The world may be your retirement oyster, but where will you live? A number of overseas locales have popped up for the more adventurous expats, and Live and Invest Overseas is out with its annual list of those that are more desirable.
“Retiring abroad and launching a new life in a new country is the adventure of a lifetime,” said Kathleen Peddicord, author and publisher of Live and Invest Overseas. “But with an endless array of choices, from Old World culture to mountain living, how does one decide what’s best? That’s why we’ve spent the last year compiling the information needed to make an informed decision.”
The website’s Overseas Retirement Index concentrates on cities (and a few regions), rather than whole countries.
“That’s because a big, diverse country can offer vastly different lifestyles,” Peddicord adds. “But by concentrating on cities, the Index provides the more specific information needed to make informed decisions.”
Each report in the index is divided into categories which readers have indicated are important to them. The 15 categories are cost of living, health care, residency options, entertainment, recreation, English spoken, expat community, taxes, real estate affordability, real estate restrictions, infrastructure (Internet, electricity and domestic access), environmental factors, crime and safety, access to North America and climate.
“Many of the new destinations are not well-known and not yet on the mainstream radar,” Peddicord concluded. “This means we’ve had to pass on some old favorites and although most remain great options, the rapid rise of some of our new destinations left us with no choice but to leave them out.”
And the top destination?
Portugal, for the sixth time running.
From health care to beaches, The Algarve has something for everyone in Portugal, the site notes.
But what is it that makes the Algarve so special? The weather is a good place to start. There is sunshine throughout the year and the winters are short and mild. The region receives over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. The expat community is well established and welcoming. The medical facilities and health care are affordable and high quality with two major hospitals nearby.
Here’s how the rest of the list breaks down on an overall basis:
- Annecy, France
- Bled, Slovenia
- Canggu, Bali
- Cascais, Portugal
- Città Sant’Angelo, Italy
- Cuenca, Ecuador
- Da Lat, Vietnam
- Da Nang, Vietnam
- Fortaleza, Brazil