Property News · February 9, 2017

Cambodia, Vietnam ranked best countries to retire for US citizens on a budget


Only one kingdom where retirees could get the most bang from their greenback
Sunset over Otres Beach, Cambodia. LMspencer/Shutterstock
Cambodia and Vietnam are the world’s best retirement places with the lowest cost of living, according to the 2017 Annual Global Retirement Index by global retirement services publication International Living.
The Southeast Asian nation famed for Angkor Wat (and Angelina Jolie) bested Nicaragua and Peru, in that order, to crown the index’s cost of living category. Vietnam was rated fifth-best on the sub-index, behind Colombia.
International Living based its rankings on such criteria as the cost of residential property rentals, return plane tickets to the US, groceries, clothing, telecommunications, movie theater tickets, restaurants, gym memberships, and domestic travel.
Cambodia has “great-value property rentals,” according to International Living correspondent Steven King. “Western style apartments are available to rent from USD300 a month in the capital of Phnom Penh, and go for as little as USD200 a month in the beach town of Sihanoukville, for example.”
More: No Chinese capital outflows? No problem — just go to Cambodia
“Cambodia has the lowest expat cost of living in the world, but while the prices are low, the quality and luxury of the lifestyle is definitely not,” he added.
Meanwhile, Vietnam “remains an extraordinarily inexpensive place to live,” according to International Living correspondent Wendy Justice. In major urban centres, retirees can rent furnished, two-bedroom apartments for USD500 per month, and comparable properties for USD350 to USD400 a month in beach towns.
“Vietnam has become a popular destination in Southeast Asia for both expats and tourists,” Justice wrote. “In 1990, it was one of the poorest countries in the world; today, it is decidedly middle-class and on an upward trajectory.”
On the overall index, Malaysia and Thailand placed at sixth and 12th places, buoyed by high grades in healthcare and entertainment, respectively. Cambodia was rated 17th best retirement haven in the world, ahead of 19th- and 24th- placers Philippines and Vietnam. Mexico placed at number one, with 90.9 points, edging out Panama with 90.8 points.
Read next: Retirement villages across Southeast Asia are courting global pensioners

Source : property-report.com
Read more…Cambodia, Vietnam ranked best countries to retire for US citizens on a budget

You may also like...