Thinking of retiring abroad in 2020? Have you seen these headlines in recent months? “Death Toll in Chile Protests Since October Rises to 27,” “Nicaragua Has a Simple Message for Protesters: Don’t,” “Thousands Flee to Shore as Australia Fires Turn Skies Blood Red," “Hong Kong Protesters Return to Streets as New Year Begins,” “Strike Bites French Economy” and “Seven Days of Unrest and Counting: Thousands Stream Into Ecuador’s Capital.”
Lisbon, PortugalOn the face of it, the news about these protests, strikes and fires might seem enough to keep you firmly planted in the United States for retirement (we never have such problems here, right?). But the truth is, no place in the world is immune from altercations or natural disasters. So, if you are considering retiring abroad, keep that in mind. Better yet, do your homework to learn about the pros and cons of potential locations.
One way to start is by poring through the Best Places to Retire Around the World lists just out from International Living (The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2020, which ranks 24 countries) and Live and Invest Overseas (World’s Top 10 Retirement Destinations for 2020), the two colossals on the subject. Both crunch numbers for key factors ranging from cost of living to health care to climate, though they often come up with different places.
"If a correspondent feels a place is not safe or secure, they'll tell us."
For 2020, however, both lists cite Portugal as No. 1; Live and Invest Overseas lists cities or regions, so its winner is actually the Algarve area of Portugal, for the fifth year running — and it’s now tied with Mazatlán, Mexico.
Another way to prepare for retirement abroad is to read stories with advice about such relocations; Next Avenue has published a bunch, and they’re noted at the end of this post.
Dan Prescher, an International Living editor who lives with his wife Suzan Haskins in Merida, Mexico, notes that his publication’s reporters around the world factor in safety when producing their annual rankings. “If a correspondent feels a place is not safe or secure, they’ll tell us,” he says.
So, protests aside, International Living believes its Top 10 places to retire abroad for 2020 — five in Latin America and Mexico; three in Europe and two in Asia — are safe for American expats. Two of them weren’t in its Top 10 in 2019: France and Vietnam (they’ve replaced Peru and Thailand).
The International Living Top 10 for 2020
1. Portugal
2. Panama
3. Costa Rica
4. Mexico
5. Colombia
6. Ecuador
7. Malaysia
8. Spain
9. France
10. Vietnam
The Live and Invest Overseas Top 10 for 2020
The Live and Invest Overseas Top 10 list for 2020 (five in Latin America and Mexico, four in Europe and one in Asia):
1. Algarve, Portugal
2. Mazatlán, Mexico
3. Cuenca, Ecuador
4. Valletta, Malta
5. Città Sant’ Angelo, Italy
6. Ambergris Caye, Belize
7. San Ignacio, Belize
8. Bled, Slovenia
9. Medellin, Colombia
10. Chiang Mai, Thailand
"Many of the new destinations are not well-known and not yet on the mainstream radar," says Kathleen Peddicord, author and publisher of Live and Invest Overseas, about her list.
Why Portugal Is No. 1
One reason Portugal rose to the top of the International Living list this year is that this ranking organization changed the way it scored countries for climate. “Countries with a range of climates were given more weight than just ones that are warm all-year-round,” says Prescher.
Portugal also “doesn’t seem to be going through the flips and twists that a lot of European economies have been going through," Prescher adds. “It’s incredibly affordable and not a basket case.” Portugal received the best International Living score for Housing, Health Care and Climate of all 24 countries ranked.
International Living’s Portugal correspondent, Tricia Pimental, says Portugal is the second least expensive country in Europe, after Bulgaria. Pimental and her husband spend about a third of what they did in the United States, adding that you can live a comfortable lifestyle in Portugal for about $2,500 a month. By contrast, International Living’s report says a couple can live in Mexico for $1,500 to $3,000 a month, depending on location.
Retiring in Panama
Panama, No. 2 on International Living’s list for 2020, frequently ranks at or near the top of its annual list. This year, it had the top scores in the categories of Retiree Benefits & Discounts, Visas & Residence and Opportunity (how well the local authorities support small business, whether it’s easy to work remotely and whether there’s a strong economy).
“Panama made residency a lot easier to get,” says Prescher, who describes the country as “a very cosmopolitan place” and with “a government as stable as governments in the Americas get.”
He adds: “They’ve standardized the amount needed for a retirement visa and an investment visa. It used to be a lot more complicated and costlier.” U.S. expats can get the “Friends of Panama” visa by having at least $5,000 in a Panama bank account, and either buying real estate, starting a business or getting a job in the country.
Retiring in France
France’s appearance on International Living’s Top 10 for 2020 may surprise you, considering the high cost of living in places like Paris and Lyon. Truth is, the country only scored a 66 out of 100 in the Cost of Living category.
“Yes, France can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be,” says Prescher. “You can live in the countryside very easily.” International Living’s France correspondent, Tulla Rampont, writes in her Best Places to Retire report that “outside of major cities like Paris and Lyon, rent is about a third of what I paid in California and so is my mortgage payment.” She manages an English-language school in Toulon, in the south of France.
Prescher offers a word to the wise about retiring to Mexico: “Health care is in flux there right now,” he says. “The country has plans to combine private health care and public health care so everyone has access to the same, affordable health care.” But no one knows when that will happen.
Retiring in Mexico
That said, according to the new book about boomer retirement in Mexico, The Fun Side of the Wall  by Travis Scott Luther, more than a million U.S. citizens currently live in Mexico and the country is the No. 1 nation for American expats. The most popular cities for them: Tijuana; San Miguel de Allende; Mexicali, Ensenada and Chapala. And, Luther notes, Puerto Vallarta, Merida and Tulum are growing fast as expat hotspots.
Luther writes that Americans considering retiring in Mexico need to prepare themselves for a slower pace of life, which has its pros and cons.
“A leisurely life may sound great when you decide to bury your watch in the sand and just lay on the beach until you feel like going home, but it might not be so great when you are waiting for someone to come repair your broken shower,” Luther says in the book.
Also, Luther notes, “for almost all Mexico boomers [from the U.S.], working in Mexico is impossible. Even if they wanted to pursue meaningful employment, they would be locked out due to residency or tax and benefit restrictions.”
Next Avenue Stories on Retiring Abroad
And for more advice about retiring abroad, check out these five Next Avenue articles:
“Nuts and Bolts of Preparing to Retire Abroad”
“Want to Retire Abroad?” Answers to 14 FAQs”
“Is Retiring Abroad Right for You?"
“How to Choose Your Ideal Place to Retire Abroad”
“4 Myths About Retiring Abroad"


The Best Places to Retire Abroad in 2020

Richard Eisenberg

Whether your dream is to retire abroad one day or the idea just offers a vicarious thrill, you’ll likely want to hear the winners in International Living’s just-released “World’s Best Retirement Destinations for 2015.”
Mixing the latest data on everything from weather to retiree discounts with reports from its network of far-flung correspondents, International Living (a media company specializing in retirement abroad) ranked 25 countries for its annual Global Retirement Index. This year’s winner Ecuador nudged out the 2014 champ, Panama.
Why Ecuador Is No. 1 This Year
International Living calls the South American developing country on the Equator, tucked in between Colombia and Peru on the continent’s northwest coast, “the perfect location for someone in search of a happy and fulfilling life overseas.” Retirees can pick their climate and lifestyle — from being a Pacific beach bum to an Andes mountaineer.
(MORE: 6 Up-and-Coming Places to Retire)
Slow-paced Ecuador, about the size of Arizona, just also took top honors in the Expat Insider 2014 survey of 14,000 expatriates in 160 nations, with the highest ranking of all for “meeting people.” And Cuenca, Ecuador was just named the second best place in the world to retire, after the Algarve region of Portugal, by the Live and Invest Overseas site.
Dan Prescher, a former Nebraskan who has lived in the quaint mountain town of Cotacachi, Ecuador with his wife and fellow International Living correspondent Suzan Haskins for six years (they're also co-authors of The International Living Guide to Retiring Overseas on a Budget), says they couldn’t imagine living in any other country.
“There’s such an incredible bang for the buck,” says Prescher, who notes that Ecuador’s retiree living costs are about half of America’s and that he and his wife don’t have a car. For a retired couple in Ecuador, adds Prescher, the average monthly rent is $450 and the average monthly budget is about $1,500 (not including travel or health care costs). People over 65 get discounts on flights originating in Ecuador and up to 50 percent off movies, sporting events and public transportation. A socialized-medicine doctor’s visit costs about $10 and you can easily get a restaurant main course for $2.50.
“You can still buy an oceanfront two-bedroom condo for under $100,000,” says Prescher. “Although prices are going up because a lot more expats and retirees are moving to Ecuador.” Adds Haskins: “When we first moved to our little town, there were about 20 of us expats. Now the number is in the hundreds.”
(MORE: How to Retire All Over the World)
But don’t expect the conveniences of America. “Some people get here and think it’s America light, but it’s not — it’s Ecuador,” says Prescher. “If you have a good sense of humor and like a daily challenge, Ecuador is for you.” Adds Haskins: “This is a place for self-starters who don’t need canned tomatoes and will make tomato sauce themselves.” You also need to speak at least some Spanish, the national language.
The International Living Top 10 List
The rest of the International Living Top 10 retirement havens are a fairly even mix of countries in Central America (three), Europe (three; none on the continent), Asia (two) and South America (two). All are locales where you can “live comfortably, make friends, stay busy, give back,” writes International Living Jennifer Stevens in her editor’s letter about the rankings.
The Top 10 for 2015 are, in descending order (country descriptions are from International Living):
ECUADOR
Photo courtesy Erica Mills, InternationalLiving.com
Ecuador is the best country in the world to retire to, according to International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2015. The country gets top scores in the Buying and Renting and Climate categories and scores high across-the-board in all other categories. Expats are drawn by the low cost of living, perfect climate, the beautiful and diverse landscapes and the favorable retiree benefits.
PANAMA
Photo courtesy Eoin Basset, InternationalLiving.com
Coming in second place in International Living’s Retirement Index this year is Panama. When it comes to the “Benefits and Discounts for Retirees” category of the Index, Panama has always ranked at the top with a perfect score of 100. Simply put, no other country in the Index does more for retirees, both local and foreign, offering a host of discounts with its Pensionado visa program.
MEXICO
Photo courtesy InternationalLiving.com
Mexico is the third best country in the world to retire to, according to International Living. Due to its proximity to the U.S., the comforts of home are never far away in Mexico. Established expat havens in communities such as Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende ease the integration process, while excellent property can still be found for far less than you’d pay in the States.
MALAYSIA
Photo courtesy Eoin Bassett, InternationalLiving.com
Every year, more and more expats are waking up to the amazing opportunities Malaysia has to offer. The country has one of the most robust economies in Asia and this is reflected in the consistently high standard of living available to locals and expats alike. It’s just one of many factors that led it to being ranked the highest Asian nation in this year’s International Living index.
COSTA RICA
Photo courtesy Erica Mills, InternationalLiving.com
Coming in fifth position in this year’s International Living Retirement Index, Costa Rica scores high points across the board, especially in the Integration and Entertainment and Amenities categories. Costa Rica is a hugely popular retirement haven for the climate, neighborly atmosphere, low cost of living, excellent health care, stable democracy and countless ways to have fun.
MALTA AND SPAIN (tied)
Photo courtesy Glynna Prentice, InternationalLiving.com
Tiny Malta enjoys plentiful sunshine year-round, on top of world-class health care (consistently ranked among the Top Five in the world by the World Health Organization) and tasty Mediterranean cuisine. The European island also has one of the lowest crime rates to be found anywhere. All this contributes to make it the sixth best place in the world to retire, according to International Living.
Photo courtesy Nazareen Heazle, InternationalLiving.com
For those seeking sun and affordable living in Europe, Spain remains by far the best option available, evidenced by its standing as one of the highest-ranked European nations in the Index (tied with Malta). Although not as cheap as in most of Latin America, property in Spain is often of a high standard and far better value than in many other European countries. Likewise, Spain’s cost of living is lower than what you find in much of Europe.
COLOMBIA
Photo courtesy InternationalLiving.com
For North American retirees heading south, Colombia is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Given all that this diverse country has to offer, it’s not difficult to see why. Second only to Ecuador among South American nations in the International Living rankings this year, Colombia has an incredibly low cost of living. According to International Living Colombia correspondent Michael Evans, a couple can live comfortably on just over $1,200-a-month here.
PORTUGAL
Photo courtesy Steenie Harvey, InternationalLiving.com
Portugal’s mild climate, its low cost of living and its largely First-World infrastructure make it an increasingly popular European option. English is widely understood, especially in the large cities and — combined with the warm Portuguese hospitality — makes it easy to settle in and feel at home, whether you prefer sophisticated urban environments like Lisbon or one of Portugal’s many beach communities.
THAILAND
 
Photo courtesy Heather Van Deet, InternationalLiving.com
As Asia’s appeal to North American expats continues to grow, Thailand has become a popular destination. The country combines the best of authentic Asian cuisine and culture with enough North American influences to help you feel at home. Thriving expat communities already exist in the larger cities, such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and resort areas, such as Phuket and Hua Hin.
Panama: Expat Retirees Welcome
Runner-up Panama, a long-time expat haven, scored 100 in International Living’s Benefits and Discounts category ranking — mostly for its famed Pensionado visa discount program available to anyone with a pension of over $1,000 a month. The Pensionado visa gives retirees 50 percent off their entertainment expenses, 25 percent off airfare, restaurants, electricity and phone bills and 20 percent off medical services.
It's pretty easy to get back to the U.S. from Panama, and International Living calls it “possibly the friendliest country toward North Americans.” Or, as Haskins says: “It’s for people who want an easier transition than you might find in Ecuador.” Panama editor Jessica Ramesch says the sunny nation also has the fastest Internet and best roads in Central America.
(MORE: 6 Reasons Not to Retire Abroad)
Mexico: A Rising Star
Mexico rose from No. 7 in International Living’s rankings last year to No. 3 for 2015. It’s also a bargain for retirees; a week’s worth of groceries runs $15 to $20 says International Living editor Glynna Prentice. (Expat and MarketWatch.com writer Paul Merriman says his half-year home of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, may be the best place in the world to retire.)
“Mexico is easy to settle into for Americans,” says Prescher. “Even if you haven’t been there, you think you know what Mexican food is and mariachi bands. There are more U.S. and Canadian expats in Mexico than in any other country.”
Malaysia: English Widely Spoken
Asia’s highest-ranking country, exotic Malaysia, got high marks as a place for “fitting in” — there are lots of welcoming Brits and Australian expats and English is widely spoken. (It's a favorite of perpetual travelers Paul and Vicki Terhorst, who've been traversing the world as retirees for 30 years.) The economy of Malaysia is also one of the most robust in Asia, according to International Living, and the living is pretty cheap (a 1,600-square-foot apartment with a pool rents for roughly $850 a month). But Malaysia scored only 76 for climate in the rankings, due to rain and tropical heat.
Spain: A Bargain by European Standards
Warm-weather Spain was tied with Malta as the top-ranked European nation for a variety of reasons. “It’s pretty cheap because the economy is in shambles, so that makes it good for retirees with dollars who are on a fixed income,” says Prescher. International Living estimates a couple can live on about $2,600-a-month in many Spanish cities. “And Spain is pretty close to the U.S.; you can fly from Madrid or Barcelona to the East Coast pretty quickly and cheaply,” says Prescher. But, he notes, Spain doesn’t court expat retirees the way, say, Panama does.
The Countries That Weren't Ranked
I was curious why so many countries weren’t included in International Living’s rankings, places like Australia, Israel, Japan, Germany, much of the Caribbean and all of Scandinavia.
“The cost of living and, for some of those places, the weather,” says Haskins. “Most retirees are looking to never drag heavy coats around with them.”


The Best Places to Retire Abroad in 2015

Usually around this time of year, I write a post revealing the "best places to retire abroad" based on the new annual rankings from International Living (IL) and Live and Invest Overseas and explain why the winners won. Well, their new lists are out, but I can't write my standard piece because… COVID-19.
Tavira, Portugal Retire abroad? In the middle of a pandemic?! At a time when the U.S. State Department advises Americans to avoid all international travel due to COVID-19?
177 Destinations on CDC's 'COVID-19 Very High' List
And when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists 177 destinations (from Aruba to United Kingdom) as "Level 4: COVID-19 Very High" and says on its site "travelers should avoid all travel to these destinations?"
How is it possible that IL and Live and Invest Overseas have deemed their Number One places to retire abroad in 2021— Costa Rica and Tavira, Portugal, respectively — locations that are on the CDC's Level 4: COVID-19 Very High list?
So many questions.
For answers, I turned to the brains behind the International Living and Live and Invest Overseas lists, both expats — IL senior editor Dan Prescher (normally based in Merida, Mexico, but who's been staying with family in Nebraska since December 2019) and Kathleen Peddicord, Live and Invest Overseas' publisher, who lives with her husband, Leif Simon, in Paris.
"There's no reason to plan a big move with the entire globe still in the grips of the pandemic."
As it turns out, both Prescher and Peddicord think this is not a time to exit the United States and retire abroad. What it is, they say, is a time to research places to retire abroad.
"There's no reason to plan a big move with the entire globe still in the grips of the pandemic. That does not sound like a really good idea to me," Prescher said. But, he added, it's "a great time to get your ducks in a row, to talk to people on the ground [where you're considering retiring] to see how things are going there and then make the decision on where you want to go."
Peddicord seconded that emotion: "There are options right now to start the [retiring abroad] process and make some progress on a plan. We recommend using this time while we are all on pause to formulate a plan and find out the steps to push the plan forward, even if you can't show up in a country and start a new life, since there are not many places where that is possible."
I'll share some researching advice, including tips from Retirement Reimagined!'s expats Edd and Cynthia Staton, shortly.  

The Top 10 on the 2 New Global Retirement Lists
But first: you may be wondering, as I was, how did the two global retirement raters factor COVID-19 into this year's lists to come up with their top 10 places? Those locations (IL ranks countries; Live and Invest Overseas picks communities and regions) are:
International Living's 2021 Global Retirement Index: 1. Costa Rica; 2. Panama; 3. Mexico; 4. Colombia; 5. Portugal; 6. Ecuador; 7. Malaysia; 8. France ;9. Malta and 10. Vietnam
Live and Invest Overseas' 2021 Overseas Retirement Index: 1. Tavira, Portugal; 2. Mazatlán, Mexico; 3. Lisbon, Portugal; 4. Cuenca, Ecuador; 5. Panama City, Panama; 6. Northern Belize; 7. Budapest, Hungary; 8. Pedasi, Panama; 9. Saint-Chinian, France and 10. Gozo, Malta
International Living, which ranked 25 countries, addressed COVID-19 by including new data in its scoring of 10 categories.
It looked at how many people, per 1,000 residents, died from the virus; how many physicians each country has per 1,000 residents; how stable the banking system is; how quickly an expat can become a full-fledged citizen and how well each nation has coped with the pandemic, according to its far-flung correspondents.
Vietnam (No. 10) and Thailand (No. 18) had the lowest COVID-19 infection rates among the 25 rated countries, but Uruguay (No. 13) is what IL editors call "the most resilient and stable place to survive a global meltdown." Uruguay didn't score well for climate, though, since the small South American country is pretty rainy year-round.
All that said, Prescher noted that the International Living ranking is a retirement-place list, not a vacation-place list. "We had to look far enough into the future to think where would be a good place to actually retire three to five to ten years out," he said.
How COVID-19 Was Factored Into the Rankings
Peddicord's Live and Invest Overseas ranking of 21 countries also combined statistics with observations from its global correspondents, scoring locations in 13 categories. Accessibility to the U.S. got extra weighting this year.
"Some places are struggling more dramatically in relation to COVID than others," said Peddicord.  "You can travel to Belize, but with a lot of restrictions…There's no wandering around right now."
By contrast, she said, "a good friend in [Mazatlán] Mexico has gone back and forth from California three times and concluded it's much better in Mexico than in California."
But, like Prescher, Peddicord said her index "is meant to be representative of the world, in general, that we will be returning to."
Why This Portugal Community Is No. 1
The Algarve region of southern Portugal has led the Live and Invest Overseas list for seven years, due to its sunny weather and relaxed nature. But the 2021 ranking specifically names the Algarve's small, charming coastal fishing community of Tavira (population: 26,000) as No. 1. That's because it's more of a bargain than other parts of the Algarve.
"It's a little less known, so there aren't as many tourists, and the cost of living is a bit less" than the Algarve overall, said Simon. Monthly budget (including a two-bedroom apartment rental), according to Live and Invest Overseas: about $2,070.
Like most countries, both Portugal and Costa Rica haven't had an easy time with COVID-19.
Simon noted that Tavira doesn't have a beach; you need to take a ferry to get there.
Added Peddicord: "It's the quintessential Algarve before the Algarve became developed."
One plus for American expats there: English is universally spoken in Tavira, as it is in Portugal as a whole.
Why Costa Rica Topped the International Living List
Central America's laid-back, democratic Costa Rica, which ranked No. 3 in last year's International Living list, rose to No. 1 for 2021 by being strong in categories ranging from health care (the country has universal and inexpensive health care known as Caja) to "fitting in."
A plus during the pandemic: Costa Rica's proximity to the United States, for expats who want to return to America to see loved ones and friends.
Costa Rica, however, didn't make the cut for Peddicord. She thinks the country hasn't improved its roads and infrastructure enough for what it costs to live there.
How the Winning Places Have Coped With COVID-10
Like most countries, neither Portugal nor Costa Rica have had an easy time with COVID-19.
Portugal (population: 10.2 million) has had nearly 8,000 coronavirus deaths and roughly 475,000 cases. There's a 9 pm curfew. And the country is not allowing U.S. visitors in unless they have residency visas.
Costa Rica (population: 5 million) only reopened its airport to visitors in November; currently keeps cars off the roads (many of which are dirt roads) after 9 pm or 10 pm, depending on the day; closes beaches at 2:30 and restricts bars to 25% capacity.
The Costa Rican economy has been abysmal, too, with a 20% unemployment rate. So, these days, it's not an ideal location to find work in retirement.
Advice for Researching Places to Retire Abroad
You may have a hankering to retire overseas when the time is right, partly because of your pandemic experience. In International Living's fall 2020 survey, 20% of respondents said the U.S.' handling of the pandemic has increased their interest in retiring overseas.
If you want to use this time to research a potential place to retire abroad once COVID-19 vaccines are plentiful and travel becomes less restrictive, Edd and Cynthia Staton suggest making a wish list of everything your new home abroad needs to have.
La Fortuna, Costa Rica That means thinking about the monthly budget you can afford; what kind of climate you'd prefer; how often you'd like to return to the U.S. for visits and the kind of community you'd be happiest in (city vs. town vs. rural; mountain vs. beach).
Once you've come up with your wish list, the Statons said, use the Internet to find locations that match.
Lists like the ones from International Living and Live and Invest Overseas can help you do it. International Living also has a 12-point checklist for moving out of the U.S.
The Statons have also compiled what they call "10 great places to retire only a few hours away from the U.S." — it includes Costa Rica and Portugal.
The Numbeo crowdsourced cost-of-living database online is a helpful way to compare how much you'd likely spend residing in different places around the world. For example, according to Numbeo, a one-bedroom apartment in city center Tavira, Portugal rents for about $750 a month and roughly $570 in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Similarly, International Living has an Overseas Retirement Calculator.
Finally, the Statons — who've just returned to Ecuador from an extended visit to see family in the United States — said once you feel comfortable flying internationally and your chosen country is accepting tourists, take a scouting trip. That will let you see first-hand what life is like before you decide to plant stakes.
A Pent-Up Demand to Retire Abroad?
Prescher and Peddicord think the pandemic has created a pent-up demand to retire abroad among Americans in their 50s and 60s.
"When the vaccine is widely available, you're going to see people moving [abroad] in numbers you've never seen," said Prescher, who hopes to return to Mexico when he thinks it's safe from a health standpoint.
Peddicord believes a surge in Americans retiring overseas will happen because so many people here have felt frustrated by the U.S.' pandemic restrictions and troubled economy as well as the nation's political strife.
"Americans are hungrier for options to say, 'Forget it, I've had enough. I want peace and tranquility. Tell me where to find it," she said.



The Best Places to Retire Abroad? During COVID-19?

(This article previously appeared on Internationalliving.com.)
Mafra, PortugalThe world is full of affordable destinations where your dollar goes further than in the United States. And thousands of people have discovered there are places overseas where even a little goes a long, long way.
Here are the five best spots to retire for under $30,000 a year — in Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia — that make good sense for a lower-cost, high-quality life.
Mafra, Portugal
Located 21 miles northwest of Lisbon and 15 minutes from world-class surfing beaches in Ericeira, Mafra offers an attractive mix of indoor culture with outdoor opportunities in a splendid park next to one of the country’s largest national palaces (the Jardim) and the nearby Tapada de Mafra, the former royal hunting grounds.
The town is a low-key place of white-washed houses trimmed in yellow and blue, lining narrow cobbled streets. The scent of grilling sardines is ever-present in the air, along with the sound of laughter and clinking glasses in the village’s many cafés and bars.
Here, a couple can live well on a monthly budget of $2,034.
Mafra’s palace, cultural center and music school provide frequent concerts, plays and other events. But if you want to spread your wings a bit, no problem. A reliable, comfortable bus service operated by Mafrense departs regularly from in front of the palace to the Campo Grande bus station in Lisbon. Express buses make the trip in approximately 40 minutes. The cost is $5.30 one way, $8.80 round trip. In the opposite direction, at the end of the line, you’ll find yourself at the beach in the world-class surfing reserve of Ericeira.
A World Health Organization (WHO) ranking of global health care systems in 191 countries places Portugal’s at number 12  (the U.S.: 37). The National Health Service of Portugal (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) is available to citizens as well as both temporary and permanent residents. Most middle- and upper-class citizens have private insurance, allowing on-demand access to a comprehensive network of private hospitals at minimal cost (in addition to public ones). Depending on your age and health condition, private insurance can be had for as little as 4 euros per month, although usually it is more in the 40 euros per month per person range.
Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador’s third-largest city and the economic center of the southern sierra, has leaped into the international spotlight in recent years.
Cuenca has long been known for a rich intellectual, artistic and philosophical tradition that matches its colonial architecture. It is famous for colorful festivals, distinctive food and breath-taking scenery. And because of its history and state of preservation, Cuenca is one of Ecuador’s five UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Cuenca, EcuadorA couple can enjoy a wonderful retirement on $1,680 per month in Cuenca, excluding travel — which can vary greatly from household to household, depending on your lifestyle.
Keith Paul and his wife Tina have no regrets about retiring to Ecuador. And they’ve felt that way since their move to Cuenca from California in January 2016.
What do they like best about living in the city? Keith says, “The people here are great, both in the gringo community and with the local Ecuadorians.” Tina adds: “We’re friends with many local people, who’ve made us feel like we’re part of their family. We could be busy every day of the week with our new friends.”
After researching several Latin American countries to retire to, they realized Ecuador offered exactly what they needed. Tops on their checklist: living in a city where there were many interesting and varied activities; where the climate was temperate and not extreme; where walking around was easy and owning a car was not necessary; where the cost of living was low and where they felt safe and secure.
Cuenca won, hands down.
Opting to rent, their three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom, 1,400 square foot condo costs just $700 a month.
Pat and Rick Jackson wanted to retire at 55, and they also met their goal thanks to moving to the colonial city.  “Living in Cuenca costs about 25 percent of what it cost us to live in Philly,” says Pat. They pay just $500 a month for their two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in the Puertas del Sol neighborhood.
Cuenca has several top-notch hospitals, and many of the physicians have studied abroad and are bilingual. For the quality of care offered, costs are quite low — an office visit runs around $30.
Many expats are taking advantage of the option to join Ecuador’s Social Security health care system. Open now to all residents, there are no age or pre-existing exclusions, and complete coverage costs only a little more than $70 a month for a couple. Cuenca has both a Social Security hospital in the suburbs and a clinic in the downtown historic district.
Ecuador’s best medical services are offered in Quito, Cuenca, and Guayaquil.  It is common practice for doctors in other parts of Ecuador to refer seriously ill patients to hospitals in one of these cities.
Central Valley, Costa Rica
The Central Valley — home to about two-thirds of Costa Rica’s population — is the place to find elegant residential communities, excellent medical facilities, first-class shopping, splendid restaurants and spectacular natural wonders including volcanoes, soaring waterfalls, roaring rivers and wildlife-filled forests.
Central Valley, Costa RicaIt’s hard to beat the Central Valley when you’re looking for a beautiful, friendly and relatively inexpensive place to live. Nestled among forests, mountains and farms are villages where expats have been living side by side with Costa Ricans for many decades.
Throughout the Valley are charming, small towns that will remind you of another age.
A single person can live on $1,500 to $1,800 a month. Some scrape by on considerably less and others spend hundreds of dollars more. In most cases, a couple can live well on $2,000 per month and even better on $2,500. It depends on your lifestyle.
Like many expats living la Pura Vida in Costa Rica, Ania and Tom Dudek — and their two sons — first visited the country on vacation. “For years, we would come for a month and rent a house in a different area each time,” says Ania. “But one day, we fell so in love with Costa Rica and the people there that we decided to start a new chapter in our lives and move.”
The family eventually moved full time to the small mountain town of Atenas. Settled high in Costa Rica’s perfect-weather Central Valley, it is midway between the beaches of the Pacific coast and the metropolitan capital of San José (only an hour’s drive east or west). A coffee and ranching town, Atenas is known for pleasant, sunny weather and touts the slogan: “The Best Climate in the World.”
By almost any standard, Costa Rica has some of the best health care in Latin America. The country’s public and private health systems are constantly being upgraded—new hospitals, new equipment and improvements in staff training. San José, the country’s capital located in the Central Valley, has the best public and private medical care in the country, which makes the Central Valley a popular spot for retirees.
“Costa Rica has modern, state-of-the-art health care available to everyone," says Dr. John Michael Arthur, an expat from Texas. "We pay $82 a month as a couple for the universal public health care system — after that, all care is covered and free. If you prefer a second opinion or more immediate care, there’s the private system, which runs about one third of the U.S. costs. I had a dental crown replaced recently with a new, state of the art zirconia crown — total cost $320. Due to a very complicated prescription, my last set of eyeglasses in the states cost me $1,200. Here I got the same for $420 — and it includes a one-year guarantee.”
Pedasi, Panama
Pedasí, the small town on Panama’s Pacific coast, is a four-hour trip from Panama City. The fishing town, sitting on the tip of the Azuero Peninsula, is best known for the expansive beaches just outside of town, regarded by many Panamanians to be among the nation’s most beautiful.
Pedasí, PanamaWith friendly locals and a tiny population, Pedasí is a place where the pace of life is slow and the people are laidback. Unspoiled, dark brown beaches are coupled with often stunning rock formations and warm Pacific waters. Large cattle ranches and corn fields surround the village.
“Our lives here are a far cry from the hectic existence we lived back in Florida,” says Jim Gault of the move he and his wife, Abbe, made.
The Gaults own their own home and car and Jim says, “I’m collecting my Social Security and we live comfortably on $2,000 a month, including several trips within Panama and one trip abroad per year. A beer is $1 to $2 a bottle, our car insurance is just $600 for the year and we have a housekeeper for just $15 for a half-day. I have two different gardeners and several handymen who help me with our home for $5 an hour.”
Panama provides good quality, affordable health care with clinics and hospitals tactically located in hubs across the country. And since the country is so small, it’s unlikely retirees will be more than an hour from a modern facility.
International Living’s Pedasi correspondent Jim Gault moved to this Pacific Coast paradise with his wife Abbe two years ago.
“Our health care needs are satisfied through a new clinic on the edge of town. Abbe spent $2 to see the doctor for a nasty knife cut on her finger and $2 for two stitches,” Jim says. “She had to get an antibiotic, too, which set her back just $8 with our Pensionado (retiree) discount. On New Year’s Day, she went to the local public hospital, 25 miles away, because she fell off a horse. The ER visit with doctor consultation, digital X-ray, pain medication, and a cast was only $2. A follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon was also $2. Doctors here give you their business card with their cell phone number and ask you to call or text them with any questions.”
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
If you are worried you don’t have $30,000 a year to retire, there are still spots where you can live well on a modest budget — like super-affordable, exotic Cambodia. For the third year in a row, Cambodia claims top spot in the cost of living category in IL’s Annual Global Retirement Index.
Phnom Penh, CambodiaWhile the cost of living in Cambodia may be one of the lowest in the world, the standard of living is high — leading to more retirees and expats choosing to make this country their home each year. A single retiree can live here for $1,150 a month…or less.
San Diego-native Tom Richter lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city. “This country has made me feel 15 years younger, compared with living in the States,” Richter says. “I made the right decision coming here, and I know it. My check from Social Security comes to just over $1,000 per month. But in Phnom Penh that’s a sizable amount.”
His main expense is rent, which comes to $250 per month for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a balcony in the center of the city. Utilities average around $80 to $100 a month, including water, electricity, garbage, cooking gas, and drinking water. About $200 a month is enough to keep his fridge filled with food, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
“What I like most is that there is a very local vibe that comes from people in Phnom Penh,” says Richter. “Apart from being extremely friendly and happy to meet foreigners, it is just really cool to be able to go to the street corner in the morning to grab a fresh coconut and a newspaper, while shooting the breeze with some of the tuk-tuk drivers.”
The Royal Phnom Penh Hospital is considered the best hospital in the country since it covers all areas of treatment and offers the highest-calibre accident and emergency room. The biggest demand by expats at the hospital is for annual health checkups. Packages for a comprehensive assessment cost from just $230 to $390 for a full day of tests and consultations.


The 5 Best Places to Retire Abroad on $30,000 a Year

InternationalLiving.com

Best Places to Retire Abroad 2017: Live and Invest Overseas
I suspect that when Americans think about retiring abroad, they focus on Latin American countries, due to proximity and because places like Panama, Belize, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic usually show up on Best Places to Retire Abroad lists. Well, you won’t find any of those four countries in the Top 10 of The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2017 from Live and Invest Overseas.
What you will find is a preponderance of Europe (six of the Top 10) plus a smattering of Mexico (two places) and Asia (two places, both in Malaysia).
Another surprise: eight of those didn’t even make the Top 10 in the 2016 list from Live and Invest Overseas. “That surprised me too,” said Lief Simon, investment editor at Live and Invest Overseas and husband of the group’s founder and publisher, Kathleen Peddicord.
In this year’s Top 10, the Algarve region of southern Portugal ranked No. 1 (for the fourth year in a row). Rounding out the list: 2. Valletta, Malta (it was No. 2 last year, too); 3. Mazatlán, Mexico; 4. Abruzzo, Italy; 5. Saint-Chinian, France; 6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 7. Lisbon, Portugal; 8. Budapest, Hungary; 9. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and 10. George Town, Malaysia. (View the accompanying slideshow to learn a bit about each of them.)
By contrast, rival International Living’s Best Places to Retire Abroad list, which I wrote about earlier this year,  had six other countries in its Top 10 for 2017. Only Mexico, Malaysia, Portugal and Malta appeared in both lists. International Living ranks countries; Live and Invest Overseas ranks cities, towns and regions.
Live and Invest Overseas’ Top 10 list had a seismic shakeup compared to 2016 for two reasons: The strong U.S. dollar has made Europe more affordable (though big cities like Paris, London and Rome are still pricey). And the rankers changed their methodology. As in the past, they combined data with on-the-ground knowledge of their editors. But this year, they broadened their list from 21 “Best Places” to 30 by selecting one winner and one runner-up in Latin America, Europe and Asia in five broad categories.
So, why won’t you find the likes of Panama or Ecuador on this year’s Live and Invest Overseas Best Places to Retire Abroad list? Simon, who with Peddicord has been living in Panama until recently, said: “Part of it is that a lot of the areas we’ve talked about [in Latin America] have become more expensive. And European destinations do so well on things like infrastructure.”
You can learn much more about the Live and Invest Overseas ranking and its winners at the group's site or by attending its Retire Overseas Conference in Orlando, Fla., Aug. 27 to Aug. 30 ($895 per per person).
1. Portugal's Algarve Region
Live and Invest Overseas scored this Old World region especially strong for safety and health care. But the true claims to fame for this expat-friendly area (English is widely spoken) are climate and recreation. There’s year-round sunshine, 100 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and 42 golf courses.
Live and Invest Overseas also calls The Algarve “the best retirement option in Western Europe for the retiree on a budget.” The cost of living is about 30 percent lower than on the Continent. An unfurnished, two-bedroom apartment rents for about $720 now.
Lief Simon, the investment editor at Live and Invest Overseas, says Portugal has two residency options that may interest expat retirees: The Golden Visa program, which requires you to stay in the country only one week a year as long as you purchase real estate in the country (there are rules on the minimum value) or what Simon calls the “self-sufficiency” residency, permitted if your income is at least roughly $1,300 a month. For that residency, you must spend least half the year in Portugal.
One caveat: “Real estate prices are starting to come up,” Simon says. “It’s still relatively affordable.”
2. Valletta, Malta
Ranked No. 2 in the Live and Invest Overseas list last year, too, Valletta is the capital of the tiny Mediterranean country due south of Sicily and north of the North African coast. Here, says Simon, you can qualify for residency by renting a house or an apartment exceeding certain thresholds. (Typical monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Valletta currently: $915.) Live and Invest Overseas says Valletta isn’t one of the prettiest parts of Malta, but it is quite lively at night.
3. Mazatlan, Mexico
Known for its North American expat community, this Pacific coast beach resort has, according to Live and Invest Overseas, “a little bit of everything” — 20 miles of beaches, world-class fishing, historical attractions, delicious street food and an international airport. Climate? Tropical, with a wet season and a dry season.
4. Abruzzo, Italy
Live and Invest Overseas calls Abruzzo “the most overlooked and undervalued” region in Central Italy. The cost of living is 30 to 70 percent less than in Tuscany or Umbria, the researchers say. A retired couple could live here on about $1,400 a month, including rent, according to the Live and Invest Overseas editors. There’s easy access to beaches in the summer and skiing in the winter.
5. Saint-Chinian, France
Located in the Languedoc region of southern France, Saint-Chinian may be best known for its red, white and rosé wines. Live and Invest Overseas says you can live and retire comfortably here for under 1,800 euros a month, which works out to about $2,100.
6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The top-ranked Asian location in the 2017 Best Places to Retire Abroad list from Live and Invest Overseas, the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur has more than 7 million people. So, quiet and remote it’s not. But it is, the researchers say, one of the world’s “most affordable, exotic, and at the same time, fully appointed and comfortable places to retire.” Monthly rent here: About $560. Travel a bit out of the city and you’ll hit rural villages, where life is slower. Foreigners are welcome in Kuala Lumpur and almost everyone speaks “adequate English,” say Live and Invest Overseas’ editors.
7. Lisbon, Portugal
The second of two Portuguese spots in the Top 10 List of Live and Invest Overseas' Best Places to Retire Abroad (Portugal's Algarve region ranked No. 1), Lisbon offers many of the attractions of costlier European capitals. Plus: beaches! It’s an easy plane ride over from the United States; there are regular daily flights from Newark, N.J. and Miami. Monthly rent: About $770.
8. Budapest, Hungary
The only Eastern European spot in the Top 10 Best Places to Retire Abroad from Live and Invest Overseas, bustling Budapest is becoming trendy with retirees as well as Millennials. It’s one of the largest and, Live and Invest Overseas says, “most metropolitan” cities in Europe. The editors also call Budapest one of the best destinations to enjoy a full life of entertainment.
9. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Dubbed by some locals as the best place in the world to retire, this semi-desert valley in central Mexico made the Live and Invest Overseas Top 10 partly because of its large, welcoming expat community. The editors say there are also classes in two to three dozen subjects at any time in this friendly small town. A couple can live and retire here for less than $1,500 a month, according to Live and Invest Overseas.
10. George Town, Malaysia
Smaller and slower than the other Malaysian locale in the Live and Invest Overseas Top 10  Places to Retire Abroad (Kuala Lumpur was No. 6), George Town is the capital of Penang (Island of Pearls), west of the mainland. The editors say the island has excellent medical care and reasonably priced and that locals communicate largely in English. ECA International called George Town the most livable city in Malaysia and a few years back, Lonely Planet dubbed Penang the top food destination in the world — dining choices include Chinese, Malay, Indian, Thai and more, often for about $3 a person. A small furnished apartment rents for less than $300 a month; a large villa with an ocean view rents for more like $3,000 a month.
 
 
 
 
 


The Surprising Top 10 List of Best Places to Retire Abroad

If you’re considering retiring abroad in 2018 or just curious where the best places might be, two new Top 10 rankings could be helpful. But here’s the catch: they agree on three countries and have very different choices for the other seven.
The International Living Annual Global Retirement Index country rankings, where Costa Rica landed in the No. 1 spot for 2018 (up from No. 4 in 2017), are a combination of hard statistics and anecdotal reporting from local correspondents around the world. Its Top 10 skews toward Central and South America, though Peru is new this year, largely due to its low cost of living. (For details about each of International Living’s Top 10 places, see this slideshow.)
The Live and Invest Overseas 10 Best Places to Live Overseas 2018 city/region rankings, which dubbed Lisbon, Portugal No. 1 (replacing Carvoeiro in Portugal’s Algarve region), are based on the personal preferences and knowledge of the site’s founder, Kathleen Peddicord, and her team. Its Top 10 favors Europe and has four new countries represented for 2018: Italy, Slovenia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Peddicord told me that although her Top 10 are fantastic retirement havens, they’re also the best places to live “for people of any age or circumstance.”
Here are the two Top 10 rankings, followed by explanations about the choices and methodology, from International Living’s Dan Prescher (who lives in Mexico) and Live and Invest Overseas’ Peddicord (who lives in France):
International Living’s Top 10 Retirement Destinations for 2018
1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. Panama
4. Ecuador
5. Malaysia
6. Colombia
7. Portugal
8. Nicaragua
9. Spain
10. Peru
Live and Invest Overseas’ 10 Best Places to Live Overseas in 2018
1. Lisbon, Portugal
2. Cali, Colombia
3. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
4. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
5. Saint-Chinian, France
6. Città Sant’Angelo, Italy
7. Ljubljana, Slovenia
8. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
9. Bali, Indonesia
10. Da Nang, Vietnam
The International Living Ranking Methodology
For its 27 ranking, International Living gathered data for 24 countries (adding Bali, Indonesia this year; it ranked No. 24) in 12 categories ranging from Health Care to Climate to Entertainment & Amenities. This year, the researchers added a Governance category (giving points for places respecting personal freedom; minimal bureaucracy and stable, safe political environments). “The U.S. election has made everybody anxious,” said Prescher.
International Living also split its traditional Buying and Renting category into two: Buying & Investing and Renting. “We thought that buying might never be a serious consideration for a lot of people,” said Prescher. “And there are a lot of great deals for renting in an area, but not buying. I’d put Malaysia in that category.”
Why International Living Says Costa Rica Is No. 1
The popular vacation and expat destination of Costa Rica took top honors, the editors said, due to its “tropical climate; low cost of living; top-notch, affordable medical care; bargain real estate and natural beauty.”
A one-bedroom beach condo can rent for as little as $500 a month or sell for under $50,000; health care runs about $95 monthly per couple, on average. A retired couple can live very comfortably on $2,500 a month in Costa Rica, says International Living. Costa Rica ranked best of all 24 countries in the categories of Buying and Investing; Entertainment and Amenities (tied with Mexico and Malaysia), Health Care and Healthy Lifestyle.
Costa Rica’s downsides: mosquitos (“there’s no such thing as a tropical beach that doesn’t have bugs,” said Prescher), a rainy season from May to November and some poorly maintained roads. “They just made a coastal highway, but if you get off the road, it can be a challenge. The flipside is Costa Rica isn’t paving over its country,” Prescher added.
Adding Governance to the rankings helped propel Costa Rica — where the unofficial national motto is Pura Vida (loose translation: “life is good”) — into the top spot for 2018. “It’s hugely chill,” said Prescher, referring to the personal freedom and governance, not the weather. “They haven’t had an army for decades, elections go off without a hitch and there are no big demonstrations.”
Why Live and Invest Overseas Says Lisbon Is No. 1
Peddicord calls Live and Invest Overseas’ No. 1 choice, Lisbon, “a classical European city that nobody pays attention to.”
Noting that four of her rankings’ Top 10 places are in Europe, Peddicord says “Europe is so affordable now, so if you dream of Europe for retirement, take advantage of this window of opportunity.”
She says all the Live and Invest Overseas European picks — Lisbon; Saint-Chinian, France; Città Sant’Angelo, Italy and Ljubljana, Slovenia — are “bargains.” Città Sant’Angelo, for instance, “is everything you can imagine about life under the Tuscan sun, but it’s so affordable compared to Florence.”
If you’re contemplating retiring abroad but fearful about the possibility of terrorism, Peddicord says this: “Think about the recent mass gun shooting in the United States. We live in an age where these things are happening all over the world.”


Best Places to Retire Abroad in 2018: What 2 Rankings Say

For many years, the coastal South American country of Ecuador had it all for Americans considering retiring abroad: great weather, a low cost of living and beautiful beaches. Ecuador ranked No. 4 in International Living magazine's Best Countries to Retire Abroad in 2023.
Security forces keep guard outside the National Assembly in Quito after it was dissolved by former President Guillermo Lasso.In many parts of Ecuador today, however, it's a very different and scary story.
"Ecuador Was a Retirement Paradise for Americans. Then the Drug Gangs Arrived," The Wall Street Journal recently reported, noting that some U.S. expats have fled the country or plan to sell their homes. A New York Times headline read: "How Narco Traffickers Unleashed Violence and Chaos in Ecuador."
In his first speech as Ecuador's new president last week, Daniel Noboa said "tomorrow we begin to rebuild a country that has been severely hit by violence, corruption and hatred."
State Department Warning
The U.S. State Department has issued alarm bells, too.
The entire country of Ecuador now gets its Level 2 warning: Exercise Increased Caution. Lief Simon, who writes Live and Invest Overseas' Offshore Living Letter, says he takes that warning seriously.
Four areas in Ecuador have Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings, since U.S. government personnel are limited in their ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens there. Five other spots get this Level 3: Reconsider Travel caution: "Transnational criminal groups and local gangs have sporadically engaged in violent criminal activity in these areas, with violence increasing in recent months."
"People are out all the time every morning doing their thing."
To be sure, in many places around Ecuador — especially away from cocaine-transporting Pacific coast ports — people aren't trading beach umbrellas for bulletproof vests.
"Retirement Reimagined" expat writers (and Next Avenue contributors) Edd and Cynthia Staton love living in Cuenca, Ecuador, high in the Andes. They recently moved back there after investigating other potential locales around the world and just signed a four-year lease on their apartment.
In Cuenca, Cynthia says, "People are out all the time every morning doing their thing. I walk to yoga; we both walk to the gym. It's just daily life for us."
'Painting With Too Broad a Brush'
Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas (which chooses communities and regions, not countries, in its annual best places to retire abroad list), says: "Ecuador has historically been a very quiet, peaceful country really and that's definitely not completely the case right now. But I would not say that Ecuador is unsafe. I think that would be painting the whole thing with way too broad a brush."
Peddicord calls Ecuador's safety problems "localized" and "temporary."
While that may be true, the frightening life in certain parts of Ecuador offers a cautionary tale to Americans considering retiring abroad. It also shows the importance of researching a country and particular locations within it before relocating.
If choosing where to retire abroad merely based on a Best Places to Retire list from International Living or Live and Invest Overseas is the only research you do, "you shouldn't be going anywhere," says Dan Prescher, senior editor at International Living.
Research a Place to Retire
"Nothing really beats trying it out for yourself," by visiting a place before moving there, Prescher says. He also suggests joining local expat groups on Facebook, talking to people who live where you're contemplating moving and reading reputable news sources like The New York Times and The Economist.
"If you don't, you're being willfully ignorant," says Prescher.
Cynthia Staton thinks many prospective expats, like Americans generally, are unaware of goings on in nations overseas. "I think most people in the U.S. don't make it their business to find out a whole lot about other countries," she says.
Crime isn't even one of the Top 10 most important factors for Americans when choosing where to retire, according to a recent survey by the financial services firm Empower.
If a couple told her they were thinking of retiring in Ecuador now, she says, "I would ask them, 'Where are you thinking about living?' And if they immediately say, 'We really like the coast,' I would say, 'Well, you need to narrow down where on the coast you might want to live."
"You need to be flexible enough and resourceful enough so you don't end up feeling trapped in a place."
Adds Edd: "We could suggest to you places you might not want to live."
A Flaw in Some Best Places to Retire Lists
The checkerboard crime problems in Ecuador represent a flaw with Best Places lists that recommend entire countries, rather than places within them.
International Living's Prescher concedes that.
"We're probably doing ourselves an injustice to put out a country ranking like that. But that's the only way you can get a handle on all the places you could possibly move in the world that are decent, affordable, safe places to live," he says. "We've had this same issue with Mexico for years and years and years and I don't know what the solution is, honestly."
It's Not a One-Way Trip
Peddicord says Ecuador's troubles serve as a reminder that places change and if you retire abroad, you may need to move more than once accordingly.
"It's not a one-way trip and it's not a forever trip or a forever choice," she says. "You need to be flexible enough and resourceful enough so you don't end up feeling trapped in a place."
The 2024 Best Places to Retire Abroad lists from International Living and Live and Invest Overseas will come out in January. Odds are, Ecuador and some of its coastal towns won't get winning rankings.
But Prescher says he believes Ecuador's current problems aren't long-term. "I think this storm will be weathered," he says.


When a Popular Retirement Destination Goes South

Living your retirement abroad can be an immensely rewarding experience. I know; I’ve been doing it since I left my U.S. home, at 50, three years ago to begin my early retirement traveling around the world. But there are four things to keep in mind before you make the leap (I wish I’d known them before I started out):
 
No. 1: Retiring Overseas Isn't a Vacation
 
After you’ve packed up your life, said goodbye to your friends and moved to your new exotic overseas home, there will soon come that moment when you realize: This is not a vacation, this is my life.
(MORE: Best Places to Retire Abroad in 2015)
 
There are bills to be paid and chores to be dealt with. Finding the best markets and restaurants, making new friends and learning the ropes in your new location is fun, but eventually you’re going to need to find something more.
 
Many people plan for their financial needs in retirement, but they neglect the psychological and emotional aspects. That’s a big mistake. You don’t want to spend the best years of your life just frittering your time away. Although it may seem so at first, living abroad is not in itself an actual activity.
 
So before you start out, come up with a project (or many) and prepare to do things you’ll find rewarding. If you haven’t discovered your passions, this is the perfect time to find them. If you already know your passions, this is a perfect time to delve into them further.
 
No. 2: Comfort and Happiness Aren’t the Same
 
One of the things I used to hear over and over from people like me nearing retirement age was that they just wanted to be comfortable in retirement. Mostly they were referring to their finances, but often they were also talking about creating a sort of secure cocoon somewhere where they could hide from their worries, too. Problem is, as I’ve since learned, comfort and happiness aren’t the same thing.
(MORE: Chucking It All to Retire Around the World)
 
As people get older, they tend to start playing it safe while sacrificing their happiness. To me, there would be nothing sadder than to move somewhere and be seduced into a life with plenty of comfort, but little happiness. Wouldn’t it be better to use retirement abroad as an opportunity to push our comfort zones and find out new things about the world and ourselves?
 
No. 3: No Place Is Perfect
 
As I’ve been traveling the world in retirement, I’ve discovered that it’s truly an amazing place, but if you go looking for perfection you’re going to be disappointed.
 
Every place has periods of bad weather, dodgy parts of town and potholes. Bureaucracies and inefficiencies exist everywhere (albeit, more in some places than others). If you let them, they can be doubly frustrating when you don’t know the culture.
(MORE: Obstacles to Retiring Abroad)
 
How you deal with the negative aspects of any place comes down to a choice: They can be a trying ordeal or a challenging adventure.
 
In my experience, people who thrive abroad are the ones who are mentally prepared for dealing with things that are less than perfect.
 
Paradise is an attitude as much as it is a place.
 
No. 4: The World Isn’t That Scary After All
 
Before I headed out on my new adventure, I was a little fearful of what I might find in some exotic locations. But I can now report that in spite of the way things are presented in the 24-hour news cycle, the world isn’t that dangerous or scary.
 
So before you write off a place based on the latest event or news headline, do your homework. It’s entirely possible that hyped-up events in the news might keep you from going to a place that is safer than where you are now.
 
Fear is a phenomenon that is largely media-driven and marketing-created. I can’t begin to tell you how many people I’ve met overseas who, after watching their own country’s news channels, say they’d be afraid to go to into a movie theater or a school in the United States. We know doing those things are safe, but media exploitation can make some foreigners think otherwise.
 
Here’s the most important thing I’ve learned retiring abroad: There are far more places to live overseas filled with wonderful people who will generously accept you into their community than there are places where people wish you harm.
 
English is spoken widely and no matter how far afield you travel, chances are there will be someone with at least a basic knowledge of it. Knowing how to say “hello,” “please” and “thank you” in the local lingo will get you started. Having a great attitude and a genuine smile while you’re learning the native language will get you even further.
 
Jonathan Look, a photographer and writer, lives by the philosophy: “Why sip life from a straw when you can drink it from a fire hose?” You can sign up for his newsletter here, visit his website at LifePart2.com or visit him on Facebook.


4 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Retiring Abroad

Jonathan Look

Three years ago, I was living the prototypical American Dream — a home in a gated community, new cars in the driveway and a country club membership. I was making good money as an air traffic controller, but spending it on stuff I didn’t need. Stuck in a consumerist rut, I’d become what Henry David Thoreau called, “the tools of my tools.”
My 50 birthday and an opportunity to take early retirement were rapidly approaching, so I decided to ask myself some questions:
If I was happiest traveling, writing, taking photographs, making friends and having adventures, why was I spending my life sequestered at work and in the comfortable but boring bubble I’d created for myself?Why did I keep accumulating possessions that drained my finances, tied me down and consumed what little spare time I had?Could I reprioritize my life in way that would let me take early retirement and do the things that made me happiest?
His Plan: The Vagabond Life
After some soul searching, I decided to sell almost all of my stuff (house included) and travel the world — one country at a time, one year at a time — working occasionally as a photographer, writer and teacher and doing volunteer work. I'd be a vagabond and I’d do it for 10 years.
(MORE: How to Retire All Over the World)
Spending a year in one place, I figured, would allow me to start learning the culture, see the seasons and make some real relationships. I could take advantage of long-term rentals, learn how to live like the locals and have some time for relaxation to boot.
Paring my possessions down to a minimum would provide flexibility of movement and help me find out what I really needed to enjoy life. I wanted to — indeed I longed to —push my boundaries and quit playing it safe.

What His Friends Thought
Most of my friends thought I was crazy to give up everything and travel the world. Some seemed to think I’d be betraying the consumerist ethic that says the goal of life is to accumulate more and more “stuff” until you die. Others thought I was going through a midlife crisis and would be back in a few months longing for the return of what I’d shed. A few believed I had the germ of a good idea and was on the right track, but that my plan was unworkable.
(MORE: Best Places to Retire Abroad in 2015)
It’s now been three years since I actually began doing it. While I haven’t strictly adhered to my original “base one place for one year” idea, I have lived in, and certainly traveled in, some amazing places.

How His Plan Has Worked Out
I started with five months on the beach in Xcalak, a tiny village on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and then spent seven months high in the mountains of southern Mexico in the town of San Cristobal de las Casas.
Next, I followed a few months back in the United States with nine months in the shadow of Angkor Wat in the Cambodian town of Siem Reap. For the past 18 months or so, I’ve been based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In the interim, I spent a month in Bali, a month in Myanmar (Burma) and a month in Laos. I’ve also traveled to Bhutan, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, Malaysia, Peru and Vietnam.
(MORE: Best and Worst Reasons to Retire Early)
Right now, I’m in the process of discarding what little dross I’ve accumulated in Thailand for a move further afield in Southeast Asia.
Not Rich, But Living Richly
After three years, I am not rich, but I am living more richly than ever before.
I can hardly believe the places I have seen and the adventures I’ve had since retirement.  I know that from the outside it must all seem expensive and extravagant, but it really isn’t. All it has required is a recalibration of the things that I value and see as important.
My base living expenses are less than 20 percent of what they were back in the states when I was looking for meaning in the things I bought and consumed.
Now, instead of finding ways to kill time, I spend my days running toward life and living life consciously and deliberately.
Over the last few years I have seen a lot of places and learned a lot about myself, but the biggest thing I have discovered is that retirement can be a time of reinvention and living your dreams.
Retirement should be simply a new phase of life or truly, Life Part 2.
 
Jonathan Look, a photographer and writer, lives by the philosophy: “Why sip life from a straw when you can drink it from a fire hose?” You can sign up for his newsletter here, visit his website at LifePart2.com or visit him on Facebook.


Chucking It All at 50 to Retire Around the World

Ecuador regularly shows up on those “Best Places to Retire Abroad” lists. International Living named Ecuador its No. 4 country for the past two years and Live and Invest Overseas ranked Cuenca, Ecuador No. 7 on its 2019 list. And when I recently met with expats Edd and Cynthia Staton, who moved to Cuenca from Las Vegas 10 years ago and offer a Retirement Reimagined! Program to help others retire abroad, they couldn’t have been more effusive about their newish home.
Cuenca, EcuadorBut what’s it really like to retire in the South American country of Ecuador and why are so many Americans doing it?
Retiring in Cuenca, Ecuador: Perception vs. Reality
According to Matthew Hayes, author of the new book, Gringolandia, the reality is sometimes different from the rosy picture luring growing numbers of American expats.
Hayes is a somewhat unexpected authority on the subject of expats in Ecuador. Based in New Brunswick, Canada, the economic sociologist is the Canada Research Chair in Global and International Studies at St. Thomas University in Fredericton there. But he became fascinated by the trend and spent 39 weeks making field visits to Cuenca (pronounced QUEN-ka; metropolitan area population: 700,000) from 2011 to 2016, interviewing 108 people who’d moved there, mostly to retire; nearly all were Americans, a few were Canadians.
After reading Gringolandia, I interviewed Hayes about why Americans are retiring to Cuenca and what they’re finding once they arrive. Highlights below:
Next Avenue: What led you to write Gringolandia?
Matthew HayesMatthew Hayes: I was thinking in 2010 about doing research into how peoples’ lives were being reorganized after the Great Recession. I knew some people in Cuenca and ran into a couple in Oregon who said they were moving to Ecuador. I was curious why.
It seemed like a nice place to me, but not especially warm, and no tradition of retirement communities. They said they had lost their savings and I thought, ‘This is a really interesting story.’ My parents were also approaching retirement at that time and worrying about what was happening to their savings. I thought this was a story worth telling.
Others told me that they began looking online for more affordable places to retire. And when they typed in ‘cheap places to retire’ or they started exploring this on the internet, they began running into stuff by international lifestyle marketers, especially International Living. This company and others produced a lot of content and linked it to content generated by individuals with blogs. Cuenca had been heavily marketed since 2009.
Why did the expats say they moved to Cuenca, Ecuador?
I focused my interviews on what was going on with people in their lives that might have led them to search for a lower-cost retirement destination. In that respect, what showed up was what they were moving from.
They wanted to get off the rat wheel. Maybe their careers didn’t develop the way they wanted to live. Or they wanted a more meaningful life. Some told me it might be difficult to purchase and sustain retirement in a place like Los Angeles if you’re not independently wealthy.
Some were looking for an adventure; travel is now a marker of success in the third age of life. It shows you are living a successful retirement.
They talked about being more active and able to socialize more and staying young by meeting people and getting involved in activities and seeing things they hadn’t seen before. It’s all very tied to the idea of active aging, which is a dominant cultural ideal of aging at this moment in time.
And the international lifestyle marketers are promoting real estate abroad and lifestyle experiences, making money off of those relocations.
You write in the book that quite a few of the women you met came as an adventure. Can you talk about that?
A lot did talk about moving as an adventure, but a lot of the women were moving for economic reasons and to be more active and to break with traditional gender roles that would have been assigned to them in the United States. For some, this was an opportunity to experiment with aging alone.
Would you describe the expats you met as wealthy? 
A lot of the retirees were on fixed incomes and they wanted to live comfortably. All of them could be broadly described as middle class.
You say many of the expats call themselves ‘economic refugees.’ What does that mean?
It means they couldn’t stay in the United States living the life they were living without continuing to work. And some felt they were displaced. In a lot of cities, like Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco and New York and Chicago, the cost of living has increased so much in the last decade or two that some people feel it’s impossible to remain in place.
Many people I met also felt their job in the United States was just a job and they wanted something more meaningful in retirement.
What was their financial situation like in America before they moved to Ecuador?
One woman and her husband owned a restaurant that wasn’t going gangbusters and they had medical bills coming in. They were worried about having to declare bankruptcy. The story she told me was one of desperation, looking to get out of a bad situation.
If you go online and start researching places, marketers are pushing the vision that if you don’t have enough savings to afford retirement in America, there are places you can go and companies in those places will attempt to organize a comfortable lifestyle for you.
Like International Living?
Some people I interviewed said International Living provided far too rosy a picture.
I didn’t talk to anyone who felt they were tricked into moving to Ecuador. But I talked to people who said they had read articles and reviews on that website and moved there and then realized it wasn’t possible to live on $700 a month.
It is possible to live in Cuenca, Ecuador on a very low income, but it means radically changing your lifestyle. Many said you need to more money to live comfortably there because many of the apartments cater to North Americans and reflect North Americans’ tastes and are expensive.
And what’s the financial situation like for the expats now?
Most seem to be doing quite well economically. They talk about being able to go out more and often enjoy restaurants.
Are many of these people working part-time now? What kind of jobs?
A lo of people there are fully retired. There are some who have companies. They work online part-time. They say it’s easier to start a business in Ecuador than in the United States. Many are catering to other North Americans.
What are the biggest differences between what the expats thought they would find and what they did find moving to Ecuador?
The thing that surprised them, I think, is how living in a city in the United States had changed their lives. What came up in many interviews was how they lost weight when they moved to Ecuador because they’re so much more physically active, walking to places and eating healthier food.
What is the consequence of the migration of the expats for the native people in Ecuador?
One of the big issues is the different economic level of people moving across the globe. I’m not trying to say people shouldn’t travel. I’m just saying because the world is very unequal, these types of transactional migrations will have consequences on the lower-income communities.
Cuenca, Ecuador is a very unequal space. With thousands of people moving in with higher incomes, the economic impact is not necessarily shared equally. The people able to benefit have been the upper classes of Cuenca, who have more in common with Americans and understand their tastes. They’re able to open businesses to cater to their needs or own properties that can be rented or sold.
Why isn’t this migration benefiting all the people of Cuenca?
Many do benefit. There’s an increase in employment for domestic service people like gardeners. And there is a strong civic feeling among North Americans there who want to be involved in the community and do a lot of charitable work. And that’s no doubt deeply appreciated by people who benefit.
But many people there are employed at service-level jobs that are not sustainable jobs that enable them to gain long-term stable incomes. They’re often at the margins of the economy in Cuenca.
How well do the native residents get along and live with the expats?
I wouldn’t say there’s any great tension. They don’t see the Americans as migrants. They’re kind of like long-term privileged tourists to the people there. They’re remaking the city in ways that are positive for some, and displacing many.


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