On average we spend around one third of our lives at work, so when it’s time to sit back and enjoy those golden years, you want to make sure you’re doing it in the right place.
Handily, International Living’s Global Retirement Index, a tool which utilises first-hand experiences and ‘real-world insights’ from actual retirees, has published a list of the best places in the world to retire.
Topping the list is Panama, which contributor Jess Ramesch describes as a ‘safe, stable and wealthy country’. Factors such as the low cost of living (for expenses like car insurance and minor medical procedures), flexible visa conditions and its temperate climate were all cited.
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‘Here, I live a California lifestyle – only better. I’m on the ocean, just a three-hour flight from Miami, and I don’t have to worry about hurricanes (or pay expensive hurricane insurance),’ Ramesch writes. ‘I’m out in the sunshine almost every day. I don’t worry about hefty property taxes or having my savings wiped out by a trip to the ER. And I’ve made wonderful friends – expats and Panamanians – who’ve become like family.’
In second place is Portugal, and in third place is Costa Rica, with Mexico and France rounding out the top five.
These are the 10 best places to retire in the world
- Panama
- Portugal
- Costa Rica
- Mexico
- France
- Spain
- Malaysia
- Greece
- Italy
- Thailand
You can read the full article in more detail here, or have a look at our own list of the world’s best places to retire.
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