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    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
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    • 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.






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        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

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        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

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        VALENCIA, SPAIN

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        Oct. 15-17, 2025

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        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
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        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

      • Store

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        • 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

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        Home Lifestyle

        English-Speaking Countries To Retire To

        by Kathleen Peddicord
        Jun 03, 2024
        in Lifestyle
        0 0
        Tropical landscape of Boracay island, Philippines. English-Speaking Countries To Retire To English-Speaking Countries To Retire To

        AdobeStock/Maygutyak

        For many people considering a move overseas one of the biggest barriers they face is the language barrier.

        They may not feel able to master a new language… not have time to… or simply not want to… but the fear of not being able to communicate in your adopted homeland can be off-putting.

        Happily there are plenty of destinations around the world where English is widely-spoken meaning fluency in a new language doesn’t have to be a requirement for a new adventure overseas.Here are some of your best options for destinations where you’ll find English-speaking locals and an easy route to expat life…

        Belize

        Formerly a British colony, Belize’s official language is English. Indeed, it’s the only English-language-official country in Central America.

        About 83% of the country speaks English as their first language, while many also speak Creole and Spanish.

        Leases and legal contracts are in English… English-speaking staff are available at clinics… Media and the news are delivered in English. The average person you come into contact with, whether it’s a cashier or a government official, speaks English.This ease of language is a big reason why many American and Canadian expats choose to move to Belize.

        Plus, the people are welcoming, open-minded, and eclectic—and the country has excellent residency programs.

        In addition, Belize offers Caribbean living at a much lower cost than elsewhere in the region—around $1,500 a month is a good guide as a start point for your costs here.

        When it comes to residency options things are straightforward. There’s the Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) which is open to applicants over 40 who can prove a monthly income from a source outside of the country (such as a pension or Social Security) of $2,000.

        Alternatively, you can just go to Belize and stay there for 12 months continually renewing your tourist visa. After that time you can then apply for permanent residency.

        For many expats the easygoing lifestyle and live and let live attitude of the locals here is a big selling point.

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        Malta

        Malta, a former British colony, has two official languages: English and Maltese. About 88% of the population is fluent in English, and laws are enacted in both languages so you shouldn’t have any trouble being understood or understanding the locals.

        Your residency options here include Citizenship by Investment, a Permanent Residence Scheme, a Family Visa and the Ordinary Residence Scheme.The Ordinary Residence Scheme is the most popular with the key requirements being able to show a net worth of €14,000 for a single or €23,000 for a couple, that you spend a minimum of 183 days per calendar year in Malta, and evidence of a physical address in the country which can be through a real estate purchase or rental agreement.

        Once you’ve been a legal resident in Malta for five years, you can apply for permanent residency.

        Malta also offers excellent health care, a beautiful natural landscape, fantastic climate,—the year-round daytime temperature hovers around 73°F—rich history, large expat communities, and friendly locals.

        As regards downsides, Malta is both small and popular so beaches can get crowded and traffic congested, particularly in the capital, Valletta.

        The Philippines

        Lying about 500 miles off the southeast coast of China and to the northeast of Borneo, the Philippines is a breathtakingly beautiful archipelago of over 7,000 islands.

        Colonized by the Spanish in 1521, their influence remains today in architecture, names, food, and more. Indeed, Spanish was the official language of the Philippines for over three centuries and was the lingua franca up until the 21st century. Today, Filipino and English are the official languages.

        English has official status because the Philippines was a U.S. colony from 1898 to 1946 and today it’s recognized as one of the world’s largest English-speaking nations. English is the language of business and law, and more than half of the country’s population—which totals around 118 million people—speak it.

        Start Your New Life Overseas Today!
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        The Philippine Retirement Authority offers several options for those looking to move to the country. The most popular and well-known of which is the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa.

        To qualify, applicants need to be aged 50 or older, show a pension of $800 per month ($1,000 per month for couples), and deposit a minimum of $10,000 in a Philippine bank account. If you can’t prove a monthly pension, you can opt to make a $20,000 deposit in a local bank account, instead.

        The Philippines also offers top-notch health care and is home to the only overseas VA hospital in the world—the Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic. Add to that, world-class beaches, a tropical climate, and a low-cost of living—on $2,000 a month a couple could live very well here—and it adds up to a great option for an overseas retirement.

        These are just some of your options for an overseas retirement without having to learn a new language but the fact is in a host of countries you’ll find areas where you can settle in easily and get by in English.

        In Europe, consider Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and France where you’ll find either a large number of English-speaking locals, areas with large expat populations and healthy tourism trades, or a combination of both meaning getting by in English poses no problem.

        In Mexico, Lake Chapala, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto del Carmen, Cancun, Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, and beyond would work for those who only speak English and the same applies in Panama’s expat havens of Boquete and Coronado.

        Of course, it’s always a good idea to pick up as much of the local language anywhere you go, the locals will appreciate it and it will broaden your social circle, but it’s by no means essential to be fluent before you pack your bags for pastures new.

        Until next time,

        Kathleen Peddicord signature

        Kathleen Peddicord

        Founding Publisher, Overseas Opportunity Letter

        Tags: 'Belize''Expat Life''Philippines'Malta
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        Kathleen Peddicord

        Kathleen Peddicord

        Kathleen Peddicord has reported on opportunities for Americans to live, retire, and do business overseas for 40 years. She has traveled to more than 75 countries, invested in real estate in 24, established businesses in 7, renovated and built properties in 6, and educated her children in 5.

        Kathleen has moved children, staff, enterprises, household goods, and pets from the east coast of the United States to Waterford, Ireland, then to Paris, France, and finally to Panama City, Panama, where she has based her Live And Invest Overseas business. Peddicord and her husband, Lief Simon, now divide their time between Panama and Paris.

        Peddicord was a partner with Agora Publishing’s International Living group for 23 years. She opened, staffed, and operated International Living publishing and real estate marketing offices in Waterford, Ireland; Panama City, Panama; Granada, Nicaragua; Roatan, Honduras; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Paris, France. Peddicord launched Live And Invest Overseas group in 2008 and has built it into a successful multimillion-dollar business. Today, she shares her firsthand experience of expat life with more than 500,000 readers of her publications, including Overseas Opportunity Letter and Overseas Living Letter.

        Kathleen has been featured often in The New York Times, MSNBC, AARP, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, and more and writes monthly about expat matters, international real estate, and offshore diversification for Forbes and U.S. News.

        Kathleen has written several books including the memoirs “At Home In Ireland” and “At Home At Los Islotes” and her latest title “At Home Abroad,” all published by Lahardan Books. Her best-selling "How To Retire Overseas: Everything You Need To Know To Live Well (For Less) Abroad” was published by Penguin Random House in 2018 and her “Buying Real Estate Overseas For Cash Flow (And A Better Life)” was published by Wiley in August 2020.

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              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
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              From Outside North America:
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