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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.

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      • Health Care Abroad
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      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.






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          VALENCIA, SPAIN

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          PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

          Oct. 15-17, 2025

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          Nov. 13, 2025

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        THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

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          Home Retirement/Living

          Cosmopolitan City Living From US$1,384 A Month

          by Sophia Titley
          May 04, 2023
          in Retirement/Living
          0 0
          Night view of Medellin, Colombia. best places to retire 2025

          Adobe Stock/Javier D. Sandoval P


          The fun-loving locals are undeniably proud of their city and famous for their friendliness. They speak Spanish but have their own regional lingo and lilt, so you’ll want a basic grasp of Spanish to live well here.

          The colorful regional culture here is famous. As an expat, you can experience it simply by sticking around for a year and living out its jam-packed events calendar.

          A world-renowned flower festival happens every August; the International Poetry Prize, International Jazz Festival, and International Tango and World Latin Dance Festivals are held every year…

          There are museums all over town, including open-air ones like the Botero Sculpture Park, where all you need to do is walk around to marvel at the iconic, larger-than-life statues to take in fine art.

          There’s opera in season, symphonies, theater, and orchestra performances, and major concerts… There’s also great shopping, dance clubs, nightclubs (even for the silver-haired crowd), and fine dining…

          Locals are active and fit. The whole city seems to come out on Sunday mornings when a major road is closed to motorized vehicles. They also know how to have a good time…

          With its vibrant art, music, and culinary scenes, the city’s energy is infectious. It’s easy to feel this and be a part of it, whether by checking out the street art, sitting down at a new restaurant, or signing up for salsa lessons.

          No matter what your interests are, you’ll never be bored here.
          As with anywhere, lifestyle and location will have a huge effect on your cost of living. Neighborhoods (or estratos) are ranked from one to six by wealth, with six being the wealthiest.

          Medellín can be an extremely affordable place to live if you choose to go local and live in a lower estrato, shop local brands, and eat at local restaurants.

          Taking a middle-of-the-road approach, expect to pay about US$650 for a comfortable two-bedroom apartment (in expat favorite neighborhoods El Poblado or Laureles), about US$370 on monthly groceries, and about US$25 on the average nice meal out for two.

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            A couple’s basic monthly budget here should come to about US$1,384.

            Health care is a major selling point for Colombia. Many of the best hospitals in all of Latin America are found in Medellín including Colombia’s only JCI-accredited hospital (Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe).

            To access local health care as a resident, you’ll first need a visa and a cédula (local ID). Then you’ll be eligible for a local plan under Entidadas Promotorasde Salud, or EPS. These are basic health care plans that everyone in Colombia must have by law.

            These plans cost 12.5% of your monthly income, or pension for retirees. They cover medical, vision, and dental, but at a basic level. Each plan has its own network, so you’ll need to be clear about which hospitals and doctors you can visit.

            Most expats opt to sign up for some kind of private coverage, known as medicina prepaga, in addition to EPS.

            The cost depends on a variety of factors, such as your age and pre-existing conditions. These plans ensure shorter wait times and fewer hoops to jump through to see a specialist. There are a few different insurance companies you can go through to get set up, with SURA being a favorite among expats.

            One great thing about health care here is that you don’t even need to go to a clinic or hospital to get diagnosed and buy medication. Pharmacists in Medellín can give basic medical advice, and many medications are readily available over the counter.

            It’s not difficult to find a doctor that speaks English here, as many have completed some of their studies abroad and are used to treating international patients.

            Like any other big city, Medellín has some issues with crime. It used to have a reputation as the murder capital of the world, but things have changed, and today it’s a much safer place than most people realize.

            Since the late 1980s, the city’s homicide rate has dropped by 95%, and the extreme poverty level has plummeted by 66%.

            While the safety situation has drastically improved, incidents do happen. Card skimming has been reported at ATMs, so stick to those located within banks or offices, preferably with guards on duty during business hours.

            The most common crime is pickpocketing but with a little common sense and awareness, you can protect yourself from the majority of dangerous situations.

            Colombia offers a handful of different residency options and it stands out for the clarity of government information about its residency types and the ease of the application process.

            Most retirees coming to Colombia apply for a Pensionado Visa, a category of its Migrant M-Type Visas.

            The basic requirements of the Pensionado Visa include; being in receipt of an income (pension) of at least US$700 per month (this is about three times Colombia’s minimum wage, which changes annually), providing a mental and physical fitness certificate, proof of health insurance, and a criminal background certificate.

            The Pensionado Visa is valid for one to three years (based on the discretion of the immigration officer), but it loses validity if you stay out of the country for more than six months consecutively.

            After five uninterrupted years of holding the Pensionado Visa, you can convert to permanent residency.

            Colombia also allows you to jump straight to permanent residency if you make a significant investment in the country (about US$141,200 invested in real estate or local business).

            Resident Visas don’t expire; you just have to get a new ID card every five years.

            When you consider the standard of living in Medellín, all of this adds up to incredible value for those seeking out a new life in a cosmopolitan setting.  

            Sincerely, 

            Sophia Titley signature

            Sophia Titley
            Editor, Overseas Living Letter

            Share83Tweet52
            Sophia Titley

            Sophia Titley

            For Sophia Titley, home is a subjective concept. She was born in Singapore but grew up in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia… and has since lived in Canada, Spain, Colombia, and, most recently, Panama. She studied political science and Spanish at the University of British Columbia, and in her free time enjoys trying new recipes, playing soccer, and salsa dancing.

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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

                  Real Estate

                  Overseas Property Alert 

                   

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                  EXPLORE

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                  Offshore Wealth Summit

                  PANAMA CITY, PANAMA Oct. 15-17, 2025
                  LEARN MORE
                  PRE-REGISTER

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                  VIRTUAL Nov. 13, 2025
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                  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

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                  THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

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