Posted on 02/21/2022 6:02:14 PM PST by DoodleBob
For many in the global North, retirement is a time to wave goodbye to workday stresses and discover an idyllic spot where you can take things easy. For some, it's a deckchair, for other it's a whole other country. For the lucky latter, the only question is…where to live?
Everyone has their own take on what makes the perfect retirement location, but International Living’s 2022 Global Retirement Index may make it easier to find it.
The annual index features a list of global retirement hotspots, compiled using personal experiences of expats in each location, combined with factors like cost of living, climate, medical provision and ease of bureaucracy.
Careful planning is essential as an enjoyable retirement can be costly. A survey by AAG found a quarter of respondents in the US believe they will need at least a million dollars to retire comfortably.
Here are the Global Retirement Index’s top-10 retirement destinations for 2022.
10. Uruguay
Situated between Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is a Spanish-speaking nation of around 3.5 million people, with warm summers and mild winters.
A range of lifestyles and living costs are on offer, including ranches and farms in the interior grasslands, tree-lined cities like Montevideo and beach towns dotted along the coastline.
Navigating visas and residency is straightforward, healthcare is cheap and accessible and there are plenty of outdoor activities, street parades and good eating available.
9. Spain
There’s more to Spain than its well-known sunny beaches, low cost of living and relaxed lifestyle. Straddling the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, the nation also has bustling historic cities, snow-covered mountains and picturesque rural landscapes.
A Mediterranean diet, excellent healthcare provision and a festival culture make this one of the best places to retire for many people from Europe, and increasingly those from North America.
8. Malta
Surrounded by the warm waters of the southern Mediterranean Sea, the tiny islands of Malta - five in total but only two are inhabited - are a mix of Western European lifestyle with a hint of Arabic language and culture.
Summer temperatures can get hot and humid, and this isn’t the cheapest retirement destination, but the all-year sun attracts many residents who also benefit from a world-class healthcare system and plenty of outdoor sports and activities.
Both Maltese and English are widely spoken and, over the centuries, invaders from several civilizations have left their mark on the local cuisine and culture. Malta offers a mix of ancient megaliths, medieval fortresses, rocky hinterland, beaches and coastal fishing villages, with a few cities thrown in for good measure.
7. France
The home of fine wine, haute cuisine and a certain…je ne sais quois, France has something for everyone: big cities, rural hideaways, mountains and sun-soaked beaches.
Residents benefit from a price-protected top-tier health system, reasonable housing costs in many regions, a rich cultural heritage and a laid-back way of life, not to mention the country’s addiction to gourmet culture.
Regions like the Dordoigne in the south-west of France have attracted British expats for many years, but more North Americans are appreciating its charms in recent years, notes International Living.
6. Ecuador
A combination of good climate, environmental diversity and plenty of culture at an affordable price makes Ecuador one of the best places to retire for Europeans and North Americans.
Here, modern living in cities and beach communities meets untapped natural resources, including the Andes mountains, the Amazon Rainforest and the biodiversity of the nearby Galapagos Islands.
There are few places still unspoilt by global commercialism, but this is one of them. Expatriates can mingle with indigenous locals in tribal dress and live an easygoing and varied lifestyle for around $1,500-$1,825 a month.
5. Colombia
Across the border, Colombia is more developed than Ecuador but shares many of its neighbour’s attributes. These include climate options that suit most tastes and a mix of coastline, Andes mountains and Amazon Rainforest.
Healthcare here is excellent, property and living costs are comparatively low, and the visa application process is straightforward for many nationalities. Retirees can live well for little here, among friendly people where English is widely spoken and stunning scenery.
4. Portugal
From the old-world charm of cities like Lisbon and Porto to the sun-drenched beaches of the Algarve, Portugal has been a favourite retirement destination for some time.
The country has friendly people, low living costs, a world-class healthcare system and low crime rates, making it a safe, enjoyable and affordable place to live.
English is taught in schools and is widely spoken in some areas, and the government offers free Portuguese language courses around the country.
3. Mexico
Located next to the southern border of the US, Mexico has long been a popular destination for North Americans looking for an affordable place in the sun. Expats can choose from a range of climates and lifestyles, which include busy beach resorts, city life and remote rural or desert hideaways.
A monthly budget of around $2,000 is enough for housing, transport and daily living expenses, but you can get by on less or spend a lot more if you choose. Applying for visas or residency is straightforward for those that meet the criteria, and the country boasts affordable and professional healthcare provision that attracts flows of medical tourism.
2. Costa Rica
A tropical climate, affordable living and medical costs, an active outdoor culture, friendly locals and sun-soaked natural beauty have made Costa Rica a magnet for retirees.
Situated between Nicaragua and Panama, this Central American nation is a stable democracy with high literacy rates and a laid-back approach to life. Citizens and residents have access to one of the highest-rated healthcare systems in Latin America, according to International Living.
The landscape ranges from beaches to lush jungle regions, covering multiple climate zones. Protected national parks and wildlife refuges cover about a quarter of the country’s landmass, providing visitors with ample opportunity to connect with nature.
1. Panama
Not for the first time, Panama tops the list of the world’s best places to retire. Located away from Central America’s hurricane belt, its warm tropical climate is tempered by breezes from the Pacific Ocean on one coast and the Caribbean Sea on the other.
It appears Panama has it all: friendly people, a safe living environment and excellent hospitals and medical provision within easy reach of most places. Retirees can choose from beach communities, cool mountain retreats, grassy highlands or modern city living.
Panama is one of only three carbon-negative countries in the world. The famous shipping canal has brought modern communications, infrastructure and affordable transport links to popular domestic expat destinations like Boquete in the highlands.
I seriously thought about Panama...
I lived there for five years.
Nice place if you have money.
Reliably corrupt governments are wonderful if you have money and pull...
Is it possible to give serious consideration, in substance, to any statement coming from Klaus Schwab?
Other than considering how to retaliate against him?
Not even considering any of them.
My wife and I are very happy in retirement in Texas!!!!
Reliably corrupt governments are wonderful if you have money and pull...
What country is exempt from that?
Asking for 80 million friends ;-)
I knew a guy, who got all excited to retire in Costa Rica (Nr 2 on the list)
Tried it a little bit and came back pretty fast!
Did not share his experience?!
Portugal. A shipmate got picked up for being drunk. The cops dropped him off the next day. They really worked him over. Face swelled up from the beating they gave him.
Panama. We were told to put our finished cigarette butt in our pocket because of the crooked cops, and never venture out alone.
Mexico? Really? A kleptocracy run by the cartels.
A guy I used to work with retired to Costa Rica. After getting robbed at gun point several times and losing his wallet, he started buying the $10 fake Rolex watches because the robbers would take that and let him keep his wallet.
What, no authoritarian Canada?
Of all the counties I have been to, Uruguay was the friendliest. Freakish friendly. We had to wear our uniforms on shore and if they saw us, they would rush over wanting autographs.
Brazil. We were warned they would slash your throat for your watch.
Ah, memories.
Retire
A fellow I knew from a previous life loved Uruguay. He said it was by far the most orderly country in Latin America because, although they spoke Spanish, they were mostly ethnically German
None of em have hockey. So, no
No.
I’ll never leave my country. Never. Fight and die to defend it if it comes to that, but this is home.
People were rude as hell to us when we went on Liberty in Brest, France back in 1976.
They glared at us. It was weird.
The Friendliest? Scotland, by far. We went to Edinburgh, and they treated us like gold.
The cleanest and also the most interesting, had to be Dubrovnik. This was back in 1977-78, and we were the first carrier to pull in there since WWII. They were still a Communist country back then. The city was sparkling clean (if you dropped a gum wrapper or something, a little old lady with a pan and broom would magically appear to immediately sweep it up) and the women were very attractive, though unobtainable.
I played basketball in my blues with a bunch of Yugoslav guys, and completely destroyed my brand spanking new Coroframs I purchased at considerable expense! I bought them, because I thought shining shoes was a pain in the ass!
I got huge scuff marks on them, and tried to fix them by heating them up with a Bic lighter, but...they were beyond repair.
I take back my comment about interesting. The most
I agree. I am not jumping ship.
President Rutherford B. Hayes is revered in Paraguay. There are several Hayes scholarships in colleges and, if I remember correctly there is even a University named after him as well as streets named after him. I have forgotten why he is so well-respected in Paraguay but I am sure that a google search will explain it if you are interested.
Stayin’ in the US. I’ll just find a cheap state even if it means digging out of the snow a few times a year. At the worst, the US is the devil I know.
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