SINGAPORE, 28 August 2020: Travellers looking for new places to work, play and live are searching for destinations with a low-risk of contracting Covid-19 and clear and simple visa rules.
They are often described as digital nomads if they intend to mix work with pleasure and live for an extended time away from home. But many are retirees who are looking for spots where their pensions can stretch further and lifestyles are stress-free.
Internationalliving.com identifies, in its latest report, the top five places where long-stay visitors can live well for USD30,000 a year or less.
Just two Asian destinations figure in the top-10 list. Malaysia is in 7th place with the average monthly living cost of USD1,800 a month for a couple. Vietnam in 10th place has an average monthly cost of USD1,500 to USD2,700.
Of the top five places, four are in the Americas and just one in Europe Portugal, the number one ranked destination worldwide offering the best value and annual living costs.
Two other destinations in Europe figure in the top 10. France is in ninth place with a monthly cost of USD2,483 and Spain in eighth place with a monthly cost of USD2,500. Sixth place Ecuador, in the Americas, can give you long-stay living at the cost of USD1,650 to USD1,825 a month.
According to International Living’s 2020 Global Retirement Index, the world’s top five retirement destinations this year are Portugal, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Colombia.
Portugal
Portugal takes the top spot in InternationalLiving.com’s 2020 Annual Global Retirement Index.
Cascais is a popular spot blessed with a year-round moderate climate. Golfing is nearby, and favourable sun and wind conditions make sailing, kite surfing, and windsurfing—in addition to traditional surfing — popular activities in this region whose economy hinges on tourism.
A couple can live well in Cascais for USD2,485 a month, or USD29,820 a year.
Panama
Second-placed, Panama offers many other good-value locales such as Boquete. The town has long been considered one of the top places in the world to retire, and rightly so. A comfortable life in Boquete is very affordable. Life here is naturally inexpensive. Including rent for a two-bedroom house, monthly expenses can total as little as USD1,533 a month, or USD18,636 a year.
Costa Rica
“It is no surprise that Costa Rica ranks third in the top five for International Living’s Global Retirement Index. “Not only does this small, eco-friendly country have a stable democracy in a sea of political unrest, but it remains one of the happiest places on earth for expats seeking a healthier life overseas.
A couple can live well in Atenas from USD1,518 a month, or just USD18,216 a year.
Mexico
San Miguel de Allende—a four-hour drive northwest of the capital, Mexico City located in the Colonial Highlands region, offers a temperate climate, low-cost living, an active expatriate community, charming local cultural traditions, and a focus on the arts. Its colonial centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A couple can live well on a budget of USD1,660 a month, or USD19,920 a year in fourth-placed Mexico.
Colombia
According to the World Health Organisation, fifth-placed Colombia ranks #22 for its healthcare system. That is better than Canada at #30 and the US at #37. Colombia is the second most bio-diverse country in the world, so you can find whatever climate suits you. Some prefer the perfect spring-like weather in the Andes mountains. Others the ocean and tropical temperatures of Cartagena or Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast.
A couple can live a great life in Medellin for USD1,394 to USD1,994 a month, or USD16,728 to USD23,928 a year.
International Living’s complete 2020 Annual Global Retirement Index, including more information on the winner and the other nine countries that made it into the top 10—as well as the individual rankings in all 10 categories for all 24 countries included—can be found at The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2020.
(Source: International Living)
