For over 30 years, International Living has searched around the world for retirement destinations that are right for you. We have explored all manner of dream locales, assessing how well they can provide for all your retirement needs—including cost of living, retiree benefits, climate, healthcare, and much more. The result is a comprehensive resource of essential information to help you find your dream retirement overseas.
Where can you find the best quality of life in the world…the best places to live…the best climate…the healthiest places to live…the cheapest? Which countries make it into the lists as the perfect destinations for your retirement…and why? We have all the answers.
From bustling beach towns to small fishing communities, stunning stretches of sand to lush rainforests teeming with life, there’s a huge variety of choice on offer for expats. In all of the destinations we speak about, you can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, with established expat communities, friendly, welcoming natives, good healthcare, and an ideal climate.
Each destination is desirable in its own way, but they all offer something increasingly hard to come by at home: A good quality of life for a reasonable price.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and dive into our selection of articles to learn more about the best places in the world to retire.
Since making the move to Chiang Mai, Thailand, one of the many joys my husband Glenn and I have discovered is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money here to eat a delicious, satisfying meal. In fact, our favorite and most frequented...
The Boquete Blues and Jazz Festival is one of the events that most expats who live in Chiriquí look forward to the most every year, and this February marked the 12th year of this annual event. The first festival took place in 2007...
Panama’s size can be deceptive. In a tiny territory about the size of South Carolina you’ll find tremendous diversity. From the sultry Caribbean with its turquoise waters to the palm-lined beaches of the Pacific…
In France, food is sacred. When preparing a dish, the freshest, best quality ingredients one can afford are chosen. Before anyone eats a bite, the table is laid with care, even if it’s just a simple lunch...
Bali, the Island of the Gods, is an Indonesian island sandwiched between Java and Lombok. There really isn’t a “wrong” time to visit the island; it just depends on what you’re after.
“One man’s crisis is another man’s opportunity,” says real estate expert and International Living contributor, Ronan McMahon. “At least, that is the case in two of three beach towns I’m watching closely for 2018, with an eye to potential profits.”
As a part-time expat, I spend my winters in Mexico. And, while I have a home on the central Pacific coast, there’s another part of this vast, varied country that I’m drawn back to visit year after year, thanks to its affordability, beauty, cleanliness, people, and great vibe. It’s the town of Puerto Escondido in the state of Oaxaca.
But what’s it like for women over there? That’s a question we often get from women thinking of a retirement abroad. It’s an important question…and one we take seriously. In fact, most are surprised to learn that the majority of countries we talk about rank highly for gender equality and inclusivity.
When planning your retirement overseas, many factors come into play. Low costs, real estate, and healthcare are some of the main concerns…but what...
One of the main concerns of any person looking to retire overseas is the quality of healthcare. Is it possible to get medical treatment as good as what’s available in...