Malta Ranked Best Places to Retire in Europe

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Half of the Top 25 Best Places to Retire Are in Latin America

Despite all the mainstream’s media scaremongering, Latin America managed to place 13 countries in the top 25 best countries to retire.

Following Ecuador’s first-place finish, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia ranked second, third, fifth and eighth, respectively, while Uruguay, Belize, Nicaragua, Brazil, Honduras, Chile, Dominican Republic and Guatemala also joined the top 25.

Panama came in second thanks to its unique Pensionado Visa, a residency permit for retirees who make more than $1,000 per month in pension.

This particular visa grants holders a range of discounts “including 20% off medical services, 50% off entertainment, 25% off restaurant meals, 25% off air fare, and 25% off electricity and phone bills,” says Jessica Ramesch, IL’s Panama Editor.

Colombia, South America’s numero dos, is praised for its affordable yet world-class healthcare system.

Michael Evans, IL’s Colombia Correspondent, said, “In a 2014 survey, 18 Colombian medical institutions ranked among the top 45 in Latin America. According to the World Health Organization, Colombia actually has better health care than the United States or Canada.”

Ayuthaya, Thailand

Malaysia and Thailand: Where to Retire in Asia!

Malaysia and Thailand represent Asia in the top ten, coming in fourth and tenth as best countries to retire.

Malaysia boasts of great cultural diversity and an exceedingly cheap cost of living with rent for a large apartment with swimming pool running at about $850 per month. Its location is also ideal to explore the rest of Southeast Asia and English is widely spoken.

Besides its delectable cuisine and natural beauty, Thailand also appeals to retirees with its low-cost healthcare system. According to IL, teeth can be cared for with $30 and a basic health insurance runs for $300.

Spain, Malta, & Portugal Ranked Best Places to Retire in Europe

In Europe, the Mediterranean dominates, placing Spain (6th), Malta (7th), and Portugal (9th) in the top 10 best countries to retire in.

These countries share many commonalities that make them preferred retirements havens. Even though they are more expensive than the Latin American or Asian countries, plenty of sunshine, culture, and outdoor activities, a wealth of cuisine and reasonably priced (for Europe) real estate make them an attractive option for many retirees.

Who Tops International Living’s List?

(Grades are out of 100)

#1 Ecuador – 92.7
	Buying & Renting	100
	Benefits & Discounts	96
	Cost of Living	92
	Fitting In	95
	Entertainment & Amenities	98
	Healthcare	82
	Infrastructure	78
	Climate	100
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
#2 Panama – 90.6
	Buying & Renting	80
	Benefits & Discounts	100
	Cost of Living	91
	Fitting In	97
	Entertainment & Amenities	100
	Healthcare	89
	Infrastructure	84
	Climate	85
Panama Canal
#3 Mexico – 87.6
	Buying & Renting	80
	Benefits & Discounts	80
	Cost of Living	90
	Fitting In	95
	Entertainment & Amenities	97
	Healthcare	84
	Infrastructure	85
	Climate	89
Chichen Itza, Mexico
#4 Malaysia – 86.8
	Buying & Renting	81
	Benefits & Discounts	66
	Cost of Living	90
	Fitting In	97
	Entertainment & Amenities	96
	Healthcare	94
	Infrastructure	95
	Climate	76
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
#5 Costa Rica – 86.6
	Buying & Renting	84
	Benefits & Discounts	76
	Cost of Living	90
	Fitting In	97
	Entertainment & Amenities	97
	Healthcare	89
	Infrastructure	82
	Climate	78
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
#6 Spain – 86.1
	Buying & Renting	84
	Benefits & Discounts	70
	Cost of Living	89
	Fitting In	84
	Entertainment & Amenities	93
	Healthcare	87
	Infrastructure	100
	Climate	83
Sevilla, Spain
#7 Malta – 86.1
	Buying & Renting	78
	Benefits & Discounts	84
	Cost of Living	87
	Fitting In	100
	Entertainment & Amenities	78
	Healthcare	86
	Infrastructure	93
	Climate	82
St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta in Malta
#8 Colombia – 85.4
	Buying & Renting	84
	Benefits & Discounts	68
	Cost of Living	90
	Fitting In	82
	Entertainment & Amenities	91
	Healthcare	88
	Infrastructure	85
	Climate	95
San Agustin, Colombia
#9 Portugal – 84.8
	Buying & Renting	79
	Benefits & Discounts	74
	Cost of Living	90
	Fitting In	86
	Entertainment & Amenities	88
	Healthcare	81
	Infrastructure	98
	Climate	82
Lisbon, Portugal
#10 Thailand – 84.6
	Buying & Renting	76
	Benefits & Discounts	68
	Cost of Living	92
	Fitting In	94
	Entertainment & Amenities	100
	Healthcare	89
	Infrastructure	79
	Climate	79
Phanom Rung, Thailand

Who Rounds Out the Top 25?

Source: International Living Magazine’s 2015 Global Retirement Index – The World’s Best Places to Retire.

Best Countries to Retire: BBC Capital & The Telegraph

UK newspaper, The Telegraph, also released its own ranking, which surprisingly does not match International Living’s annual index.

In the UK publication’s list, Malta, Portugal and Spain took gold, silver and bronze as best places to retire. These Mediterranean locations were followed by Barbados, the USA, Australia, Thailand, Jamaica, Morocco and Greece, all countries (except for Thailand) that failed to make IL’s top 25.

On the other hand, BBC Capital listed their top destinations, all of which appear in IL’s annual index. Their unranked suggestions of best countries to retire in include Panama, Thailand, Malta, Belize, France Portugal and Malaysia.

https://taxlinked.net/blog/august-2015/the-25-best-places-to-retire