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

          Have You Got It Wrong About Europe?

          by Lief Simon
          Sep 16, 2024
          in Investing
          0 0

          Europe is a continent of myths and legends.

          From the “banshee,” the wailing old woman of Irish folklore who brings death… to the story of Gargantua, the giant who carved the landscape of Brittany… to the Greek and Roman myths that are still popular today, like the stories of Hercules…

          Thousands of years of history have brought a culture and sophistication to Europe that make it a draw for many American retirees…

          Unfortunately, there are also a lot of myths out there about expat life in Europe—how to achieve your European dream, and what it would cost you.

          Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
            A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

            So, it’s a good time for me to bust some of the myths about expat life on the continent… I hear all kinds of wrong ideas about European life all the time.

            Europe has been a draw for me since I was in high school. I saved up my junior year to take a whirlwind tour of Europe… 9 countries in 30 days by bus.

            It was on the trip that the seed of the idea of spending time in Europe was planted. Residency, taxes, and cost of living weren’t terms I was familiar with yet so they weren’t a concern.

            Decades later I’ve lived in Ireland and France full-time and am now settled into an annual pattern of part of the year in Paris and part in Panama, with travel to other places mixed in.

            And now I understand the residency, tax, and cost of living questions relevant to living in Europe clearly… as I say, there are a lot of myths out there about them.

            Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






              We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
              A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

              Myth #1: A “Golden Visa” Is Your Only Route To Residency

              I heard this recently from a reader… some readers are under the impression that the only way an American can get a visa to live in Europe is by investing hundreds of thousands of euros (in property or a business). What’s known as a “Golden Visa.”

              This is not the case at all…

              Europe offers many options for residency—including some as easy and affordable as options in the Americas.

              The question is where do you want to be?

              Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

                The easiest way to be able to live in a European country is to become an EU citizen. I did it by putting in my time in Ireland and becoming naturalized.

                However, many Americans are eligible for citizenship in Europe through their ancestry.

                Ireland would be on that list, but so are Italy, Hungary, Spain, and others. The requirements vary by country, but Ireland and Italy are simple. If you have a grandparent (or in Ireland even a great-grandparent) who was a citizen, you are likely eligible for citizenship, as well.

                If citizenship by ancestry isn’t in the cards for you, then look to the residency-by-income options. Most European countries allow you to apply for residency if you can prove you can support yourself without taking a local job—that is that you have enough pension, Social Security, or passive income from investments to meet their minimum income requirements. The threshold is different for every country.

                Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                  We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                  A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

                  Ireland doesn’t win in this category. Its minimum income requirement is 50,000 euros per person per year. That means a retired couple has to show 100,000 euros of passive income annually. At the other end of the scale is Portugal, where a single person can qualify by showing as little as 15,000 euros of income a year and a couple by proving just 18,000 euros annually.

                  If you have the means, a Golden Visa can be an option… and it could be more affordable than you think…

                  Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and some others offer Golden Visa residency options that allow you to gain legal residency by investing in real estate. Sometimes other investments count as well. The investment amounts start at 250,000 euros…

                  In the case of Montenegro and Northern Cyprus, you can qualify simply by buying property—any property of any value. In beautiful little Montenegro, you could pick up a property for as little as 50,000 euros.

                  That’s the residency question taken care of… what about taxes? Aren’t they a big burden in Europe?

                  Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                    We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                    A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

                    Myth #2: You’ll Be Taxed To The Hilt

                    Europe is definitely a high-tax destination. But you have to look at what taxes you’d actually be eligible for as a retiree…

                    Employed people in Europe are hit with high social charges known in the United States as social security or payroll taxes. In the States, you pay 7.65% as the employee and the employer pays the same amount. In France, the employee pays 27% and the employer 42%, for example.

                    However, as a retiree, you won’t be liable for these social charges in Europe.

                    And, no, you won’t be taxed twice—once in the States and once in Europe—either.

                    Tax treaties mean that Social Security is typically taxed on the U.S. side rather than in the country where you’re residing. Non-government pensions would be taxed by your country of residence. Likewise your IRA distributions, meaning you may want to do some planning before moving.

                    Investment income would be taxed by your country of residence, as well, with tax credits on the U.S. side.

                    Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                      We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                      A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

                      Marginal income tax bands in Europe rival those in the States, with top bands higher than the States. However, most people don’t fall into the top band in the United States or elsewhere. In other words, the effective tax on your income probably won’t be any greater than it is wherever you’re living Stateside.

                      And, remember, if you move overseas full-time, you’ll no longer be burdened with U.S. state taxes.

                      Property taxes are generally less in Europe than you’d pay on a similar value property in the United States. In fact, in Monaco, they are zero (although, life in Monaco is already expensive enough). Ireland didn’t charge property tax either when we moved there more than two decades ago, though they’ve changed that and do now.

                      The property transfer tax can be what gets you in Europe. Transfer taxes range from 0% to 10%, depending on the country. The rate in Portugal is tiered, starting at 0% for properties under 97,000 euros and increasing to 7.5% for properties selling for more than 1 million euros.

                      One other tax to compare and consider in Europe is the value added tax (VAT), their sales tax. It’s included in the marked prices on products so it’s hidden. However, it ranges from 17% to 25%, depending on the country. Some goods are taxed at a reduced rate.

                      Those rates are higher than any total sales tax (state, county, and municipal) in the United States.

                      Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                        A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .

                        Myth #3: Europe Isn’t Affordable For U.S. Retirees

                        Nothing could be further from the truth.

                        It’s true that, on average, the cost of living for expats in Latin America or Asia is going to be lower than in Europe—but again, that depends on your location… and, certainly, life in the top European retirement havens is likely to be more affordable than staying in the States.

                        The truth is, your cost of living in Europe can be as high or as low as you make it. Europe has discount stores. You just have to find them. European shops offer sales, historically only seasonally but this has changed.

                        Living in Europe for decades as we’ve done, we’ve come to think through purchases more carefully. Do we really need that new pair of boots or salad bowl? Will we actually use them? And do we have space for them?

                        It’s liberating.

                        As for groceries, a bottle of drinkable wine can be a few euros. That fancy French imported cheese you buy in Iowa isn’t an import in France.

                        What can push your grocery bill up is buying groceries from the small shop on the corner. Just like you wouldn’t do your main grocery shopping in a 7-11 in the United States, you shouldn’t go to your corner grocer for your weekly shop. Go to the big grocery store or better shop online and have your groceries delivered. Delivery’s usually free.

                        The biggest thing to consider when it comes to cost of living is housing. Again and especially in the case of where you choose to live, the cost can be as big or as small as you make it.

                        You can’t buy a small studio apartment in central Paris for less than 500,000 euros. However, look in the outer arrondissements and you might find something starting at 300,000 euros. Look outside the Périphérique in the suburbs and that same 300,000 euros might buy you a nice-sized place. Head to some small town in the south of France and those 300,000 euros will buy you a house.

                        Head to Abruzzo in Italy and you can find some absolutely cheap options… country homes in need of renovation for less than 100,000 euros.

                        Or you could rent. Again, the cost of a rental varies dramatically depending not only on the country but also where specifically in a country you choose to locate yourself.

                        But the bottom line is: Life in Europe can be easily within reach.

                        Stay diversified,

                        Lief Simon signature

                        Lief Simon

                        Editor, Simon Letter

                        Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






                          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                          A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! 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 Style Overseas In .
                          Tags: 'investing''investment'Europeinvest in europeTaxTaxes
                          Share123Tweet60
                          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.