Live and Invest Overseas
The Best Places To Retire In 2025

FREE REPORT: THE BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025






    We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
    • Home
    • Countries

      Top Destinations:

      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro
      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

      • The Best Places To Retire
      • Health Care Abroad
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Laws In The World
      • English-Speaking Countries
      • Safest Places For Retirement
      • Best Places In Latin America
    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
    • Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
      • Offshore & Diversification

      Making Money

      • International Real Estate
      • Banking
      • Employment
      • Investing

      Follow Us:

      • Meet Our Experts
    • Real Estate

      Join our Weekly Newsletter
      Overseas Property Alert

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

        Explore Our Latest Posts

        • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

        Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

        • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
      • Conferences

        Upcoming Events

        • Explore Our Events Site

        International Property Summit

        Caribbean Virtual Conference

        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        June 18-20, 2025

        VIRTUAL

        July 17-19, 2025

        Valencia, Spain

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        LEARN MORE
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        • MORE EVENTS

        Contact Our Events Team

        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
        1 (888) 627 8834
        From Outside North America:
        1 (443) 599 1221
        Working Hours
        Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

      • Store

        Unlock The World

        • Access Your Library

        Overseas Havens Reports

        • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

        Conference Kits

        • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

        Lahardan Books

        • Titles on living and investing around the world
        • Explore Our Store
        Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

        Services

        overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
        The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
        Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

        Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

      • My Library
      Live and Invest Overseas
      • Home
      • Countries

        Top Destinations:

        Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

        • Spain
        • Portugal
        • Panama
        • Belize
        • Colombia
        • Cyprus
        • Mexico
        • France
        • Montenegro
        • Browse All Countries

        Best For:

        • The Best Places To Retire
        • Health Care Abroad
        • Cost Of Living
        • Investing in Real Estate
        • Establishing Residency
        • Gun Laws In The World
        • English-Speaking Countries
        • Safest Places For Retirement
        • Best Places In Latin America
      • Budgets

        How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

        The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

        Super Cheap

        • Chitré, Panama
        • Santa Marta, Colombia
        • Phuket, Thailand
        • Dumaguete, The Philippines

        Cheap

        • Medellin, Colombia
        • Boquete, Panama
        • Kyrenia, Cyprus
        • Hua Hin, Thailand
        • The Algarve, Portugal

        Affordable

        • Valencia, Spain
        • Cascais, Portugal
        • Las Terrenas, The DR
        • Pisa, Italy
        • La Rochelle, France
        • Mazatlán, Mexico

        Luxury

        • Ambergris Caye, Belize
        • Kotor, Montenegro
        • The Panama City Beaches
        • Paris, France
      • Resources

        Global Living

        • Living & Retiring Overseas
        • Raising A Family Abroad
        • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
        • Offshore & Diversification

        Making Money

        • International Real Estate
        • Banking
        • Employment
        • Investing

        Follow Us:

        • Meet Our Experts
      • Real Estate

        Join our Weekly Newsletter
        Overseas Property Alert

        Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

          Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

          • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

          Explore Our Latest Posts

          • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

          Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

          • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
        • Conferences

          Upcoming Events

          • Explore Our Events Site

          International Property Summit

          Caribbean Virtual Conference

          Live and Invest In Spain Conference

          PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

          June 18-20, 2025

          VIRTUAL

          July 17-19, 2025

          Valencia, Spain

          Sep. 17-19, 2025

          LEARN MORE
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER
          • MORE EVENTS

          Contact Our Events Team

          Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
          1 (888) 627 8834
          From Outside North America:
          1 (443) 599 1221
          Working Hours
          Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

          Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

        • Store

          Unlock The World

          • Access Your Library

          Overseas Havens Reports

          • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

          Conference Kits

          • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

          Lahardan Books

          • Titles on living and investing around the world
          • Explore Our Store
          Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

          Services

          overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
          The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
          Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

          Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

        • My Library
        Live and Invest Overseas
         Moving Out Of The U.S?

        THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

        the 10 best places to retire in 2025

        PLUS: A SPECIAL BONUS DESTINATION

        Simply sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report… absolutely FREE






          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

          Home Investing

          The Best Things To Invest In This Year

          My #1 New Year's Resolution... Plus 3 Top 2023 Property Picks

          by Lief Simon
          Jan 09, 2023
          in Investing
          0 0
          Aguilas Poniente beach Murcia in Spain 

          Adobe Stock/lunamarina

          Welcome to 2023.

          As you push ahead into this New Year, one of your priority resolutions should be to diversify your life beyond your home borders.

          Specifically, what should you be thinking about for 2023?

          You could plan a scouting trip to see what opportunities you can find in a country where you like spending time…

          Make a new investment overseas…

          Establish a new residency…

          Or open a new offshore bank account.

          Top of my list for 2023, for example, is finding a new bank account in France.

          How To Choose An Offshore Bank

          Our bank in Paris of 18 years closed our accounts in 2022. They decided to move from retail banking to private banking. Then, without asking if I’d like to continue as a private account holder, they unceremoniously closed both of my current accounts.

          We need an operating account in France to pay local bills for our apartments. It’s not a lot of money flowing through for a bank that wants a minimum of 100,000 euro on deposit and requires you to commit to their investment services.

          That’s the first thing to understand about offshore banking. You have two options—local retail banks and private or investment banks. The latter require large amounts on deposit and are more than you need if the intended purpose of the account is simply to pay local bills.

          The intermediary option I found for Europe was N26. It’s an online bank out of Germany that will open an account for you if you have an address in one of the countries where it operates, which is mostly in Europe.

          I’ve been able to use that account to pay my Paris bills for the past several months, but quirks of the French system require a French bank account if I want (as I do want) to set up direct debit to pay French property taxes. I’m told that it is technically illegal to demand I use a French account for this purpose, but I’m not interested in a battle with the French government.

          Hence the need for a new account in France.

          Operating accounts are a function of where you need to pay bills, but an investment account is a different story. Most investors looking to move money offshore look first to Europe. The challenge across that region is finding a bank that will take North Americans and that doesn’t require a million dollars or more on deposit.

          The bank that ousted me in France requires a minimum of but 100,000 euro on account, as I’ve mentioned, but, even if I were to ignore their treatment of me and my accounts, their customer service has always been poor and their offerings are limited.

          I’m better off moving on.

          I know of a few other private banks in France with minimums of 250,000 euro, including the private banking side of large international banks like Societe Generale, but they don’t make it easy for a North American to open an account.

          Is Switzerland Still A Top Choice?

          Switzerland, specifically, has been an historic go-to for an offshore investment account. Decades ago, banks in this country had minimum account requirements of US$3 million.

          Inflation adjusted, that would mean US$5 million or more today.

          Fortunately, that’s not a current typical minimum. You can open an account in Switzerland with US$1 million, but that’s still more than most people have or want to place offshore.

          Fortunately, one money manager I know, WVHP in Switzerland, offers a 250,000-euro investment option that gets you a bank account. They are registered with the SEC and provide full investment services for non-U.S. markets.

          This is an excellent investment banking option. You can get in touch for more information here.

          If you’re not interested in moving your money to Europe, you have private banking options in Asia and Latin America with similar minimum account balances… figure US$250,000 or the local equivalent.

          Trouble is, I haven’t found a bank in those regions that I’d trust with that much money. I continue to look. My focus beyond Europe is Singapore.

          My Top 3 Property Picks For 2023

          On the investment side, my focus, as you know if you’ve been reading for any time, is real estate.

          I’ve spent 25 years building a diversified portfolio that includes short-term and commercial rentals, agricultural investments, and land in 13 different countries.

          This time of year, I take stock of my holdings and identify a specific target for adding to them.

          In 2022, I bought in Northern Cyprus.

          My target for 2023 is likewise Europe. I continue to work to increase my passive euro income.

          Spain is back onto my radar. Here I’m shopping for a residential rental.

          I first invested in Spain in 2000, when I purchased a preconstruction condo in Estepona. I’ve since made two agriculture investments in this country. I am thinking this year it’s time for another coastal condo. The complication with Spain is that it’s a big market. Many options to consider. My focus is the Costa Calida area.

          Montenegro remains on my radar. I didn’t get to visit last year as I’d hoped to, but I’ve been building my on-the-ground network and educating myself on particular opportunities.

          Montenegro is on a path to EU membership, but when that will happen is uncertain. Perhaps by 2025, which is why I’m intensifying my search this year.

          Montenegro has used the euro since its inception. This removes currency risk for me. I’ll be investing with euros. I’ve worked for more than two decades to generate investment capital in multiple currencies. This is a payoff of that strategy.

          A tiny country on the Adriatic, Montenegro is an outlier. Most people have never heard of it. If you don’t know this market, heads up. It offers the potential for double-digits rental yields… and you can take a position for less than 100,000 euro.

          My current favorite opportunity in Montenegro is this one.

          A real estate investment in Montenegro could address two points of diversification this New Year. Buy property in Montenegro and you’re automatically eligible for legal residency in the country.

          During the pandemic, everyone who didn’t have more than one residency or passport wished they did. Our second passports and backup residencies allowed me and my family to travel between Europe, the United States, and Panama fairly easily even when the world was largely shut down.

          Now that the world has reopened, don’t become complacent. You still need residency options and you’ll want them in place before the next global crisis… whatever and whenever that may be.

          Colombia offers an ultra-accessible back-up residency option. The investment and time-in-country requirements are some of the lowest out there. You can get temporary residency with an investment of as little as US$85,000 and you only need to be in the country once every six months to maintain your residency status.

          Make an investment of US$160,000 in Colombia and you can qualify for permanent residency. This reduces your required time in the country to but once every two years.

          Colombia boasts an abundance of natural resources and strong food production. Getting stuck in Colombia during a global crisis wouldn’t be a bad thing.

          Alternative Hard Assets

          Top of my 2023 investment to-do list is diversifying into alternative investments.

          For several years, I invested in French wine primeurs. These are vintage pre-sales. You receive your wine when it’s eventually bottled. I like making money… and I like drinking wine. This allowed me to do both those things.

          Some wines I bought are worth well more than double what I paid for them. Average annual appreciation probably didn’t hit double digits, but I have a full cellar of wine worth much more than I paid… and that I can serve (along with the interesting story of its provenance) when friends come to visit.

          This year, I’m turning to art.

          Art continues to be one of the best appreciating asset classes… if you buy well.

          Fortunately, a friend of my daughter’s works for a gallery in New York City and has offered to help. I’ve also been introduced to a gallery in London that manages art portfolios for investors.

          I’ll let you know what I decide to buy.

          Meanwhile, good luck with your own diversification endeavors in 2023.

          Lief Simon
          Editor, Offshore Living Letter

          Tags: 'invest overseas''investing''investment'ColombiaInvest abroadMontenegro
          Share90Tweet56
          Lief Simon

          Lief Simon

          Lief Simon has lived and worked in 7 countries on 5 continents and traveled to more than 75 countries. His real estate investment career began with a $5,000 down payment on a three-flat building in Chicago. Less than three years later, Lief sold the building for a leveraged return of 3,000%—$150,000 in profit after closing costs and commissions.

          From there, he turned his attention overseas and has bought property in 24 countries including France, Croatia, Portugal, Ireland, Belize, Spain, Argentina, Cyprus, Romania, and beyond. Thanks to his decades-long career as a global property investor, Lief has built a multi-million-dollar portfolio that includes rental properties, significant land holdings, and 7 personal residences.

          Lief has established residency in 3 countries and acquired a second passport from Ireland.

          In 2008 Lief and wife Kathleen Peddicord made the most important investment of their lives—a 215-acre oceanside finca, known as Los Islotes. There, on Panama’s largely undiscovered Veraguas coast, they’ve installed underground electricity, water, and internet and built a forever family home that sits at the heart of their ultimate vision: a gold standard private residential community for those in search of a true safe haven escape.

          Lief’s latest book, “Cowboy Millionaire—The New American Pioneer,” collects all the wisdom he has learned in three decades of living and investing outside America.

          He offers advice on international diversification in his twice-weekly Offshore Living Letter and monthly Simon Letter dispatches. For real estate investment opportunities, check out his monthly Global Property Advisor service.

          If you’d like to meet Lief in person, join him for one of our upcoming in-country conferences. You’ll find further details here.

          Start Your New Life Overseas Today!
          Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on The 10 Best Places To Retire In 2025.

          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
          Our Expertise Unlocks The World

          quick links

          • Best Places To Live
          • Best Places To Retire
          • Finding A Job Overseas
          • Real Estate

          LIOS Resources

          • New To LIOS
          • Ask An Expert
          • Media Center
          • Contact Us
          • FAQs
          the 10 best places to retire in 2025
          Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2025






            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

            As seen in

            US Media Logos

            © 2008 – Live and Invest Overseas™ – All Rights Reserved.

            About Us / Contact Us / Privacy Policy / Terms / Unsubscribe
            Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube Linkedin-in Instagram

            Welcome Back!

            Login to your account below

            Forgotten Password?

            Retrieve your password

            Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

            Log In

            Sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report…

            BEST PLACES TO RETIRE 

            FREE REPORT:






              We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

              Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

              RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY






                We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                HOME

                Top Countries

                • Spain
                • Portugal
                • Panama
                • Belize
                • Colombia
                • Cyprus
                • Mexico
                • France
                • Montenegro

                Best For:

                • Health Care Abroad
                • Retirement Living
                • Cost Of Living
                • Investing in Real Estate
                • Establishing Residency
                • Gun Ownership
                • English Speakers
                • Safety
                BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

                Budgets

                How Much Will It Cost
                To Live Overseas?

                Super Cheap

                • Chitré, Panama
                • Santa Marta, Colombia
                • Phuket, Thailand
                • Dumaguete, The Philippines

                Cheap

                • Medellin, Colombia
                • Boquete, Panama
                • Kyrenia, Cyprus
                • Hua Hin, Thailand
                • The Algarve, Portugal

                Affordable

                • Valencia, Spain
                • Cascais, Portugal
                • Las Terrenas, The DR
                • Pisa, Italy
                • La Rochelle, France
                • Mazatlán, Mexico

                Luxury

                • Ambergris Caye, Belize
                • Kotor, Montenegro
                • The Panama City Beaches
                • Paris, France

                Resources

                Global Living

                • Living & Retiring Overseas
                • Raising A Family Abroad
                • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
                • Offshore & Diversification

                Making Money

                • International Real Estate
                • Banking
                • Employment
                • Investing
                Meet Our Experts

                Real Estate

                Overseas Property Alert 

                 

                How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams

                VISIT SITE

                Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

                 

                Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

                READ MORE

                Explore Our Latest Posts

                 

                Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

                EXPLORE

                Conferences

                INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY SUMMIT

                PANAMA CITY, PANAMA June 18-20, 2025
                LEARN MORE

                CARIBBEAN VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

                VIRTUAL July 17-19, 2025
                LEARN MORE
                PRE-REGISTER

                Live and Invest In Spain Conference

                Valencia, Spain Sep. 17-19, 2025
                LEARN MORE
                PRE-REGISTER
                MORE EVENTS

                Contact Our Events Team:

                Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
                1 (888) 627 8834

                From Outside North America:
                1 (443) 599 1221

                Working Hours
                Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

                Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

                Store

                Overseas Havens Reports

                • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

                Conference Kits

                • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

                Lahardan Books

                • Titles on living and investing around the world

                Services

                • Overseas Living Letter: Affordable Retirement Guidance
                • The Simon Letter: Wealth Protection Insights
                • Global Property Advisor: Global Investment Opportunitites
                VISIT OUR STORE

                Free Report

                THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

                FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To retire in 2025

                Sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report…






                  We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

                  LIBRARY

                  Follow Us:

                  © 2008 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.