Overall score: 76
Housing: 77
Healthcare: 84
Cost of living: 92
John Powell, once a purchasing agent in New York, moved to Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2014. He told International Living that he budgets $2,700 a month and likes the city because of its low cost of living comfortably and its location: "It's a good base for travel."
Overall score: 76.4
Housing: 68
Healthcare: 85
Cost of living: 66
Carol and Scott Lonsdale moved to Brittany, France in 2016. They told International Living that they liked the slower pace of life and the access to European culture France provides. "In France, there's such a great amount of care taken with how well things are managed, maintained and appreciated ... And did we mention the wine?"
Overall score: 76.8
Housing: 72
Healthcare: 97
Cost of living: 81
Michele and Stanton Cohen moved to Girona in 2017 from Yuma, Arizona. They told International Living their favorite aspect of life abroad is affordable dining and entertainment, saying they not only go out for 3-course meals under $30, but "often go out for breakfast and meet friends for coffee or drinks at least twice a week." The medical and dental care also helps: "The prices are about one-third of US medical costs."
Overall score: 81.9
Housing: 77
Healthcare: 93
Cost of living: 85
Keith and Lisa Hockton retired to Penang, Malaysia, in 2010. In addition to low cost of living, they are appreciative of the temperate weather, noting the average year-round temperature to be 82 degrees Fahrenheit and its proximity to over 878 nearby islands with "white-sand beaches."
Overall score: 82
Housing: 84
Healthcare: 84
Cost of living: 90
Mary and Wayne Bustle relocated to Quito, Ecuador's capital, in early 2015. The climate, which Wayne told International Living "hardly varies ... with no snow or extreme heat nor humidity," drew the couple to Ecuador after they had considered 13 countries. There are also attractive senior discounts, like half-price on all airline tickets.
Overall score: 83.4
Housing: 80
Healthcare: 94
Cost of living: 88
Nancy Kiernan was initially drawn to Colombia because it is so biodiverse — she chose to retire in Medellín. She found she could obtain a renewable three-year Colombian retirement visa by providing proof of $750 in annual income from US Social Security. She also noted that though Medellín is a bigger city, with a population of nearly four million, it has the "vibe of a smaller, friendly town, that makes you feel part of a community."
Overall score: 83.8
Housing: 91
Healthcare: 88
Cost of living: 86
Don Murray, who retired to Mexico in 2014, found that the country had a number of expat enclaves, making it easy to assimilate.
"What I and most other expats love about Mexico is the vibrant life and culture," Murray told International Living. "It's quite easy to fit in." Popular spots include villages near the beaches of Cancun or the mountains of San Miguel de Allende.
Overall score: 85.3
Housing: 85
Healthcare: 96
Cost of living: 82
"Here there's more time to actually stop and smell the roses," expat retiree Graham Swindell told International Living. "Combine that with great waves, an amazing climate, and a culture that places family, friends, and a relaxed quality of live above all, then it's easy to see why so many people come here for a week, and end up staying for a decade, or even a lifetime."
Kathleen Evans, another Costa Rica retiree, noted that "Once you have acquired your residency, you pay between 7% and 11% of your reported monthly income, and the socialized medicine program is available to you."
Overall score: 85.8
Housing: 88
Healthcare: 94
Cost of living: 89
Jessica Ramesh retired to Panama City and lives there alone for about "$2,600 a month, including rent, groceries, utilities, and entertainment." She also celebrated the quality and price of healthcare, estimating doctor visits to be "a nominal fee of between $20 and $60." Easy access to the US is also a selling point — it is about three hours from Miami by plane.
Overall score: 86
Housing: 93
Healthcare: 98
Cost of living: 85
In addition to affordable lifestyle including quality healthcare, temperate climate, and "excellent food and wine," Tricia Pimental, who has lived in Portugal for seven years, said she and her husband moved there for a more "ephemeral" reason: "The overarching sense of well-being we experience here." Portugal also has a number of expat enclaves including cities like Porto and Lisbon or "beach havens" like Cascais or the Algarve.
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