In the busy pace of life, the word ‘retirement’ brings the effects of spring into the mood. When you finally retire and move away from the big city’s hustle and bustle to a quieter place, this could be a life-changing experience with its own opportunities and challenges.

But before deciding to move to a smaller and more peaceful city, there are a couple of things that you need to consider.

Start Planning Close To Retirement: Before actually moving out to a smaller city, you must start thinking of moving and share this idea with your family members.

But, when should you seriously start pondering over this?

According to financial planner Kiran Telang, “closer to retirement would be better for more realistic choices.” “Moving too early in life would mean things will be different when you retire, and your plans, likings, and lifestyle would have changed,” she says.

Cost Of Living: The cost of living is much lower in small cities in India compared to the metros where the concentration of jobs has brought about an exorbitant rise in living costs. If you are living on rent in a metro, you can get a similar house in a tier-II or a tier-III city by spending much less. And if you own a house in a big city, renting it can generate income which you can spend on yourself by living in a smaller and less costly city. Later, you can buy a house in the city you live.

The thing to keep in mind, Telang says is that “initially one should get a house on rent to see comfort in a particular area and then buy it.”

Family, Friends, And Social Connection: After retirement, with ample time available, senior citizens crave social connections. Studies say that proximity to friends and family is good for everybody, especially at a later stage in life. So, one must consider whether one’s family can easily visit them, and whether one can go to them too. One can also check for other ways to keep oneself engaged.

Unlike metropolitan cities, smaller cities have stronger social connections, but one needs to find out whether the place one is planning to shift to, has a good number of people of one’s age; otherwise, with younger people all around, one could feel left out.

Medical Care: Healthcare is a prominent aspect to take care of in one’s life. After retirement at the age of 60, it becomes all the way more important. As such, one must note that changing one’s city will mean changing all of your time-tested doctors. Although, in the digital era, consultations are available online through video calls, it is important to remember that in-person consultation is also required occasionally.

Thus, availability and easy accessibility to good hospitals and medical facilities must be kept in the mind. You should also see if you need to go for treatment, and what would be your plan B? It is for both regular check-ups and major illnesses. Based on that you should decide, whether shifting to your hometown or a city in the hills remains a suitable idea for you or not.

Amenities And Other Facilities: One challenge of smaller cities is the amenities they offer. The facilities you have already experienced in the bigger metro cities may reach the smaller towns after 1-2 years or even later. One of these could be the home delivery facility you have been enjoying in the metro for some time which is still not so fast in the smaller cities or not at all available.

Internet, power supply, public transportation including airport, train and road connectivity, and other daily life amenities can drastically differ in the smaller city as compared to the bigger ones, and you must check for them as well.

Climate And Pollution: Extreme cold or hot weather is difficult for everybody, but for senior citizens, it becomes more challenging. You can keep climatic conditions in mind before choosing your preferred city and seeing the viability of whether it will suit you. If pollution bothers you and causes more problems at season change, you can look for a greener city to spend your peaceful years.

Job Opportunities: Generally, people think to retire at 60 years, but if you want to continue working after your retirement somewhere else at an easy pace, with a leisurely lifestyle, you should look for ways to make money. Either by doing a job or engaging in your family business in some way, the smaller city must have something to offer you. One option here could be to work remotely from your preferred choice of home.

Retirement should bring peaceful life, a slow routine, and the freedom to live at your own pace. So, choose a city that matches your pace in life.