- calendar_month May 23, 2023
The best place to reinvent your life overseas in retirement depends on your personal preferences and priorities. Some people dream of long walks on the sand, while others would prefer regular nights out at the theater in a thriving city.
Here are the most appealing places to call home based on the cost of living versus the quality of life on offer, the cost and quality of health care, the amount of English spoken, options for how to spend your time, the infrastructure, climate, environment, safety and the ease of establishing legal residency, according to the Live and Invest Overseas annual Overseas Retirement Index. Consider these overseas retirement spots for 2023.
- Chitré, Panama.
- Tavira, Portugal.
- Medellín, Colombia.
- Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus.
- Corozal, Belize.
- Costa de la Luz, Spain.
- Oaxaca, Mexico.
- Paris, France.
- Sanur (Bali), Indonesia.
- Da Lat, Vietnam.
Chitré, Panama
Little known to expats but offering major lifestyle appeal is Chitré, a small town on the east coast of Panama’s Azuero Peninsula. It stands out for its high-quality infrastructure, availability of health care and shopping options.
This is a traditional area of Panama with strong regional culture, including interesting festivals throughout the year. A small group of expats has established itself here and enjoys the low cost of living, safe community and access to the beach.
Locals are friendly and welcoming, but you’ll need to pick up the basics of Spanish to be able to interact with them. Panama offers a retirement visa that makes it easy to relocate.
Tavira, Portugal
Portugal remains a top-tier destination for retiring overseas thanks to its climate, standard of health care, accessible residency options, friendly tax policies and diversity of lifestyle options.
Tavira is widely regarded as the most authentic town in Portugal’s ever-popular Algarve region. The riverfront is the hub of the town’s activity, endowed with a tree-lined promenade and plenty of restaurants and cafés.
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Tavira is next to the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is an important wetland area and habitat for hundreds of species. Because of the proximity to the natural park, Tavira’s beaches have been spared from major development and remain naturally beautiful.
SEE:
The 10 Best Places to Retire in Europe.
Medellín, Colombia
Medellín is a cosmopolitan city in Colombia that allows for Euro-chic living at a low cost. Because of the exchange rate with the Colombian peso, U.S. dollar holders can enjoy life in Medellín at an even greater discount.
Medellín offers endless entertainment, including high-end gastronomy, museums, art, events, festivals, live music and shopping. Situated at the base of a valley, there's also access to the natural world in the surrounding hillsides.
Medellín is one of Latin America’s most livable cities thanks to an efficient public transport system, which includes a metro service and free bikes, many parks and public spaces, and near-perfect, spring-like weather.
Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus offers one of the world’s best opportunities for a low-cost beach lifestyle. You can buy beachfront property for as little as $75,000 and enjoy a chic European lifestyle on the water starting at $1,000 per month, an almost unbelievable budget for this part of the world.
Kyrenia is a city on the northern coast. Sandwiched between the Kyrenia Mountains and the warm waters of the Mediterranean, it features incredible seascapes. There is abundant sunshine, warm weather year-round and a rich local culture and history.
The city’s focal point is Kyrenia Harbour, which was once an important point of export for wheat, olives and other products.
Corozal, Belize
Belize is a popular choice for expats. English is the official language, it’s only a 2 1/2-hour flight from the United States, and Belize residency is easy to establish.
Most expats seek out island living on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, but a lower-cost alternative is available on the Belize mainland in Corozal. Found in northern Belize along Corozal Bay, Corozal is an ocean lover’s paradise.
It’s a quiet, laid-back town, and its infrastructure isn’t well developed yet. However, it’s only 10 miles from Chetumal, Mexico, where expats can find high-quality health care, stores carrying American brands and other needs that can’t be met in Corozal.
READ:
Best Affordable Places to Retire Overseas.
Costa de la Luz, Spain
The Costa de la Luz is a stretch of coastline in the southwest of Spain that features a handful of attractive and interesting towns.
Its centerpiece is Cádiz, one of the most ancient cities that’s still standing in Western Europe. It’s full of Old World historical charm, including plazas, a maze of narrow backstreets and grand cathedrals.
Other popular options for expats are Rota, a low-key beach town that’s also home to a U.S. naval base, and Vejér de la Frontera, which is famous for its Moorish whitewashed buildings. Across the Costa de la Luz the cost of living is low, the weather is warm year-round and the beaches are uncrowded.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca City is a highland city in southwestern Mexico that’s rising in popularity because of its colorful colonial buildings, interesting indigenous culture and delicious regional cuisine, including the potent libation mezcal.
The local culture is vibrant, traditional and noteworthy for its festivals and celebrations, including Day of the Dead. Oaxaca provides the opportunity for a more authentic lifestyle compared to the coastal resorts that are dominated by tourism, and the cost of living is lower.
With a moderate climate and plenty of green hillsides, Oaxaca is popular with hikers and nature lovers.
Paris
The heart of historic Paris is an open-air museum brimming with architectural wonders and historic landmarks. You can stroll in shady squares and well-tended parks and enjoy leisurely café afternoons, or attend exciting gallery openings, fashion weeks and live theater and music.
Paris is the best place in the world to seek a rich and full life. The best part is that retirement in France can be more affordable than you might imagine. Public transportation, internet, phone and utility expenses can be a bargain compared with other developed cities.
France also boasts a world-class health care system that is available for less than the cost of U.S. medical care.
READ:
The Healthiest Places to Retire Overseas.
Sanur (Bali), Indonesia
Southeast Asia provides some of the world’s best opportunities to reduce your cost of living in retirement. On the southeast coast of Bali is Sanur, an unpretentious suburb of the island’s capital, Denpasar.
Its long stretch of soft, golden sand is lined by a paved boardwalk that serves as the main hub of activity, especially come sundown. People walk, jog and cycle along it or enjoy live music and happy hour at the many beach bars and restaurants.
Sanur’s advantage over other parts of Bali is that it’s walkable, which reduces traffic and makes it more peaceful. The proximity to Denpasar means it’s close to amenities like hospitals, shopping and the airport.
Da Lat, Vietnam
Da Lat is a former French colonial hill station located on the Lang Biang Plateau in Southern Vietnam. It was developed in the early 1900s to resemble an Alpine chalet town and serve as a retreat for colonists.
It has unexpected features for a Southeast Asian city, including French architecture, misty green hills sheathed in pine forest and cool weather. Da Lat enjoys temperate weather year-round because of its highland position. It’s also known as the garden bed of Vietnam because its climatic conditions and fertile soil allow it to grow an abundance of flowering plants and produce.
Da Lat is home to a small expat community that enjoys the simple, laid-back lifestyle and incredibly low cost of living.
