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The Best Places To Retire In 2025

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      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
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      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

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      • Safest Places For Retirement
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    • 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
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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.






          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:
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          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

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          Home Residency

          3 Easy Overseas Residency Options

          by Kathleen Peddicord
          Aug 26, 2024
          in Residency
          0 0
          Beach scenery of El-nido Palawan, in the Philippines

          AdobeStock/Freesurf

          One-third of Americans would like to move out of the United States, according to a recent poll.

          This means that a staggering number of people—about 111 million—are now onboard with an idea that was considered unusual, even contrarian, just a few years ago.

          For any among the 111 million who are serious about moving overseas, there are a few practical but essential steps that must be taken to make the idea a reality.

          For most, gaining residency in another country is one of those essential steps.

          Residency is your legal ability to reside in a country long-term.

          It differentiates you from a tourist, who is usually limited to a one- or three-month visit at a time. Residency can allow you to stay in a country for one to five years at a time.

          Residency can also bring other benefits, such as access to subsidized or free health care and education, the ability to vote in local elections, and more.

          Residency can be issued as a temporary or permanent permit, and it is usually renewable so long as you continue to meet the requirements.

          Most countries offer a variety of resident visa options, including work, student, family reunification, ancestry, investor, digital nomad, “independent means,” and other kinds of visas. There are also humanitarian residency options.

          Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






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            For people choosing to move overseas for the lifestyle benefits a certain country can offer (who don’t seek to be employed or study locally and don’t have ancestral or familial ties to that country), the most suitable resident visa options are usually independent means and investor resident visas.

            Not every country offers these options, however, and those that do sometimes stipulate prohibitively expensive income or investment thresholds to qualify. New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa, for example, requires an NZD $15 million (about $9.1 million) investment in an approved category, which puts it out of reach for most people.

            That said, there are a handful of countries around the world that roll out the welcome mat for prospective expats, setting low financial thresholds to qualify for residency, and in some cases, even offering perks and benefits to incentivize applicants.

            Here’s a list of countries where the average American can reasonably qualify for residency through an independent means or investor visa, plus a non-exhaustive overview of the requirements. Note that application fees will also apply for each type of visa listed.

            Easy Overseas Residency: Panama

            Panama offers a variety of resident visa options, but the one that’s easiest to qualify for is the Pensionado Visa.

            This is a type of independent means visa. The primary qualification is proving that you receive enough monthly income to support yourself. For the Pensionado Visa, you must receive at least $1,000 per month from a government program or private corporation.

            Other requirements are that you’re at least 18 years old and apply in Panama with a Panamanian attorney. You also need to supply a health certificate issued by a Panamanian doctor and a certificate of good conduct issued by the authorities in your last country of residence, among other requirements.

            The Pensionado Visa grants indefinite residency in Panama, and you only need to visit the country once every two years to maintain this status. So, after five years, you can apply for Panamanian citizenship if you wish (although Panamanian nationality law requires an oath of renunciation of former citizenships).

            Establishing residency to live in Panama comes with benefits, such as access to a low-tax environment. Panama does not tax individuals on income earned abroad. It also provides benefits (discounts on utility bills, airline tickets, medical expenses, and more) to Pensionado Visa holders of any age as well as legal residents above the retirement ages Panama sets for men and women.

            Portugal

            Portugal is a standout in Western Europe for setting one of the lowest qualifying amounts for a resident visa. The amount quoted is equivalent to Portugal’s minimum monthly wage—760 euros (about $820).

            However, approval of residency applications is at the discretion of the immigration authority, and for successful applications, it’s recommended that you show a higher monthly income amount. My attorney in Portugal recommends that applicants be able to prove that they receive a monthly income of at least 1,200 euros (about $1,300).

            The income should be passive, coming from sources such as pensions, financial investments, real estate, and so on. You’ll also need proof of accommodation in Portugal and proof of health insurance with coverage of at least 30,000 euros (about $32,460), applicable across the EU and valid for one year.

            The D7 is a temporary resident permit that is valid for two years and renewable so long as you continue to meet the requirements. To maintain your Portuguese residency, you must stay in Portugal for at least 16 months during your first 24 months of residency.

            After five years of temporary residency, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship. This makes Portugal one of the quickest, easiest, and most affordable paths to an EU passport.

            Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






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              The Philippines

              The Philippines offers the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV), a type of independent means visa.

              To qualify for the “SRRV Classic” subset of this visa, you must be at least 50 years old. You must also make a bank deposit that you will use towards the purchase of a condominium or long-term lease of a house and lot. And, if you don’t have a pension, the deposit must be at least $20,000. If you do have a pension, the deposit must be at least $10,000, plus you must show proof of income of at least $800 per month.

              On top of these requirements, you must provide a medical certificate from a facility or physician in the Philippines. You must also provide a criminal background check from your country of origin or residence.

              The SRRV is a renewable temporary resident visa that gives you the right to live in the Philippines indefinitely.

              Sincerely,

              Kathleen Peddicord signature

              Kathleen Peddicord

              Founding Publisher, Live And Invest Overseas

              Tags: 'Expat Life''Foreign Residency''living in panama''Philippines'Best place to retire in Portugal
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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.

              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.

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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
                    • Raising A Family Abroad
                    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
                    • Offshore & Diversification

                    Making Money

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

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                    Overseas Property Alert 

                     

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                    From Outside North America:
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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

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