What I think is seriously overlooked is quality of medical services, detection, equipment, skills, treatment options and hospitals. One of the posters mentioned, he'd want to retire to Bulgaria. The older you get, the more problems will affect you (you can mitigate against them, but are you now, or preferably, have been for years strictly avoiding smoking, alcohol, bad foods, eating well-balanced foods, exercising regularly?). Still, some ailments will catch up with you.
Living in Eastern Europe is all good, until shit hits the fan. Whereas EU (tries to?) enforces standards in all EU countries (as much as possible), Ukraine is
not in the EU. Don't expect much, when you really need it and your life is in danger. People here are overly optimistic about moving to Kiev and living happily ever after. My mate from U.S. been living in Poland, where living standards are higher than in Ukraine (ask the over 1 million of Ukrainians in Poland who voted with their feet), and he has given up (despite having a Polish wife) and plans to return to UK (he has dual nationality) this year. There are many reasons behind it, including but not limited to is not speaking the language, the mentality of Poles, the red tape, limited and comparatively lower quality of medical services and he ain't in his thirties any more.
Sure, you can travel for some treatments back to UK or U.S. (cheap it ain't to flight back anyway) but if it's an emergency, you'll have to rely on medics, skills, equipment and procedures from 20-40 years ago (comparing to what you can get in UK, Germany, France, U.S.). I know what I'm talking about from first hand experience, and friends' experiences. When the shit truly hits the fan, you will really, really wish you weren't back home. And we're talking about Eastern EU country, not a backwater Ukraine. And if this fractured bone in your leg is set up badly, it won't look pretty to lame or use crutches for the rest of your life (like a cute Polish girl that I know or a friend's dad who's wrist has a seriously limited movement). Some treatments available, for example, in Poland will be from 60s-70s, comparatively to what you can have in the UK/U.S. Think again about moving permanently to Ukraine or Bulgaria cause you may curse the decision one day.
You'll say it's a bad and improbably scenario (no, it isn't) but the dream of retiring in Eastern Europe may bear a severe price to pay. Price not worth paying.
Give it a quick read:
Ukraine health care system
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