slow down, unwind, and savor life.

Croce’s Top Reason

When we were writing down the reasons we chose to retire in Sicily and not Texas, what was your first answer, Croce? Oh yeah, I would say the weather. Yes, he said the weather and then he said the cost of living. 

So that’s how important the weather is. Sunshine does something for your soul. It is so wonderful to feel the sun beating on you. 

Climate is a big deal in mental health, in a lot of things. And even though they’re a little bit similar, Texas and Sicily have a little bit similar climate, Texas can be brutally hot in the summer and Sicily can be hot as well. But you get those breezes from the sea and Texas is landlocked, and it makes such a big difference.

Sicily is great for retirees because if you want to stay active, you know, walking, biking, or just leisurely strolling, you can always find a beautiful place to do just that.

Culture

The next reason is the culture. I grew up in Sicily.

My family and I would really enjoy the festivals and the holidays. I can imagine what that was like. From the vibrant festivals to the history, there’s always something to explore, learn, and celebrate.

And let’s not forget the food. Sicilian cuisine is a fusion of Mediterranean flavors with African, Greek, and Italian influences. It’s a foodie’s paradise for sure.

Healthcare

Next up is healthcare. And when it comes to healthcare, Sicily has some of the very best medical facilities in Italy with modern hospitals and highly trained medical staff.

I have personally experienced the medical system as far as doctors and dentists. I’ve had very positive experiences, and we will share the link for the video where I talk about that.

And did you know that Italy has one of the best health care systems in the world? It’s a big relief knowing that you’re taken care of no matter what life throws at you. Heading into retirement, it’s such a blessing knowing that we are going to be taken care of now.

This health care system is for all Italian citizens and legal foreign residents. The World Health Organization has ranked the Italian health care system among the best in the world after the French health care system. And Italians enjoy the seventh highest life expectancy in the world. 

Community

One of the things that really sealed the deal with us with choosing Sicily to retire is the sense of community. The people are so warm and friendly, and it’s very easy to make friends. We’re very close to Croce’s brother, his cousins, and friends. 

He has a sister in Calabria which is very close. She comes to visit, and we go over there. So it is just a wonderful sense of community and people spend more time together. 

They just do. It’s a completely different style of life where it’s slower paced and people really take time to talk to one another.

Biggest Con

Now for the biggest con or so we thought. 

Of course, the biggest con of retiring in Sicily instead of Texas is that we will miss our three adult kids and our grandkids who live here in this state. It is a huge negative.

Heritage

However, we are really looking forward to the chance to go back and get settled in and then have a wonderful place for them to visit. To experience your place of birth where you grew up, your heritage and get to know your family more. And so we are looking forward to the positive aspect of having a wonderful place that our adult kids and their families can visit.

Of course, there’s technology. Everybody says you know video chat and all is good enough. Well, it’s not. It’s not quite good enough when you’re missing a grandchild’s birthday.

But all in all, the pros outweigh the cons.

A side note is that we see more of Croce’s family in Carini, Sicily than we ever did in the United States because that’s their birthplace. Their family’s birthplace.

They’re all from there. So they work hard in the U.S., and they go back to Sicily on vacation. So it was so much fun to see a lot of your family in Sicily and have them over for dinner and so on. More than we did in the United States. So that’s a really cool thing.

Our Recommendation

In summary, Sicily offers the perfect blend of affordability, lifestyle, quality of life, and community.  It’s a place where you can truly live life to the fullest surrounded by history, warmth, and beauty.

Perfect Peace

We prayed about it for over six months, and we have a peace that retiring in Sicily is exactly what we need to do. Croce is preparing to retire, but I will continue with my work.

Whether a permanent retirement or just for several years, we will be able to enjoy this beautiful country and culture while we have our good health.

Millions Of Dollars

A lot of these so-called experts say that you have to have millions of dollars saved for retirement.

Well, we’re here to tell you that’s really not the case. You can live very comfortably and affordably in Sicily. If you’re considering retiring there, we highly recommend it.

In the next video you can check out our personal breakdown of our finances where we go into every single thing that we had to pay for living in Sicily.

Thanks for watching and see you in the next video. Ciao.