RETIREMENT COMFORT & SAFETY
Best Foreign Retirement Havens
Forbes has released its List of Best Foreign Retirement Havens, which includes a total of 15 countries that measure up in terms of cost of living, safety, cultural attractions, taxes, weather, hospitality and health care options:
Australia – Pros: moderate cost of living, low health care costs, friendly people who speak English; Con: far away from U.S.
Canada – Pros: good health care, good quality of life, no language barrier, moderate cost of living; Con: frigid winters.
Costa Rica – Pros: low cost, politically stable, great beaches and weather.
Croatia – Pros: good climate, great scenery, low cost of living, tax breaks for seniors; Con: English not widely spoken.
Czech Republic – Pros: affordable health care, low cost of living; Cons: Language, hard to obtain permission to live there permanently.
France – Pros: good qualify of life, high quality and cheap health care, tax breaks for retirees; Cons: Paris has high cost of living. Cons: Language, local attitude towards outsiders.
Ireland – Pros: beautiful scenery, affordable housing, no language barrier (sort of).
Italy – Pros: Mediterranean climate, great food, affordable health care, reasonable cost of living.
Malaysia – Pros: cheap cost of living, great beaches, rich culturally, some tax breaks. Cons: health care not readily available outside Kuala Lumpur.
Mexico – Pros: low cost of living, friendliness towards Americans. Con: stay away from border towns for better security.
Nicaragua – Pros: natural beauty, cheap cost of living, economic incentives for retirees, no longer plagued by Communist government or civil war.
Panama – Pros: warm climate, good health care, dollar-based economy, and proximity to U.S.
The Philippines – Pros: Low costs, friendly, English is national language, self sustaining, not a target of world conquest, tropical retirement spot, minimal requirements for foreign retirees. Far from many popular cities. Cons: Low tech, mostly rural, Far from many popular cities.
Portugal – Pros: low cost of living, good weather, and political stability. Cons: Language
Spain – Pros: low cost of living, exotic culture, low housing costs away from the coast.
|
|
