[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Thanks Nono for your sharing...
15 years ago (2004) when I was in my 30s, I was already planning for my future retirement. My major consideration was either Johor Bahru or Batam which was the two closest cities to spore.Finally I have chosen Johor Bahru over Batam as my retirement home. Below are some of the consideration factors in my decision:

Hehehe...i guess everyone is truly different then. One of the key reason why i picked Batam instead of Thailand or JB is becos, lesser people choose the option i did. In a way, Batam is way less crowded,hehehe...

About 12 years ago, my no. 1 choice was China. I even bought 2 apartments there but gradually i find it less feasible,hence i sold it. Long story,hehehe...so i arent going to elaborate here. I didnt make a lost when i changed my mind,hehehe..

Thank you for your sharing those pointers which helps makes you decide to pick JB as a retirement ground. I have no doubts you were right in many ways but not all tho (just like i cannot be right in all ways too). Like i said earlier, everyone is truly different. When i decide to pick Batam, i already considered your pointers and adjusted it in my way to best suit me (yes,i change the environment to suit myself). What suits me will always be the best,likewise for yourself too.

(my new clock to bring to Batam soon)

1. When it comes to cost of living, its really much depending on how much one wish to spend. If i choose to spend less, cost of living can be way lower than in JB but if i choose better living option,it could cost way higher. Try the S$5 living a day challenge and you will have a better understanding when it comes to cost of living. Its more about quality of life versus cost of living and everyone's requirement can be different.

2. As for public transport, in many way, tho this wont be affecting me much when i am in Batam (i will come to why its not going to affect me later as you read the other pointers below) but i still find JB's public transport better, or the least they are more comfortable,efficient and well-organised. When you reach 70s,will you sacrifice a few cents to compromise comfortability on a public transport? i highly doubt so (meaning at that age, you probably dont mind paying a little more for comfort).

3. I have no plans to drive in Batam. Not today (my summaries said so), neither in the near future nor during retirement too. But i cannot dont drive in JB once i retire due to the point to point distance. In Batam, my ideal place of my staying condominiums were almost like my staying place in Singapore, neigbourhood can fulfill almost all my daily necessities. All things (other than medical facilities) were within reach within 20 mins of walking distance (yes, i use the word "All" here, which is a strong word,hehehe..).

Alternatively, for short distance...or within condo's 500m radius (in Batam),can use foldable e-scooter to move around w/o worries of getting into the nerve of the police in Batam or being stolen.

* its only an alternative, as i notice in my previous trips, there are older mane who drive such bikes up the ferries while heading to Batam and they were being treated like some wheel chair.

4. When it comes to infrastructure, it really depends on how one looks at it. JB definitely got the upper hand. They have to becos point A to point B is REALLY far apart hence the people living in johor need to make bulk shopping,hehehe...in Singapore, i sincerely appreciate the covered walkway when i walked from point A to point B. In Batam, once it gets rainy or gets too sunny during the day, walking can be near impossible, if not a hassle.

5. Now, medical facilities is the most interesting part on retirement. While JB may have be able to beat Batam totally hands down when it comes to medical facilities, i devised my own solution, tapping into Singapore medical facilities instead of using Batam's.

- Remember i talk about Batam's hospital? Its not gonna come cheap when it comes to the best in town. I even list out some decent Batam's hospital, but only one were able to have a more complete medical facilities. (i skipped reading the RM$1 hospital bill becos i arent a malaysian,hehehe...)

https://sbf-sg.social/showthread.php?p=...l#post18528795

- Again, remember i talk about being a tourist in Batam which i choose to still be one even if i choose to retire in Batam,hehehe...i will need a fairly good medical TRAVEL insurance,hehehe...which i will come to that on a later time. I have done quite a bit of research on that recently. If anyone remembers, i did talk about having medical helicopter flying me back to Singapore and those insurance covers me the particular portion too. (i need some time to organize those postings)

- What i am trying to work out here today when it comes to medical during my retirement would be, i will be staying in Batam majority of my time but i will still be tapping into Singapore medical facilities (since i am Singaporean). Hence in the event of a real medical emergency, i need to have that capability to "fly" back to Singapore in the shortest possible time (faster than travelling by ferry). Other times, i will just take the ferry,hehehe...counting from the moment i step out of my Singapore home to reach my would-be Batam home, only no more than 2 hours during peak time. But it will take me at least about 3.5 hours for JB during non-peak time and definitely way beyond 3.5 hours during a peak time.

- I do hear/read a handful of sad stories on Indonesian in Indonesia local hospitals too. i need to agree with your point. Situation compared for a Malaysian in Malaysia and Indonesian in Indonesia. Malaysia is definitely better. Hehehe...as for Singaporean in Singapore, while it MAY stand a high chance to save my life, but i might also go bankrupt after that if i dont plan well (hence i try my best to keep myself as healthy as possible).

6. On accessibility between the 2 countries, this is actually the biggest issue for me. No access 24 hours, 7 days a week and how i wish they could actually build a bridge over or do an under ground tunnel,hehehe...but this is rather unlikely. Therefore i need to work out other plans to counter this weakness,which is the insurance and the helicopter travelling. When i added this part of my plan to counter accessibility during an emergency, the cost for my per year spending goes upward.

7. Safety in a city or country really depends on individual. Some would say a certain household have every member in it being robbed, threatened or had their things stolen before. i have had friends who lost his motobike he bought in Batam before too. But do note that i am there as a tourist, i speak as a tourist, and i planed to retire as one. I have never been robbed or had my things stolen in Batam before. For every 1 friend of mine (that stays in Batam) who has been robbed or things stolen, i have yet another 100 of them who didnt. So the statistic isnt really accurate hence i said, it really depends on individual. I cannot have my vehicle stolen when i dont own one.

(there really isnt any right or wrong on this point or even an accurate way to find the correct statistic, so i am only speaking on myself, as an individual)

Whether Batam is safer or JB is safer, really depends on how one looks at it. And i only speak of me and myself. Doesnt mean JB isnt safe and thankfully to the entity up there, i have not had any mishaps so far in both JB and Batam. So both were all safe enough places (for me).

8. Hmm...when it comes to cheonging,both sides do have many options. In fact, i find JB having many more options than Batam,hehehe...or the least i could easily find Thai girls, Vietnamese, PRCs etc and other more exotic races of girls in JB, but those choices in Batam were unlikely there in bigger numbers as compare to JB. Which means, JB has more choices of different types of girls than Batam,hehehe...right?

Price wise may have cost a bit lesser in Batam but well, i am sure if one is from the 1st world countries, they were unlikely to try to save on cents when it comes to dollar versus varieties versus qualities. It still ultimately boils down to what one is looking for. As of today, my priorities are Indonesian girls, hence Batam is heaven,hehehe...

Disclaimers :

When i make all those points above, i wasnt saying what you point out is right or wrong. Its NOT an argument nor comparison between Batam and Johor but more of that i learned of a certain deficiency exist and how i would counter it when i picked Batam by choice.

Other pointers :

The postings/info i shared on retirement in Batam isnt meant to encourage readers to come to Batam to retire,in fact i would like to see Batam has as less retirees from Singapore as possible,hehehe... It would likely lessen out many competition and has a higher chance to keep cost down for a longer period of time (cost of living will always goes upward over time).

When i pick Batam as a retirement ground, i have to work out the odds,seek solution/s for any issue that i might encounter. I grew in this thread with readers watching how i grow. I started as an individual tourist, having not step foot into Batam about 5 years ago (those who miss out knowing me can read back my 40 posts of month to month trip summaries which i wrote, linked on my signature). i grew to like this place i visit which is now heaven to me. I wish to spend my remaining parts of my life in this heaven (while still on earth). Its that simple.

Whatever obstacles that comes in my way,i will try to work out some solution/s. Those who read would know, be it my past trip summaries, be it the info compilation,and in the start of this thread stated, its mostly on me, myself and i. Just like how i compile my apartment-buying information below :

https://sbf-sg.social/showpost.php?p=18...ostcount=13831

I am now working on retiring in Batam and am still doing so. Its an ongoing process and it wouldnt end any time soon. Like 5 over years ago, i took baby steps a time in Batam and those steps has took me this far 5 years later. Retirement isnt about staying at home doing nothing to me but is more about doing something i like to do meaningfully,and hopefully be able to pass on with some dignity when my time comes. (there is actually no perfect place to retire in)

Last but not least,i wish every retirees (and future retirees), be it those in the Philippines, Thailand, JB or Batam...i wish they can all be able to have a fruitful life before their respective Big Guy "up there" called for them to "return".

Enjoy your time...wherever you are.

Cheers!

* please avoid quoting the whole post if anyone is replying to it, thank you.