You are all set for retirement and are looking forward to it. Now the big question is: Where should I retire?
The decision of where to settle for every retiree would be simple, if there were just one ideal location to match every ones needs. But to fit every ones ideal dream there are adequate attractive and happy options all over the globe.
Regardless of your ultimate, there a few key things to look for when deciding where to live in retirement.
Here are some research points to start.
Climate: Choosing a place with right weather conditions for one is a must. Moving to warmer climates to avoid could be a good option. Finding a place with an average temperature and conditions comfortable for both of you will be ideal
Proximity to Family and friends: Moving to another country or even state will distance between you and your family and friends due to which you can visit each other that often. Proximity to family and friends during retirement should be one of the key considerations while deciding a place
Health care: Quality local hospitals and health facilities should be in close proximity to your home. Also retirement communities in the area could come handy too
Cost of living: Stretching retirement budgets is one of the primary concerns for most seniors and their families. Identifying a place with similar or lower cost of living index is a must. If the new place costs lesser than the current home, relocating in retirement then makes perfect sense.
Safety: It’s important to move to a safe neighborhood
Local Population: Having people who grew up in similar times and having similar interest is definitely a cherry on top of the cake. Have a multi-diversity population is a good thing, but you don’t want to be the only senior in the town.
Based on our research, we have put together top 14 places to retire in:
Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock
1. Costa Rica
Weather – Average temperature ranges between 70F to 81F. It has no real summer or winter, but the rainy season lasts from May to November.
- Buying & Investing: 90
- Renting: 90
- Benefits & Discounts: 82
- Visas & Residence: 89
- Cost of Living: 84
- Fitting In: 94
- Entertainment & Amenities: 97
- Healthcare: 99
- Healthy Lifestyle: 100
- Development: 90
- Climate: 89
- Governance: 91
- Final Score: 91.3
Florian Augustin / Shutterstock
2. Mexico
The Tropic of Cancer effectively divides the country into temperate and tropical zones. Land north of the twenty-fourth parallel experiences cooler temperatures during the winter months. South of the twenty-fourth parallel, temperatures are fairly constant year round and vary solely as a function of elevation. This gives Mexico one of the world’s most diverse weather systems.
- Buying & Investing: 89
- Renting: 90
- Benefits & Discounts: 94
- Visas & Residence: 96
- Cost of Living: 88
- Fitting In: 93
- Entertainment & Amenities: 97
- Healthcare: 90
- Healthy Lifestyle: 90
- Development: 90
- Climate: 88
- Governance: 89
- Final Score: 91.2
GTS Productions / Shutterstock
3. Panama
Panama has a tropical climate. Temperatures are uniformly high—as is the relative humidity—and there is little seasonal variation.
- Buying & Investing: 80
- Renting: 90
- Benefits & Discounts: 100
- Visas & Residence: 100
- Cost of Living: 84
- Fitting In: 93
- Entertainment & Amenities: 93
- Healthcare: 90
- Healthy Lifestyle: 94
- Development: 90
- Climate: 89
- Governance: 90
- Final Score: 91.1
Jess Kraft / Shutterstock
4. Ecuador
There is great variety in the climate, largely determined by altitude. It is mild year-round in the mountain valleys, with a humid subtropical climate in coastal areas and rainforest in lowlands. The Pacific coastal area has a tropical climate with a severe rainy season. The climate in the Andean highlands is temperate and relatively dry, and the Amazon basin on the eastern side of the mountains shares the climate of other rainforest zones.
Because of its location at the equator, Ecuador experiences little variation in daylight hours during the course of a year. Both sunrise and sunset occur each day at the two six o’clock hours.
- Buying & Investing: 84
- Renting: 86
- Benefits & Discounts: 95
- Visas & Residence: 82
- Cost of Living: 85
- Fitting In: 92
- Entertainment & Amenities: 91
- Healthcare: 89
- Healthy Lifestyle: 90
- Development: 86
- Climate: 98
- Governance: 81
- Final Score: 88.3
ESB Professional / Shutterstock
5. Malaysia
Located near the equator, Malaysia’s climate is categorized as equatorial, being hot and humid throughout the year.
- Buying & Investing: 79
- Renting: 95
- Benefits & Discounts: 69
- Visas & Residence: 90
- Cost of Living: 82
- Fitting In: 95
- Entertainment & Amenities: 97
- Healthcare: 94
- Healthy Lifestyle: 95
- Development: 87
- Climate: 78
- Governance: 91
- Final Score: 87.7
Jess Kraft / Shutterstock
6. Colombia
The climate of Colombia is characterized for being tropical presenting variations within six natural regions and depending on the altitude, temperature, humidity, winds and rainfall. The diversity of climate zones in Colombia is characterized for having tropical rainforests, savannas, steppes, deserts and mountain climate.
- Buying & Investing: 83
- Renting: 86
- Benefits & Discounts: 63
- Visas & Residence: 82
- Cost of Living: 90
- Fitting In: 88
- Entertainment & Amenities: 90
- Healthcare: 93
- Healthy Lifestyle: 93
- Development: 91
- Climate: 89
- Governance: 80
- Final Score: 85.7
ESB Professional / Shutterstock
7. Portugal
Portugal is classified as Csb climate; a warm temperate moist forest climate, with wet winters, dry summers and the warmest month above 22°C on average.
- Buying & Investing: 82
- Renting: 81
- Benefits & Discounts: 75
- Visas & Residence: 79
- Cost of Living: 85
- Fitting In: 88
- Entertainment & Amenities: 85
- Healthcare: 84
- Healthy Lifestyle: 92
- Development: 94
- Climate: 87
- Governance: 94
- Final Score: 85.5
iFerol / Shutterstock
8. Nicaragua
A tropical climate can be observed in Nicaragua. Just as in the other Central American countries, there are two seasons: the dry and the raining season. During the dry season (January – June) there is virtually no rain and trees and plants start to dry out.
- Buying & Investing: 85
- Renting: 95
- Benefits & Discounts: 65
- Visas & Residence: 77
- Cost of Living: 92
- Fitting In: 88
- Entertainment & Amenities: 90
- Healthcare: 80
- Healthy Lifestyle: 98
- Development: 77
- Climate: 80
- Governance: 80
- Final Score: 83.9
LucVi / Shutterstock
9. Spain
There are three different climate zones in Spain, due to its large size. Visitors can generally expect a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The vast central plateau, or Meseta, has a more continental influenced climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters.
- Buying & Investing: 82
- Renting: 79
- Benefits & Discounts: 70
- Visas & Residence: 73</li>
- Cost of Living: 81
- Fitting In: 89
- Entertainment & Amenities: 90
- Healthcare: 87
- Healthy Lifestyle: 88
- Development: 95
- Climate: 88
- Governance: 81
- Final Score: 83.6
sharptoyou / Shutterstock
10. Peru
The weather in Peru varies according to area – the changes in altitude are so extreme that the climate goes from freezing snow in the mountains to boiling sun on the coast. Likewise, the coast covers such a large stretch of longitude that the temperature changes dramatically as you head further south.
- Buying & Investing: 81
- Renting: 91
- Benefits & Discounts: 66
- Visas & Residence: 89
- Cost of Living: 95
- Fitting In: 82
- Entertainment & Amenities: 80
- Healthcare: 81
- Healthy Lifestyle: 79
- Development: 79
- Climate: 89
- Governance: 82
- Final Score: 82.8
Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock
11. Italy
Thanks to the great longitudinal extension of the peninsula and the mostly mountainous internal conformation, the climate of Italy is highly diverse. In most of the inland northern and central regions, the climate ranges from humid subtropical to humid continental and oceanic. In particular, the climate of the Po valley geographical region is mostly continental, with harsh winters and hot summers.
- Buying & Investing: 81
- Renting: 82
- Benefits & Discounts: 71
- Visas & Residence: 74
- Cost of Living: 81
- Fitting In: 79
- Entertainment & Amenities: 92
- Healthcare: 87
- Healthy Lifestyle:88
- Development: 90
- Climate: 82
- Governance: 83
- Final Score: 82.5
Zoltan Gabor / Shutterstock
12. Malta
Malta has a Mediterranean climate with very mild winters and warm to hot summers. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry.
- Buying & Investing: 76
- Renting: 81
- Benefits & Discounts: 69
- Visas & Residence: 76
- Cost of Living: 71
- Fitting In: 96
- Entertainment & Amenities: 91
- Healthcare: 82
- Healthy Lifestyle: 86
- Development: 89
- Climate: 81
- Governance: 85
- Final Score: 81.9
saiko3p / Shutterstock
13. Thailand
Thailand’s climate is tropical with a mean annual temperature of 82°F and high humidity. There are three distinct seasons – the hot season from March to May, the cool season from November to February and the rainy season from about June to October.
- Buying & Investing: 75
- Renting: 87
- Benefits & Discounts: 62
- Visas & Residence: 72
- Cost of Living: 90
- Fitting In: 89
- Entertainment & Amenities: 90
- Healthcare: 88
- Healthy Lifestyle: 80
- Development: 88
- Climate: 82
- Governance: 78
- Final Score: 81.8
S-F / Shutterstock
14. France
France generally enjoys cool winters and mild summers except along the Mediterranean where mild winters and hot summers are the norm.
- Buying & Investing: 77
- Renting: 82
- Benefits & Discounts: 79
- Visas & Residence: 77
- Cost of Living: 57
- Fitting In: 89
- Entertainment & Amenities: 95
- Healthcare: 87
- Healthy Lifestyle: 81
- Development: 95
- Climate: 80
- Governance: 81
- Final Score: 81.7