Where to Retire

where to retire for US expats

Know you want to retire abroad but don’t where? Looking for help finding your personal paradise? International Living has over 30 years of on-the-ground experience in the countries that we think are the best places around the world for retiring, investing, and reinventing yourself right now. We've done the research...you've done the dreaming. With IL correspondents around the globe, we'll help you make those dreams a reality.

So, what makes for the perfect retirement location? That is of course entirely subjective. But, what we do know is, climate, affordability, good healthcare, and a healthy lifestyle are the cornerstones of a happy and fulfilling retirement. In fact, all of the countries we cover in our Annual Retirement Index score highly in these categories.

With IL correspondents living in Central America, South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe, we have you covered when it comes to finding your perfect retirement overseas. If you have ever dreamed of an idyllic life in Tuscany, a cosmopolitan lifestyle in Panama, a slice of paradise in Thailand, or a sun kissed beach adventure in Mexico, we have the experts who have been there…and are still doing that.

Having moved overseas and immersed themselves in the destinations where they live and learned their lessons the hard way, our experts are ideally placed to compare, contrast, and bring nuanced insight to the most appealing retirement destinations in the world.

This on the ground experience means we know the do’s and don’ts of moving abroad and can highlight the best way to make sure this transition is easy for you.

You can get all the tips, tricks, advice, and recommendations you need to make an informed decision. Our extensive library of articles below will give you new ideas about places to visit, invest, or live where you can find your perfect retirement.

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Where to Retire Archives

You’ll Never Get Bored if You Retire to Galway, Ireland

You’ll Never Get Bored if You Retire to Galway, Ireland

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March 21, 2018

If Ireland tugs at your heartstrings, Galway is a wonderful retirement location. On the west coast, this historic maritime city combines a modern urban lifestyle with scenic beauty, deep-rooted traditions, and a staggering array of activities. Whether your passion is for the outdoors, the arts, traditional music, horse-racing—or a combination of them all—you’ll be spoiled for choice. And Connemara is on the doorstep. Established as a National Park in 1980, this unspoiled region of stone walls...

5 of the Best Tropical Islands for Retirees

5 of the Best Tropical Islands for Retirees

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March 19, 2018

In this article, we outline the best five tropical island paradises for retirees. These places meet all the criteria needed to make them perfect retirement havens. As well as looking the part, all five of these islands—spread throughout the world—are becoming easier to get to as more and more flights open up to and from North America. Many tropical getaways have been consumed by commercialism, leaving them beyond every reasonable budget. But the islands on our list remain affordable, as attested by our expat experts on the ground. On some, it’s possible to live for as little as $1,500 a month including rent.

We Have Every Day to Spend With Our Feet in the Sand

We Have Every Day to Spend With Our Feet in the Sand

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February 13, 2018

“We’re not in Kansas anymore,” my husband Jeff said as he paid a total of $10 for two first-run English-language movie tickets, a large soda, large popcorn, and bag of M&Ms. The fact is, we are not from Kansas. We met in Denver, a city that I often told people is great for what it is close to.

Thinking of Mexico? Check Out Progreso

Thinking of Mexico? Check Out Progreso

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February 3, 2018

The crystal-clear emerald surf rolls gently onto the white sandy beach. Combined with the pungent salty air and gentle sea breeze, it's nearly lulling me to sleep on my towel under one of the empty palapas on the oceanfront. Except for a local dog frolicking along the water, I'm the only one on this stretch of beach, as far as I can see. That's not because I'm here in "low" season. The town of Progreso, Mexico, is on the Gulf of Mexico, and it hardly matters when you go to the beach. With a yearly average high temperature of 83 F and average low of 73 F, there are no bad beach days in this paradise.