Karen C. Says:
I am interested in hearing more about international places where English is spoken freely.
IL Lifestyle Editor Sean Keenan Says:
Dear Karen,
Thanks for getting in touch, and what a great question! My initial answer when someone asks me where English is spoken is…England. But with post-Brexit political turmoil alongside an inflation crisis and sky-rocketing cost of living, you’d be forgiven for thinking twice about retiring in the United Kingdom right now. Nevertheless, the good news is that the U.K.’s worldwide influence in past centuries means that many places now use English as an official language.
As potential retirement destinations, some are more practical than others. South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka…I’d like to visit them all, but when it comes to an overseas retirement, there are a handful of details that make things more complicated than simply picking your next vacation. Details like whether you can get a long-term residence visa; whether you can trust (or afford) the available healthcare options; whether the climate suits your needs…the list goes on.
But you’re in luck! These are exactly the factors that we examine and score in International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index (you’ll find it here). Of the destinations we’ve included in this year’s Index, three count English as their official language: Malta, Belize, and Ireland. (Malta also counts Maltese as an official language.)
Something that leaps out to me when I see them together, is that those three countries offer a surprisingly large range of climates between them.
With full-on Caribbean tropical weather year-round, Belize would be a top pick for those who love the heat.
Malta, right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, is cooler in winters (with daytime highs in January averaging 60.8 F) but wonderfully warm in summer (July highs average out at 87.8 F).
Ireland, on the other hand, is mild year-round, and a definite pick for those who struggle with heat.
There’s more to picking the ideal retirement destination than climate, though, which is why I do recommend you take a look at the Global Retirement Index, which scores destinations by seven categories: Housing, Visas and Residence, Cost of Living, Affinity Rating, Development and Governance, Climate, and Healthcare. Deciding which of these categories is most important to you is a solid step toward finding the place that will suit you best for your overseas retirement.
Before I wrap up, though, I should mention that even in destinations that do not use English as an official language, there are plenty of places where communities of expats are so developed that it’s easy to get by without speaking much of the local language. Places like Cuenca in Ecuador, Boquete in Panama, Marbella in Spain, Tulum/Cancún/Playa del Carmen in Mexico, or Vilamoura in Portugal. In those internationalized spots, it’s easy to get by with English alone.
Good hunting!
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