10. Cartegena, Colombia
Don’t have a knee-jerk rejection of this one. Despite its pervasive reputation as a dangerous place, Colombia is actually a beautiful country that has really cleaned up over the last two decades. The seaside town of Cartegena, in particular, is a lively, liveable city that may surprise you with its comfortable array of amenities. You can eat, drink and live well here, and not want for anything. Most goods cost half what they do up north, and local produce is cheap and plentiful. Your retirement budget will go twice as far here than back home. Cartagena has first-class health facilities, hospitals, clinics and doctors of every specialty, many of them trained in North America or Europe. Dental work costs 80% less than in the US and comprehensive health insurance is peanuts. Your neighbors back home may raise their eyebrows when you tell them you’re retiring to Cartegena, but you’ll be too busy living the good life to care.
So which of these affordable places to retire abroad tempt you?