Top Places to Live in Retirement

Top places to live in retirement is determined by the annual migration of retirees to overseas destinations. Many people want a change in lifestyle. They want to move away from large cities and have a more relaxing lifestyle in a smaller coastal community.

Your current location and citizenship will determine where your best places will be to live in retirement.

If you live in USA or Canada, your best and closest options are Mexico, Caribbean Islands and Central America.

If you live in UK or Northern Europe, your best and closest options are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece or Southern France.

For those who live in Australia, Asia has many exciting and affordable retirement options.

However, people are moving just about anywhere in the world to find that perfect retirement lifestyle.

Here are the top places to live in retirement.

Mexico

Most people want to retire near the sea and Mexico doesn’t disappoint. There are so many beautiful beach-resort style retirement locations in Mexico. The difficult part is choosing one of them!

The eastern Yucatan peninsula area stretching from Cancun to Tulum is very popular for retirees. The real estate prices will be expensive near the water but much less expensive than USA or Canadian cities. The facilities are excellent with many shops, restaurants, golf courses, medical centers and an international airport. Also, there is a large expat population in the area.

The Pacific side of Mexico offers many attractive retirement locations.

Cabo San Lucas is a beautiful town located at the tip of the Baha California peninsula. This is a popular tourist location with many outdoor activities, shops, cafes and international airport. You’re only a few hours from many USA locations so travelling home to see friends and relatives is easy.

Puerto Vallarta is located in a large bay on the Pacific coast of Mexico. This has developed into a popular beach resort area where Elizabeth Taylor once lived.

Further south are Acapulco and Huatulco with their amazing white sand beaches. The region is made up of 9 bays, including the popular cruise-ship port of call Santa Cruz Bay. International airports make access easy for both locations.

Bali

This Indonesian resort island is large and diverse. Surrounded by beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests, rice farms and volcanoes, Bali is an exciting place to live. Popular with Australians and Europeans, Bali has become a major south east Asian tourist destination. With so many restaurants offering international cuisine and exciting nightlife, Bali does not disappoint any traveler.

Retirees from first world nations can easily afford to live here. The cost of living is low but the standard of living is high. Safety and security are not a concern as it’s no more dangerous than living at home. I have been to Bali many times and feel perfectly safe. Of course, you need to take the usual precautions with valuables and money but that’s the same everywhere in the world.

Thailand

Thailand has become a major international tourist destination. Whenever you’re in Thailand you will meet many other tourists and expats.

Like most countries, these days, Thailand has all your modern conveniences and very good medical facilities. The cost of living is low and you will be able to afford living at a beach resort or upper-class area.

The most popular places for retirees are the cities of Bangkok and Chang Mai, the island of Phuket or beach towns of Pattaya and Hua Hin. All of these locations have an international airport for easy access.

Thailand has amazing food, large shopping centers, cheap clothing and great nightlife. If you live near the coast, Thailand offers a wide range of water activities and boat trips to islands.

There are restrictions when it comes to purchasing property. Only Thai citizens can purchase land but foreigners can purchase apartments in many approved buildings. Many retirees prefer to keep their money at home and rent property rather than buy as lease costs are very reasonable.

Spain

Spain is very popular with UK citizens because of the proximity to the UK. It’s only a 2-hour flight from London. Spain’s climate is warm, property prices are lower than the UK and the beaches are simply beautiful.

The cities of Barcelona and Madrid are the most expensive places to live in Spain. However, most expats live at the beach or very close to the coast. And there are plenty of nice beach locations to choose from all over Spain. During the summer months the coastal regions are busy with tourists and locals travel from the cities to the beaches. However, living at the beach during the winter will be very quiet and many shops and restaurants close up during this period.

Just north of Barcelona lies the Costa Brava (Wild Coast) which is lined with many beach resorts. An hour south of Barcelona are many more beautiful beaches and coastal towns along the Costa D’Aurada (Gold Coast). All of these locations are easily accessed from the motorway.

Further down the coast lies the cities of Valencia and Alicante. The coastal region here is called the Costa Blanca (White coast). There are many beautiful coastal towns popular with expats and retirees.

My favorite part of Spain is the Costa del Sol (Sun Coast) along the southern coast of Spain. Popular places are Malaga, Torremolinos, Marbella, Puerto Banus and Estepona. Don’t miss the hill top town of Rhonda with its amazing location and gorgeous views.

Italy

The most popular regions in Italy are The Italian Lake Districts and Tuscany.

Just a short distance north and north east of Milan lies the beautiful lakes of Maggiore, Como, Iseo and Garda. Many Italians, who live in Milan, have a summer house on or near a lake. But the lake region is beautiful at all times of the year, not just the summer.

Tuscany is a romantic area in between Rome and Milan. The capital of the region is Florence. If you prefer a rural, small-town setting for your retirement have a look at this region. Famous for agriculture, wine and of course the heart of the Italian Renaissance, Tuscany is a very beautiful area.

Your Own Country

Finally, many people are happy to retire in their own country. Afterall, moving to another country involves a lot of planning and research about how you will live in that new location. Moving to a new location in your own country is the next best option.

In the USA, moving to Florida or Texas is popular for the warmer climate. Others choose Colorado for a mountain view location with access to winter sports.

In Australia, many retirees move to one of the many coastal locations particularly in the state of Queensland where the climate is warmer.

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Conclusion

Most people that move to another country are already familiar with that country and the culture.

They have already picked out the top places to live in retirement. They have been on many vacations and have extensive knowledge about the cost of living and how to live there. Making a permanent move is not really that difficult when you are moving to some where you have experienced many times.

One of the biggest obstacles for people retiring to another location is not the geography but the distance from close relatives and friends. However, keeping in close contact with family is easy with today’s modern communications. And you will easily make new friends in a new location. Afterall, at some international retirement hotspots the foreigners out number the locals.