Hua Hin has been listed as the best city in Asia to retire overseas, followed by Chiang Mai. The two cities were rated seventh and eighth respectively in the rankings of the world’s 21 best cities to retire overseas in 2015 by ‘Live and Invest Overseas’. No other Thailand cities were included in the rankings. ‘Live and Invest Overseas’ is a leading online resource for people looking to move abroad have just released their annual index of the 21 best places for retirement overseas in 2015. The Report has been included in online information US publications the Washington Post, the Huffington Post as well as the Thai PBS. The concept of moving abroad in retirement is usually associated with adventure, good food and the freedom to explore other parts of the world.
But the main factor that motivates people to actually spend their later years abroad is often affordability, says Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas. “Our 2015 index rates the top destinations around the world that are each special for their own reasons. Not everyone wants to retire to the beach. Some want the amenities offered in big cities, while others want the tranquility of a mountain retreat.” The index is decided by looking at a dozen factors, including each place’s climate, cost of living, expat community, safety and taxes. Number One on the list for the second successive year was Algarve in Portugal.
The coastal region is the top pick due to the low cost of living and real estate. Algarve also has a robust expat community, beautiful weather and affordable, quality health care. Second on the list was Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, which is a well-known resort town. There are top-notch hospitals and an airport with many direct flights. Next on the list were Cayo in Belize, Languedoc in France, Abruzzo in Italy, Medellin of Colombia followed by Hua Hin and Chiang Mai. Hua Hin is described as a coastal town full of resorts on the beach and popular among foreigners who love to play golf, tennis and to eat. The resort town has good health care service, low crime rate and only two hours’ drive from Bangkok.
“American dollars will go pretty far in Thailand, where retirees could live for roughly less than $1,000 a month. Retirees would find golf, spas and amusement parks, but the main draw is the beach. The city has a strong community of expats from European countries that U.S. retirees can befriend”, according to the study. Reports describe how ‘Live and Invest Overseas’ is “working overtime” to make sure that the winners of this year’s Index are well represented at a ‘Retire Overseas Conference’, taking place Sept. 13–16 in Orlando, Florida. There is no current information about Hua Hin being represented at the conference.
