Cost of Living
We find the cost of living less than where we lived in the U.S.
Transportation
We purchased a new Ford Ranger (4×4 pickup) from the local Ford dealer and we love it. The roads are windy, but are well maintained.
Food
Fresh fish, fruit and vegetable markets are in close proximity and provide our daily staples. We have small and large grocery stores at our disposal for the rest of what we need.
Safety/Security
Other than in certain areas of the largest city (Point-a-Pitre), Guadeloupe is reportedly one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. People still leave their homes unlocked and their windows open.
Quality of Life
We read that the French islands in the Caribbean have the highest quality of life of all the islands in the Caribbean and we believe it. The streets are great, the food is outstanding and the people are kind, warm and welcoming.
Weather
Well, it’s the tropics. Warmest in May and June, windier during “hurricane” season in September and October, and cooler in the high season (November through April).
Things to Do
Guadeloupe offers a wide range of activities from boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, beaches, restaurants, hiking around the volcano, island hopping, shopping, and relaxing.
People
The people of Guadeloupe are warm and friendly. We were welcomed with open arms and have formed lasting friendships.
Guadeloupe has exceeded all of our expectations and we hope more travelers consider the island for vacation or retirement.
July 24, 2017 at 7:16 pm
thanks for the nice blog. I speak French and I’m single and have thought of retiring in the Caribbean on a French Island I have been considering this island and also Martinique but I am somewhat worried of feeling like the only American or Westerner around amongst natives . how does that play out?
September 23, 2017 at 10:44 am
Hi Daniel, There will be no issues here. The locals and expats (mostly from mainland France) are warm and welcoming. We have been treated with nothing but kindness.
November 7, 2017 at 5:12 pm
Great information! There’s just one thing I’m a little bit concerned about since it seems like a very remotely situated island. Is that be a safe place for a single lady to live in as a retiree? Also, even though I’m active and healthy, I still want to be assured that there are good medical providers I could go to when I need it. Are there?
June 19, 2018 at 7:58 pm
My Wife and I only speak English, will that be a problem? We would like to buy a home and retire there how is the pricing for real estate
June 20, 2018 at 10:17 am
Hello, to Marisa’s comment, the islands here are very safe other than certain areas in Les Abymes and we have many friends living here who are single women. Healthcare is amazing here and relatively inexpensive (coming from the states). To Curt, the home prices in Guadeloupe are surprisingly more affordable than many other islands especially in light of the benefits provided here – safe, great healthcare, some of the best roads in all of the Caribbean, friendly people and great food. We looked at homes on a number of other islands (including St Martin, St Thomas, St John and Tortola) and nothing like our home even existed – the prices were double for homes without character or sea views and in need of repairs. I believe it will be a problem if neither of you speak French, so I would learn some. My husband didn’t speak French when we arrived, but I did. The notaire hired an interpreter for the signing of the home contract. We are happy to talk more about it if you want to contact us. Our email and tel can be found at http://www.jambopress.com. Thx!
December 28, 2018 at 12:55 am
Good afternoon,
I hope you guys and your daughter had a wonderful Christmas. My husband and I are researching Guadeloupe for relocating with our eight year son. However we have questions regarding the school system for Autistic children? We would be most grateful for helpful insight regarding the situation. Thanks in advance for assistance in the matter. Have an amazingly productive day.
Warmest regards,
Pamala
pc@pamalacharles.com
April 5, 2019 at 4:53 am
I am looking for a nice peaceful place to retire. Love to move here to Guadeloupe. Can you tell me what is the prices of 2-3 bedrooms home costs? Do they let us citizens buy a home there?
Thank you so much
Benja
April 17, 2019 at 11:41 pm
You stated above: “We have a global insurance policy for our family. The annual premium is less than the premium we were paying for U.S. health insurance for one month. ” I am single male 53 and when I priced global insurance one of the lowest rates I received was $891 USD per month. That is so many times more than I pay now for health insurance with $0 deductible and $1250 USD max out of pocket annually. I pay little to nothing for scripts. Also the price quoted to me for global health was before any medical questions or exams. No disclosure of pre-existing conditions either at this point. I would love to know who you get your global coverage from please.