We recently published an article about the best destinations for Canadians to retire to. This list will be unsurprisingly similar. We’re keeping the same things in mind. First, a snowbird destination is a place where someone wants to migrate to get away from the cold weather and enjoy the warmth, ideally leaving before the first snow and arriving as it begins to thaw.
The second thing we’re looking at is the price of living, this needs to be a place that is easily affordable for several months of the year. For ease of travel, most of the places on this list are in America. When planning your snowbird escape nest, it is important to keep in mind your travel expenses. So, without further ado, here are 10 of the best snowbird destinations for 2020.
Belize
Belize is an affordable little piece of quintessential Caribbean that provides a tremendous sense of personal freedom. This is a country where many people invest in self-sufficient and self-sustainable lifestyles.
This country is famous for its white-sand beaches and clear unpolluted waters. And there is a lot to do, whether it is spending time on the beaches, visiting ancient Mayan ruins, diving in the second largest coral reef in the world, or exploring the rain forests.
Belize is an English-speaking country that is welcoming and friendly to outsiders, and the weather happens to be perfect between December and April making this an ideal spot for snowbirds. It’s also not as well-known as other destinations, which makes it easy to enjoy the beaches without battling through hordes of sun-hungry beachgoers. This country has a lot to offer and it is definitely worth it to check out the exciting and fun things to do in Belize.
Portugal
Portugal is another English-speaking country that is a fairly new blip on the expat radar. This small island is home to breathtaking scenery, varying beautiful landscapes, architectural wonders, and stunning picturesque white-sand beaches.
In spite of its small size, Portugal has a lot to offer visitors. In fact, we rank it as the best place to live overseas, and it’s also one of the safest.
Portugal is affordable, laid-back, fascinating, has over 1,115 miles of coastline, and 300 days a year of sunny skies. The Portuguese are welcoming to expats and many can speak English. And no matter what you’re into, there are activities to suit any lifestyle.
Costa Rica
Rain forests, stunning beaches, great food, and affordable prices. Costa Rica has it all.
While the cost of living isn’t as low as it used to be, Costa Rica is still very affordable. Costa Rica boasts one of the best climates in the world, having both tropical and subtropical climates. While it isn’t heavy on infrastructure, it is a beautiful country where you can discover stunning scenery and wildlife at every turn. Costa Rican’s are warm, welcoming, and used to tourists so they have developed a strong sense for service and hospitality.
Costa Rica is a laid-back getaway that is a perfect place for a snowbird to set up their winter nest.
Panama
Panama, which has been dubbed as the Hub of the Americas, can arguably be called the best offshore haven in the world. This country is blessed with beautiful rainforests, stunning beaches, soaring mountains, charming islands, and colonial towns.
Although Panama City can be a little more expensive, Panama is still a very affordable place to live. It has top-notch healthcare facilities, a friendly population,
and a laid-back easygoing atmosphere. And while it is not for everybody, there are many reasons you may love living in Panama. There is adventure everywhere, whether that is visiting Boquete or exploring Bocas del Toro, or checking out the many interesting places there are to visit in Panama.
Dominican Republic
This is life in the Caribbean at the price it was meant to be lived at. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful white-sand haven that is surrounded by warm turquoise waters and enjoys year-round sunshine. This island is not only affordable but boasts scenery consisting not only of beaches but jungle and mountain hideaways as well.
The Dominican Republic is one of the cheapest places you can live in the Caribbean, in the DR you can live comfortably on a budget of around US$1,200. The people here are friendly and welcoming, and it is one of the easiest places in the world to establish residency. You’ll always find adventure and excitement whether it’s in a mountain hideaway or in one of the charming beach towns that are anything but ordinary.
Colombia
Over the past couple of decades, Colombia has been emerging as one of the world’s top overseas havens. It is home to the best healthcare in Latin America, and it is a place where you can live a premium lifestyle at a low cost.
Colombians are friendly and welcoming to foreigners, and this is an excellent haven for investors, retirees, and second-home buyers to bypass the typical snowbird escapes like Florida or Arizona in exchange for excitement, adventure, romance, and a high-class lifestyle for an affordable price. On top of all that, Colombia has stunning white sand beaches that lead to crystal clear blue water, great weather, colonial cities, an amazing culture, and loads of activities to keep visitors busy.
Malta
Don’t let the size of this tiny Mediterranean island fool you, Malta is a true gem that has a lot to offer.
Malta has a rugged coastline with stunning cliffs, beaches, quaint fishing harbors, and coves with ancient forts to explore. Wine production is popular here and grape-laden vines hang all over the island. Malta has a typically Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The average yearly temperature is 73˚F (23˚C) during the day and 61˚F (16˚C) at night.
The people here are friendly, and this is an excellent country for retired people, and for people who love the sun and outdoors. On top of that, Malta offers top-notch healthcare, the island is very safe, the quality of life is high, and the cost of living is low.
Malaysia
Malaysia is an excellent place to spend your winters if you are interested in learning a lot about different cultures without spending the whole winter bouncing around from one place to another. Malaysia is a cultural hub in Asia, and the diversity of its people is made up of Malay, Chinese, and Indian ethnicities which forms one very unique culture which you can only experience in Malaysia.
This country is affordable, exotic, safe, it has great healthcare (Malaysia is a medical tourism hotspot), stunning beaches, and a low cost of living.
Vietnam
Vietnam is a peaceful country that could arguably be called the cheapest place to live on earth. It is a very tourist and expat-friendly country, and the government makes an effort to treat foreigners well to attract more visitors. Vietnam is a land of breathtaking, world-class beaches, beautiful mountain retreats, and vibrant towns.
Mexico
Mexico is easily the most accessible country from the US and Canada and is the most popular expat destination.
Mexico is a huge country with endless lifestyle options and there is so much to do here you’ll never get bored. This huge, extraordinarily diverse country has many of the greatest beaches in the world and many great beach towns. There are mountains, rainforests, two long coasts, colonial cities, Mayan ruins, jungles, rivers, and lakes. It is a place where a beachfront lifestyle is affordable, you can enjoy all the adventures of overseas life, and still be able to enjoy all the comforts of home.
The proximity to the US, the low cost of living, and the sheer variety of options make Mexico an easy option for expats seeking a winter safe haven.
