“Choices are the hinges of destiny,” said the poet Edwin Markham. Never a truer word when it comes to deciding where you should retire, and IL’s Annual Global Retirement Index is our way of helping you oil those hinges. Wherever you choose, you’ll benefit from lower costs of living, less stress, and a better all-round quality of life. But we understand that the more idyllic retirement havens we uncover overseas, the tougher it is to make a choice about which one is right for you.
That’s why, every January, we rank and rate the very best. Each year we refine our method and filter ever-more data and expat feedback. That last one—the views of our contacts and contributors on the ground—is the vital ingredient.
Of course, you don’t have to pick just one place. Retiring overseas is not an all or nothing thing. You could pick your favorite beach retreat, colonial town, or mountain escape, and then leverage the lower cost of living there to fund all sorts of fun travels. Spend a few months in Europe or explore Peru…
Tricia A. Mitchell explains how she and her husband Shawn enjoyed Tuscan-style living for just $1,300 a month in a hidden corner of the Adriatic. “You can spend your morning exploring islands or relaxing on the beach, and your evening dining on wild asparagus risotto in a hilltop town,” writes Tricia.
When Michael Sump and his wife, Suzanne retired they wanted to tackle new goals and new activities, and avoid flabby waistlines and flabbier minds. “We decided to explore South America and for the last four years we have been Spanish students on the move,” writes Michael. “Going back to school in your 50s and 60s is an enlivening experience and now we have friends all over the world.”
Or you could join the thousands of savvy retirees who have the best of both worlds as snowbirders, escaping cruel winters for part-time living in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. You’ll hear from travelers who have found lower costs, better weather and lots to do in tropical locales from Mexico to Malaysia.
Eoin Bassett, International Executive Editor
Stone jars of all sizes were scattered among the low hills, rice paddies, and forest. Many were almost six-and-a-half feet high, others barely came up to our knees. How they got here is anybody’s guess; their origins and purpose are shrouded in mystery, though they are thought to have been crafted more than 2,000 years ago.
From our elevated position, the lush green jungle tumbled down the hillside to the ocean below, and the neighboring island of Phangnan loomed large on the horizon. It was time for a cold Chang beer ($2.80). We stopped at the 2-Bay-Friendly Restaurant to make the most of the view.
"Since moving to Paris, I haven't been able to participate in my annual ritual of cheering friends in the New York Marathon from the sidelines. But after learning that a friend runs a rather, um, special marathon in Médoc, a wine region just outside Bordeaux, I'm seriously considering starting a new tradition," writes IL France Correspondent Barbara Diggs.
I see proof that a major bull market is coming back in mining, the kind of bull market that can make us rich. The upturn is specific to smaller, leaner concerns—junior mines—which have survived a five-year period from 2011 to 2016, when investors were fleeing the junior mining sector.
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With a spring-like climate all year round, tree-covered mountains sloping to the warm waters of the Pacific, and a great sense of community, Panama's Chiriquí region, and particularly the town of Boquete, has attracted savvy expats for decades. Constant sunshine, small-town values, and a relaxed, tropical lifestyle tick all the boxes for a dream retirement destination.
Mexico When the frigid winds and wet, heavy snows of winter threaten the northern state of Wisconsin, Gary and MaryBeth Vanlankvelt head south… All the way south to the small, tropical island of Isla Mujeres, off Mexico’s Caribbean coast.
"Every morning in Panama we wake up and say, 'It's another beautiful day,'and it has never stopped. We love it here," says Donna James of her and husband Ron's six-month stays in Panama. "We go for a lot of walks and love morning coffee on the side patio, and evening drinks watching the sunset. Our area is full of birds, so the bird-watching is wonderful,
My love affair with MedellÃn, Colombia began after only my third day in the city. I woke to the sound of the birds chirping in the tree outside my window. I spent the day wandering through the neighborhood taking in the sights and sounds of my new surroundings. Fruit vendors were calling out to me announcing what they had to sell.
Evening has arrived, and a tangerine-colored sun sets behind the limestone arches of a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater. Above, seagulls dance on a warm sea breeze—a peaceful contrast to the line of Roman gladiators marching into the arena.