10 Best Retirement Beach Towns Around the World

If the beach life is calling you and you'd like to spend your retirement with your toes in the sand, we have the best picks for the countries with the most desirable beaches and beach towns for retirees.

By: Meredith Rosenberg

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Living the Dream on a Spectacular Beach

Though it might be hard to believe, you could actually retire in a beach town and still have access to great health care and a low cost of living. How? By retiring in a town around the world known for its stunning beaches. Our travel expert picks some of the best beaches to retire around the world for you to explore.

Cartagena, Colombia

Beaches: Choose high-rise living in order to walk out your door onto white-sand beaches.
Visa/residency requirements: The pensionado visa for retirees asks for about $700 monthly income, making it one of the cheapest options on this list. The visa process also requires less hoop jumping compared to other countries.
Retirement taxes: US citizens are still expected to file US tax returns.
Cost of living: Although Colombia doesn’t require proof of a high monthly income, rough estimates still suggest budgeting around $2,000 a month. Numbeo finds the overall cost of living in Cartagena is about 70% less than New York.
Health care: The World Health Organization has given Colombia’s health system a high ranking for its top hospitals and affordable care. Anyone with a resident card can access the public system, while private policies provide supplemental coverage, from house calls to private hospital rooms.
Quality of life: About a million people live in Cartagena, a vibrant city with outdoor markets, salsa clubs, museums, shopping, golf and a historic section that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Affordable buses and taxis make it easy to get around.
Climate: The temperature usually hovers in the upper 80s with dry and rainy seasons, but residents don’t have to worry about hurricanes.

Roatan, Honduras

Beaches: How does 32 square miles of white-sand beaches sound?
Visa/residency requirements: To gain Honduras residency, retirees need to have at least $1,500 a month coming in, but that covers the applicant and a dependent. Health certificates and background checks are also required.
Retirement taxes: As another incentive, foreign income isn’t taxed.
Cost of living: Island life will run couples between $2,000 to $2,500 a month, and it’s possible to buy a two-bedroom condo for less than $200,000. Consider this one of the cheapest options if you want to live near the beach in the Caribbean.
Health care: A brand-new hospital opened on Roatan in 2016, and the country offers both public and private insurance. Overall health care is good and the cost low.
Quality of life: A scuba-diving paradise, Roatan offers bustling beach communities on the western end and a more rural lifestyle on the eastern side. In the former, you’ll find all your necessities covered, from supermarkets and cafes to yoga and golf. Note that a car is needed to get around. But you’ll get to experience island life that’s only a two-hour flight from the US.
Climate: Due to its location, Roatan isn’t as impacted by hurricanes as the rest of the Caribbean. Temperatures remain around 75 degrees in winter, though soar into the 90s come summer.

Penang, Malaysia

Beaches: Penang’s renowned beaches are about a half-hour drive from the capital of George Town, and it’s easy to find one that suits your tastes.
Visa/residency requirements: Malaysia has one of the best visa options for retirees 50 and older. The MM2H visa is good for 10 years and automatically renews. It requires proof a monthly income of about $2,350 or depositing a lump sum of about $35,000 into a local bank account.
Retirement taxes: As another perk, retirees are exempt from paying income tax, foreign or otherwise.
Cost of living: Budget between $1,500-$2,500 a month. One couple reports that it’s possible to rent a three-bedroom in a beach community with water views and full amenities for about $400 a month. That is not a typo.
Health care: Malaysia is another country where the health care quality is high and costs are low. So low, in fact, that retirees' private hospital costs are so affordable that few people buy private health insurance. Plus, English-speaking doctors are prevalent here.
Quality of life: English is commonly spoken throughout Malaysia, making the transition less stressful. Newcomers will find a large foreign community and familiar comforts like malls and gyms, along with great street food, a cafe culture, free shuttle buses around George Town and an extensive bus system and taxis for longer distances. You’ll want the latter to take advantage of the great outdoors, from jungles to World Heritage-designated national parks.
Climate: In exchange for all of the benefits, the tradeoff is the weather: The two seasons are either hot and humid or monsoon-prone.

Valencia, Spain

Beaches: City dwellers can easily reach Las Arenas Beach and La Malvarrosa Beach by public transportation, or head a little further out to access Blue Flag beaches like El Saler Beach.
Visa/residency requirements: A residence visa is needed to retire, along with proof of a minimum monthly income of about $2,500, and about $532 per dependent. As with most countries, proof of health insurance and background checks are also required. Residence cards are granted after living in Spain for five years.
Retirement taxes: Low property taxes make Spain an attractive place to buy. Plus, thanks to a tax treaty that prevents double taxation, you can avoid paying excess taxes since you’ll still have to file a US tax return.
Cost of living: It’s possible to retire in Spain on between $20,000 and $25,000 a year. As a guide, numbeo.com ranks Valencia's costs as almost half that of NYC.
Health care: Public healthcare is available for those with resident status, and the World Health Organization ranks it as one of the best health care systems in the world. Alternatively, private health care costs around $200 a month and has become increasingly popular in Spain.
Quality of life: With around 2.5 million residents, you can expect all the perks that come with city life, from restaurants to culture. There are also green spaces and a comprehensive public transportation system offering a subway, buses and trams. Valencia is quite walkable as well. It does help to know Spanish, but you’ll find a community of retirees from abroad here.
Climate: Expect around 300 days of sunshine a year, with mild winters and hot summers.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Beaches: Tamarindo offers long sandy beaches, and the area attracts many surfers.
Visa/residency requirements: Costa Rica offers one of the cheapest residency options, requiring just $1,000 a month in a local account, along with other standard requirements such as background checks.
Retirement taxes: Costa Rica doesn’t tax foreign income from Social Security, a pension or investments.
Cost of living: While it’s possible to get by on $1,500 a month in parts of Costa Rica, it’s suggested to budget at least $2,000 a month for Tamarindo.
Health care: Retirees can opt for the public or private route, or a mix of both. While overall costs are lower and the quality is excellent, locals will find more services available in Liberia, about a 90-minute drive north.
Quality of life: Home to about 4,000 people, Tamarindo offers basic services, restaurants, yoga studios and watersports galore. Plus, the US Department of State estimates there are about 120,000 Americans in Costa Rica, so odds are good of finding other retirees in Tamarindo.
Climate: It’s a sunny clime, with temperatures ranging between 80 to 95 degrees; the rainy season stretches between May and October.

Cascais, Portugal

Beaches: Providing the best of city/beach living, Cascais offers four beaches within walking distance from town.
Visa/residency requirements: Retirees wishing to put down permanent roots should apply for the Type 1 visa. This requires proof of private insurance and an $1,100 monthly income. Higher-net-worth individuals can apply for a Golden Visa, which grants faster residency and the ability to apply for citizenship after five years.
Retirement taxes: Foreign income, including pensions and capital gains, is taxed.
Cost of living: Cascais isn’t the cheapest beach area in Portugal, but it’s possible to live here on about $2,500 a month, with the bulk going toward rent.
Health care: Americans have to become permanent residents before taking advantage of the free health care system. Until then, private insurance plans in Portugal are cheaper than in the US.
Quality of life: A short train ride from Lisbon, this popular resort area sports bustling town squares, a biweekly market, an inexpensive bus system, museums, golf, surfing and all of your shopping needs.
Climate: As a mild climate, temperatures remain within the 50-80 degree range all year.

Phuket, Thailand

Beaches: Phuket draws a global crowd to its white-sand beaches, and yes, many are crowded because of the vibrant party scene. But the island’s big enough for retired locals to find low-key, uncrowded stretches.
Visa/residency requirements: Thailand offers a one-year retirement visa to those as young as 50 and requires about $2,000 in monthly income to be deposited in a local bank account. Americans can apply for a five-year visa if they can deposit about $92,000 in annual income.
Retirement taxes: Thailand requires those living in the country for longer than six months to pay income taxes, including on international income.
Cost of living: Overall costs are significantly lower in Thailand compared to the US, according to Numbeo. Smartasset estimates that a retired couple can live on $1,500-$2,000 a month.
Health care: While public insurance isn’t an option for those on retirement visas, private insurance and local health-care costs will still run much less than the States. Not only that, but the quality is high enough to make Thailand a medical tourism destination; Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok is considered world-class.
Quality of life: You’ll find a like-minded community that comes for the beautiful scenery, low cost of living, top-notch health care, golf, modern conveniences, great food and vacation lifestyle.
Climate: Temperatures stay between 80-90 degrees year-round, with monsoon season lasting from May to October.

Mazatlan, Mexico

Beaches: Miles of golden-sand beaches front this resort town that’s home to about half a million people.
Visa/residency requirements: A temporary resident visa is good for four years and requires $1,400 a month per applicant and $520 per dependent. Those interested in making a longer commitment can apply for permanent residence after four years, but the monthly income requirement jumps up to $2,300.
Retirement taxes: You can avoid double taxation in Mexico thanks to an agreement between the two countries, and there are no estate or inheritance taxes in Mexico.
Cost of living: Those 60 and older with a resident visa can access Mexico’s retirement benefits, which provide discounts on transportation, health care and more. Those interested in buying a home can find property for less than $200,000 and can get away with a monthly budget of about $1,000.
Health care: You’ll find two hospitals in Mazatlan, but you’ll need private insurance to access most of Mexico’s health care system. This will still be more affordable than the US.
Quality of life: Even though Mazatlan offers year-round cultural events, a 12-mile boardwalk, fresh seafood, cafes, great shopping, safety and more, it doesn’t attract hordes of tourists like Cancun.
Climate: Summers can be rainy and hot, with highs around 90, but the rest of the year hovers around 80.

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Beaches: Not as well known as other parts of the country, transplants come for uncrowded white-sand beaches and turquoise water.
Visa/residency requirements: Panama makes it relatively easy to acquire residency, with a monthly income requirement of $1,000 and $250 per dependent. This is in addition to providing a host of other documents, not limited to a local health certification, marriage and birth certificates and background check. The Pensionado Visa also provides discounts off flights, public transportation, restaurants, entertainment and more.
Retirement taxes: No tax on foreign income makes Panama an attractive retirement option for many. It’s also possible to relocate up to $10,000 in household goods duty-free.
Cost of living: Panama uses US currency, making calculations a breeze. Thanks to the Pensionado Program discounts and a generally low cost of living, a couple can comfortably retire here on as little as $1,400 a month.
Health care: An inexpensive public hospital in Bocas Town covers basic needs, but you’ll find world-class hospitals and doctors in Panama City for everything else. To access the private system, Investopedia estimates a private plan will run about $145 a month for two.
Quality of life: An hour flight from Panama City, many retirees settle in the Isla Colón section. Here the focus is on a simple beach lifestyle along the Caribbean ocean, but you'll find a more bustling scene in Bocas Town.
Climate: Panama benefits from lying outside of the hurricane belt; Bocas del Toro experiences wet and dry seasons, with temperatures averaging between 70-90 degrees.

Salinas, Ecuador

Beaches: Salinas is a popular beach resort that’s just 90 minutes from Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city.
Visa/residency requirements: Salinas is one of the cheapest options on this list. It’s possible to gain residency by either proving a monthly income of $800 a month or spending at least $25,000 on a property. Once residency is established, seniors over 65 can take advantage of some free health care services and half-off discounts — think public transportation, movie tickets and even international flights.
Retirement taxes: Foreign income isn’t taxed. Property taxes are low, and those over 65 don’t have to pay any tax if their home is assessed under $183,000.
Cost of living: In addition to the above-mentioned discounts, seniors also benefit from restaurant and cultural discounts and even reduced utility bills. It’s possible to buy a two-bedroom beach condo for about $150,000, while monthly costs can range from $1,200-$2,000, depending on your lifestyle.
Health care: You’ll find high-quality public services, especially in the cities, at a much lower cost than in the US. Those opting for private insurance will find low monthly premiums; even better, it’s illegal for companies to reject customers based on age or pre-existing conditions.
Quality of life: Salinas is a small community with less than 40,000 full-time residents, but it’s not lacking in activities. There are yacht clubs, watersports and restaurants, and inexpensive buses make it easy to get around.
Climate: Salinas enjoys a mild climate year-round with wet and dry seasons, making it perfect for beachgoers.