The Top 20 Countries To Retire To Outside The U.S.

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Retirement is the time in which you go play golf, sip martinis at sunset and travel the world. It’s also that time in life when you do all the things you were unable to do for so long when you worked, worked, worked. Your kids are grown and out of the house, they have kids and families and jobs of their own, and the best years of your life are only just beginning. Now that you are free to do as you please, it’s time to find the perfect home in which to retire and that home might be in another country. These are the best countries for retirement…

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Panama

When it comes to friendliness, affordability and great weather, this is the country that has the most to offer in terms of being the most amazing place to retire as of 2016. With gorgeous weather, plenty to choose from and even a low crime rate in comparison to other areas of the world, this is a great country to call home.

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Ecuador

Another country that falls into the category of fun in the sun, Ecuador offers plenty for retirees. If a beachfront property for next to nothing is in the books for your retirement, you’ll certainly find what it is you are looking for here. How about a condo or apartment with a view of the ocean for under six-figures? If that sounds like something you can afford, then welcome to Ecuador.

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Mexico

You either love Mexico or you hate it, but it all depends on where you are. There are some areas you’ll want to avoid like the plague, and others that draw so many tourists and so many visitors each year for their beautiful ocean views that it’s difficult not to want to live here. It’s so affordable, too, that it’s almost silly not to relocate south of the border when it’s time to retire.

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Costa Rica

It’s tropical and gorgeous, and the weather is to-die-for. It is just part of the reason that Costa Rica is such an inviting and interesting place in which to live. Retirees are flocking here in record numbers these days, and it’s likely due to the affordability and the beautiful landscape. There’s something here for everyone, and that’s what people love.

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Malaysia

Not a county I’d put high on my list of places I’d like to retire, it turns out that we might be overlooking a few very important facts. It turns out you can rent a 2,100-square foot home here with three bedrooms and baths for less than $1,000 month. You will not find anything like that anywhere else, which is why we recommend heading here for retirement.

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Colombia

What happens here is that you get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world for next to nothing. Cost of living is a huge factor when it comes to choosing the best places to retire in the world, and Colombia is highly affordable, and actually offers amazing healthcare for those who are in their retirement living stage of life. That’s something you won’t find all over the world.

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Thailand

It’s one of the most beautiful and most exotic locations in the world, and people love it here. It’s been said that the people in Thailand are some of the friendliest and hardest working in the world, that the views are just as amazing as you might expect and that the close proximity to nature everywhere you go is breathtaking. It’s also safe and affordable, and that is perfect for retirement.

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Nicaragua

Tropical and gorgeous, why not retire here? It falls in line quite well as one of the safest and most beautiful countries. It’s also affordable, it’s great for retirees in terms of entertainment, affordability and even healthcare. Since that’s what you want to have when you are no longer working, it seems like a pretty good combination to us.

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Spain

A beautiful city in a beautiful  location, there is nothing not to love about Spain. It’s sexy and fun, bright and beautiful. The people here are lovers. They love to dance, they love to eat and they love to enjoy life. They are friendly and they are helpful, and the cost of living is very low here for those who want to retire somewhere gorgeous and still desirable.

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Portugal

Located just next door to Spain, it’s the kind of place you want to retire. On the water, you’re hard-pressed to find anything other than amazing views almost anywhere you go here. This is the type of place you retire when you want to learn about another culture, when you want to enjoy life and when you want to do nothing more than just relax and let go. It’s amazing here.

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Malta

If you are looking for a place to retire in which you will find low cost of living, affordable health care and a lot of fun to be had, let’s go to Malta. You’re going to find a lot more here for your money than you will elsewhere, and that means it’s a wonderful place to call home when you are done with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You’ll find everything you are looking for here, and that makes it amazing.

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Honduras

Another tropical locale with more to offer than you might imagine, Honduras has been growing in popularity regularly. It’s a regular stop for cruise ships, it’s a regular fixture on HGTV shows in which families are looking for homes in tropical locations with beautiful settings and low cost of living. It’s getting busier and busier here, which might be a bit of a downfall for some retirees, but it’s worth it.

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France

Paris, take me home. The most beautiful city in the world is located in France, and the history here is so rich you could spend the rest of your retirement exploring and learning all you can without ever running out of anything to do or say. We love this location, and we love that we can retire here for less than you might imagine. It helps, too, that it’s so affordable and so lovely.

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Belize

Cruise ships love it here, and so do those who are looking for a location not too far from home in which to retire. Much like Honduras, you will find that there are some locations here that work well for you as they are not nearly as busy as others, and you will find that some are too busy. However, what you will not find is a lack of affordability or ocean views. This is one location that is worth living forever.

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Peru

Peru doesn’t sound like the type of country in which you’d like to retire, but it is. The low cost of living, the friendly people, what you get for your money in terms of living, and what you get as far as healthcare is concerned is worth it. The country itself has much to offer, which beaches and fields and so many other things that make retirement worth the wait.

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Italy

The land of lovers, fine wine and vineyards, there is nothing wrong with Italy – if you speak Italian. Start learning now so that you can make this home. You will find water, you will find farm land, you will find everything here. You will certainly find that you have to do a bit more exercising so that you don’t gain too much weight from all that amazing food, but there is nothing about Italy we do not love.

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Philippines

A country that is known for requiring a lot of assistance from other parts of the world due to a lack of resources for many of its residents, the Philippines are actually a beautiful location in which there is much to do. You will spend time here on beaches, in fields, in small towns, in big cities; there is something for everyone, and there is always a chance to spend time volunteering and helping out, which you now have time to do.

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Uruguay

Do you just love the idea of living here? If you do, you will really love how beautiful it is. It might not be a place that was high on your list of places to visit throughout the course of your life, but that does not mean it’s not worth checking out. The country itself is lovely. It has lush rainforests and beautiful beaches, amazing towns and food, cities that will change your life and more entertainment than you might imagine available.

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Dominican Republic

What we love most about the Dominican Republic is that it’s not all that far from the states. Okay, so it’s not that far from me here in Florida. However, it’s close enough to home to feel like home, but far enough away to remember that you now live in the tropics. With plenty of beautiful ocean views, beautiful homes and affordable living, it’s the kind of place most people only dream of calling home, and it’s absolutely within reach for you.

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Ireland

I’m not Irish, but I do wish I could lay some claim to this gorgeous country. Green, gorgeous and filled with pubs, it’s kind of the type of place I’d fit right in. The people of Ireland are among the nicest and most amazing in the world, and you will always feel an innate sense of community here that is unavailable in so many other locations throughout the world. Ireland is the kind of place that might not be tropical, but it’s not important once you realize just how amazing this place really is.