The best places in the world to retire to in 2017
Lauren Weymouth
04 January 2017
Where to have happy salad days
What better way to spend your retirement than in a beautiful place with low crime and great healthcare? We’ve rounded up the very best places to pack your bags and retire to in 2017.
Gold Coast, Australia
As one of the fastest-growing developed countries in the world, Australia is the perfect place to spend your final years. The highest-ranked non-European country on investment bank Natixis’s most recent global retirement index, it has low levels of public debt and inflation. It also has excellent end-of-life care, coming second only to the UK.
Gold Coast, Australia
Located on the east coast of the country, the Gold Coast is the gem in the state of Queensland’s crown, averaging 245 days of fine and sunny weather every year. Let’s not forget the endless golden beaches and stunning hinterland full of breathtaking views either – a slice of paradise perfect for nature lovers.
Marlborough, New Zealand
Offering a high quality of life thanks to its diverse and natural environment and low levels of air pollution, New Zealand has buckets of character. It’s also a safe place to be, coming fourth in the Institute for Economics and Peace’s safest country rankings, five spots ahead of its neighbor Australia.
Marlborough, New Zealand
Wine lovers will be in heaven and can spend their twilight years exploring the many vineyards located in the Marlborough region on the South Island, not to mention the uninterrupted views of pristine aquamarine water and rolling green hills.
Tokyo, Japan
The capital of Japan was recently named the safest major city in the world by the Economist’s Intelligence Unit rankings. It scored top marks for digital security and is also in the top five for personal safety despite its 13.3 million population. In the Natixis global retirement rankings, Japan jumped a whopping 10 spots to 17th position, thanks to major improvement in its health care.
Tokyo, Japan
The same report revealed Japan boasts the most hospital beds per capita – 14 per 1,000 people. The Japanese also have a high quality of life. With Tokyo set to host the Olympics in 2020 the capital city is getting a revamp, meaning cleaner streets and better attractions.
Copenhagen, Denmark
This Scandinavian nation is constantly topping the world’s happiest place on Earth rankings for one major reason – it’s a seriously nice place to be. That’s thanks to a strong social support system, freedom to live as you please and low perceived business and government corruption.
Copenhagen, Denmark
As well being happy, the Danes also live longer, with the average life expectancy for residents now over 80 years. It also ranked as the second safest country in the world in the Global Peace Index rating. Happy, safe and great retirement potential – Denmark is a winner!
Valletta, Malta
Nestled in the heart of the Mediterranean, it’s not hard to see why you’d be more than content to make Malta your final stop. With over 3,100 hours of sunshine a year, an average temp of 66°F (19°C) and English as a first language this tiny island has a lot going for it.
Valletta, Malta
Malta is jam packed with history – including nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites – and despite its size has plenty to do, with stunning beaches and a bustling city centre in the capital Valletta. Malta also boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the in the world and has great health care.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Ranked as the safest country in the world, the second happiest nation and fourth best place to retire, Iceland gets our vote as a top place to settle. With a small population of only 320,000, the tight-knit society is known for its strong community support and welfare.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is one of the few countries in the world without an army. It’s also perfect for those who enjoy a cooler climate. Move to Reykjavik for your final years to enjoy all of these benefits and natural delights such as whale watching and the Northern Lights.
Cornwall, United Kingdom
Recently named the best place in the world to die in a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the UK has been applauded for having the world’s top end-of-life care, beating 79 other countries. The study cited excellent hospice care, specialized staff and a strong community spirit.
Cornwall, United Kingdom
The UK also received the top score in terms of the financial burden to patients, with 80% to 100% of end-of-life care paid for by sources other than the patient, such as charitable funding. While certain parts of the UK are known for dreary weather, the coastal county of Cornwall has one of the highest year-round average temperatures, lots of history and some stunning scenery.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ranked 8th in the world for having the best end-of-life care, the Netherlands believes strongly in developing and maintaining high levels of social support and charitable giving. The country has also jumped to fifth place in the Natixis global retirement rankings, making this a great spot to move to.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bicycle-friendly, canal-filled and culturally dynamic, Amsterdam offers an awful lot for active retirees. The Netherlands also placed seventh on the world happiness scale so expect friendly people too.
Florida, United States
Ranked 19th in the Natixis retirement rankings, the US scores high for both quality of life and health. It also scored 80 out of 100 in the end-of-life care ratings so you know you’re going to get good quality help if you need it.
Florida, United States
In such a big country you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to locations but Florida is a great place to be. Close to the coast, warm temperatures year-round and a booming retirement community means you’ll never be short of things to do or people to see.
Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden's strong quality of life makes it an attractive place to retire. Its universal healthcare system, with high levels of physicians per capita and a high life expectancy, only add to its appeal. It also scores highly in terms of citizens feeling they have the right to live as they please.
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is often touted as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, with a magnificent mixture of old and new and bags of character and charm. The Economist Intelligence Unit also named it as the safest city in Europe.
Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Second in Natixis' Global Retirement Survey, Switzerland once again proved it’s the place to be for retirees, scoring impressively across all four categories: health, quality of life, finance and material wellbeing. Renowned for its outstanding healthcare system, life expectancy has risen to nearly 83 years.
Swiss Alps, Switzerland
An Australian study also found Switzerland had one of the top five pension systems in the world. Base yourself in the stunning Swiss Alps for a diet of chocolate and cheese and access to beautiful hikes, golf courses and ski resorts.
Stavanger, Norway
Norway has managed to secure the top spot on the best retirement rankings largely thanks to its high quality of life, material well-being and solid universal healthcare system. Public debt and unemployment are also falling.
Stavanger, Norway
All of these factors make Norwegians a very happy bunch, coming in third in the international World Happiness Index. While many flock to the capital Olso, why not try Stavanger? With great food, rich history and the world-famous western fjords the area offers scenery to literally die for.
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