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With spiraling costs compelling more and more North Americans to retire overseas,
retiring abroad has never been more attractive. That being said, finding the right location among the myriad options available can be daunting, and that’s what our Annual Global Retirement Index does. Below is a list of the 10 best bang-for-your buck retirement destinations on the planet.
By International Living (internationalliving.com). Original title* of The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2015 with the abbreviated commentary on each country provided by telegraph.co.uk from an article** entitled Top spots in the world to retire 2015.
Using input from our team of correspondents on the ground all over the world (all of them expats who have become experts on their adopted countries), we combined real-world insights about climate, health care, cost of living, and much more to draw up a list of the 25 best bang-for-your buck retirement destinations on the planet. While this article only features the top 10 such destinations the remaining 15 nations are still very much an option worth considering.
The full table of results from International Living* are below followed by abbreviated details** of the 10 top spots in the world to retire 2015 compliments of telegraph.co.uk:
1. Ecuador
Taking the top spot in the International Living retirement index for the second year in a row is Ecuador. The country is known for being extremely good value for money – and this is the second time it’s topped an expat poll in three months. As we reported in October, it landed top place in an InterNations survey completed by almost 14,000 expatriates of all nationalities, which focused on topics such as quality of life, work, romance and leisure. Real estate in Ecuador is very reasonable and there are 50 per cent discounts for retirees on cinema trips and flights originating in the area.
2. Panama
Runner-up Panama offers an attractive retirement option through the Pensionado visa. Applicants must demonstrate a minimum income of US $1,000 (£660) a month and $250 (£165) for each dependent. Once the visa is approved, Pensionado perks include 20% off medical services, 50% off entertainment, 25% off restaurant meals, 25% off air fares, and 25% off electricity and phone bills – and that’s on top of a low cost of living.
3. Mexico
Being close to the U.S., Mexico is never far from the Western comforts of home. Established expat communities such as [Ajijic, Chapala,] Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende ease retirees’ integration into the community. Beautiful property can be found for far less than you’d pay in…[the U.K., U.S. or Canada. Read The 10 Best Places to Retire in Mexico for details.]
4. Malaysia
You don’t need much money to enjoy a life of luxury in Malaysia. For only a few pounds [or dollars], you can enjoy an excellent meal with a bottle of wine (the street food and Malaysian cuisine is exquisite). English is widely spoken by locals, meaning it’s easy to settle in and go about your day to day life.
5. Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a popular retirement dwelling for its climate, neighbourly atmosphere, low living costs and excellent health care. It’s little wonder it’s one of the world’s happiest places to live.
6. Spain
While there are cheaper places across the world to settle down, Spain is Europe’s cheapest retirement haven. In fact, a couple can live in many cities in Spain for little more than £1,710 a month, including rent, according to International Living. This, together with the pleasant climate, makes Spain a good choice for those wanting to stay closer to Britain.
7. Malta
Owing to its time as a British colony, Maltese speak fluent English, making it perfect for fitting in. In addition, Malta’s small size and excellent public transport network make getting around easy.
8. Colombia
Colombia provides one of the best and most affordable health care systems in the region, which has seen large expat communities sprout up in cities like Bogotá and Medellín. There are plenty of things to do too: most towns have community pools, tennis courts and golf courses.
9. Portugal
Portugal’s mild climate, its low cost of living, combined with the Portuguese hospitality makes it easy to settle in. Expats also ranked Portugal as being in the top 12 places to live for a good quality of life, whether you prefer urban life in Lisbon or the chilled vibes of one of Portugal’s beach towns.
10. Thailand
Thai people are known for their welcoming nature and their kind hospitality extends to expat retirees. Restaurants and cafés are everywhere and culture is in abundance. Bangkok is superb for concerts, gigs and exhibitions, while Chiang Mai has a fantastic art scene.
[The above article is presented by Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.munKNEE.com and the FREE Market Intelligence Report newsletter (sample here – register here) and may have been edited ([ ]), abridged (…) and/or reformatted (some sub-titles and bold/italics emphases) for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. The author’s views and conclusions are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original article. This paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.]
Original Sources: *http://internationalliving.com/2015/01/the-best-places-to-retire-2015/ (Copyright © 2015 ); **Abbreviated commentary on each of the top 10 countries from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/11327493/Top-spots-in-the-world-to-retire-2015.html
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