According to InternationalLiving.com, you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the romance of island living in retirement. A report from the organization listed 10 islands across the globe known for their value, friendliness and warmth – and which also provide the infrastructure for the comforts of home.
#1 Malta – At only 122 square miles, the tiny island nation of Malta has something for everyone—from ancient walled cities and coastal trails to countryside farmhouses and charming restaurants. Home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the islands—with over 155 miles of coastline—benefit from warm weather year-round. A large English-speaking population—a legacy of British colonization—makes it easy for new arrivals from the U.S. to fit in. Valletta, Malta’s capital city has rolling hills reminiscent of San Francisco. Couples can live comfortably on $2,600 per month.
#2 Mallorca, Spain – Mallorca is the largest of the islands off the coast of Spain’s Iberian Peninsula. It includes hilltop castles in the mountainous countryside as well as Roman ruins. The whole coastline of this 1,405-square-mile island is ringed with marinas, harbors and protected coves. It’s the perfect place to weigh anchor in the western Mediterranean—and the year-round mild climate is attractive to everyone. Here, a couple can live well from $2,500 a month, depending on lifestyle.
#3 Penang, Malaysia – The island of Penang, off the coast of Malaysia, has been a favorite among expats for decades. A couple can live well on a monthly budget of between $1,500 and $2,500 a month. It’s a luxury life on an affordable budget with all the comforts and conveniences of home. Known as a foodie haven, Penang’s largest city, George Town, is home to eclectic architecture and a vibrant art scene. Penang has a largely English-speaking populace.
#4 Ambergris Caye, Belize – Belize’s largest island, Ambergris Caye, is a center for ocean sports during the day and for socializing at night. Ambergris and the small nearby islands are not overly developed. San Pedro is the major population hub on Ambergris. Moving to Belize is easy. It’s the only country in Central America with English as its main language. The U.S. dollar is accepted, credit cards are widely used and well-known U.S. brands are available. A couple can enjoy a comfortable retirement on Ambergris Caye, including rent, for between $2,700 and $2,900 per month.
#5 Roatan, Honduras – The most populated of the Bay Islands, Roatán, is 35 miles from the northern coast of Honduras. Although, Honduras is Spanish-speaking, Roatán is largely English-speaking. A mountainous interior covered with jungle gives way to whitesand beaches and rocky coves. The Mesoamerican Reef just offshore provides the world-class scuba and snorkeling Roatán is best known for. A couple could live well here on $2,000 to $2,500 a month.
#6 Isla Mujures, Mexico – Clear, azure waters and white-sand beaches are never far away on Isla Mujeres, about eight miles from Cancún in Mexico. This relaxed island is a world away from its more tourist-developed neighbor—golf carts are preferred to cars as the main mode of transport. The island enjoys a warm tropical climate (low to mid-80s F for most of the year). A couple can live a nice life on Isla Mujeres for $2,500 to $3,000 a month, including rent.
#7 Isla Colon, Panama – One of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean may well be Panama’s tropical archipelago. Close to the border with Costa Rica, Bocas del Toro is a group of nine main islands and a few hundred islets dotting calm turquoise waters. The expat community is welcoming and well-organized. A couple can live here on as little as $1,400 a month, renting a simple, cozy, island-style home.
#8 Bali – Bali is the rock star of the 18,307 islands that make up Indonesia. Floating in aquamarine waters, Bali’s interior is filled with intense green rice paddies and lush jungle—a place expats enjoy life’s little luxuries at a fraction of the cost of home, and where spas are part of the lifestyle. Bali is only eight degrees south of the equator, so you can count on most days being between 78 to 90 F with 75% humidity. The mountainous regions get some slightly cooler temperatures and the monsoon season is from October to April. But even the rainy season has plenty of sunny days. A couple can live well in most towns in Bali for $1,900.
#9 Koh Samui, Thailand – Although only 13 miles wide and over 15 miles long, Koh Samui is Thailand’s second largest island. It lies off the eastern coast in the Gulf of Thailand, around 400 miles south of Bangkok. Expats come to this lush, tropical island for its whitesand beaches and laidback lifestyle. Samui, one of an archipelago of 80 smaller islands, has a warm and mostly crystal-clear sea, with lots of opportunities for kayaking, sailing and boating. It is also fast becoming a golfer’s paradise. Expats live well here on a budget of $2,000 to $2,500 a month.
#10 Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic – Known for top-class beaches, excellent weather and great golf, the Dominican Republic— just three-and-a-half hours from New York—is a front-runner for affordable Caribbean living. The little beach town of Las Terrenas in the northeast, on the Samana Penninsula, offers pristine beaches. A couple can live in this tropical paradise for around $2,000 to $3,000 a month.
Source: Internationalliving.com
