Retire In Italy for $3 — Yes, Seriously

According to a retirement survey by the Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement, 12% of respondents want to live abroad when they retire. But with plenty of options available, how do you choose where to settle?

One village in Italy just made that decision a lot easier for prospective retirees, offering 12 homes in Sambuca di Sicilia on the island of Sicily for purchase for just 3 euros — a little over $3. 

The village first sold homes for just 1 euro back in 2019, and the fire sale reinvigorated the Italian village, bringing in millions of dollars in foreign investment. 

The homes up for sale this time around are around 850 square feet with two or three bedrooms spread across one or two floors. If you want to snap one up yourself, you can expect to spend around $30,000 on renovation, which must be completed within three years, and must pay a deposit guarantee of a little over $5,000. 

With good healthcare and a low cost of living, Italy is just one country that could be an ideal retirement destination. Using the Numbeo database, we've rounded up nine more, including the healthcare rank for each country (out of 95 countries scored) and a cost of living comparison to living in New York City.

Like France, Italy has a lot to offer for retirees. The overall cost of living is typically lower compared to the U.S., especially if you stay away from the larger cities. You also have your choice of climate, from the cold mountains to the mild and warm coastal regions — plus, with older villages selling homes for as little as $1, it’s easy to live la dolce vita.

For healthcare, Italy placed number 39 out of 95 countries for its health care ranking. That’s not far behind the U.S., which ranked 33 out of 95.

Cost of living: 33% less than New York City

Health care rank: 39 (out of 95)

Part of learning how to save for retirement is learning how to stretch your dollar. And if you want your funds to go further when you retire, there’s plenty to like about Latin America. Colombia makes the list because of its proximity to the U.S. despite being in South America, which makes it easy to travel between the two countries.

The cost of living is typically much lower compared to the U.S. and you have plenty of options for beautiful places to live — from coastal getaways to mountain retreats. Much of Colombia has a tropical climate and plenty of rain, though you can find drier areas. Colombia was ranked number 38 out of 95 countries for its quality of health care.

Cost of living: 73% less than New York City

Health care rank: 38 (out of 95)

Do you want to retire in an outdoor paradise? Located in Central America, Costa Rica is known worldwide as a leading destination for ecotourism, or travel that involves conserving the environment and sustaining the wellbeing of local residents. The country places a lot of importance on conserving its diverse landscapes, including volcanoes, beaches, waterfalls, and rainforests.

Costa Rica has a tropical climate and a generally lower cost of living compared to the U.S. It placed number 51 out of 95 for health care.

Cost of living index: 53% less than New York City

Health care index: 51 (out of 95)

Situated next to Colombia and Peru in South America, Ecuador has become a popular destination for many expats. Your dollar can often go further here compared to the U.S. and the weather is typically warm and sunny all year depending on your specific location.

Ecuador placed 32 out of 95 on for its health care ranking. This means you should have reasonable access to health care, but it could depend on where you live. You might want to avoid potential retirement mistakes by first visiting and scouting out different areas to see what things are like.

Cost of living: 63% less than New York City

Health care rank: 32 (out of 95)

France isn’t a budget travel destination, but that doesn’t mean you can’t retire here and pay less overall than what you were in the U.S. Living in a major city won’t likely be cheap, but there are plenty of towns and villages around the country that might fit your budget. In many instances, housing costs are often much lower in France compared to the U.S.

The climate also isn’t bad depending on where you live. The Cote D’Azur coastal region is sunny most of the year and parts of France benefit from a mild Mediterranean climate. It also doesn’t hurt that France ranked number 4 out of 95 for health care.

Cost of living: 26% less than New York City

Health care rank: 4 (out of 95)

Southeast Asia isn’t close at all to the U.S., but countries such as Indonesia are often much cheaper and have a lot to offer. The overall cost of living here is much lower compared to the U.S. and the climate is your typical tropical paradise weather: warm and often rainy.

Indonesia placed 56 out of 95 for health care. If you want to cut costs for travel between the U.S., some of the best travel credit cards can help earn valuable points and miles.

Cost of living: 64% less than New York City

Health care rank: 56 (out of 95)

For another option in Southeast Asia, consider Malaysia. Like other countries in the area, Malaysia offers a low cost of living, warm weather, and a variety of landscapes. This includes mountains, beaches, rainforests, and more.

Overall, Malaysia also offers reasonable access to healthcare. It ranked number 30 out of 95 countries for its quality of health care.

Cost of living index: 63% less than New York City

Health care index: 30 (out of 95)

If the idea of island living sounds appealing, consider Malta, an island nation situated in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and North Africa. Because of its location, you can expect a diverse culture and beautiful weather, even during the winter season. That means plenty of time to lounge at the beach or to explore a coastal city.

The cost of living in Malta is typically lower compared to the U.S., though Malta was ranked number 91 out of 95 countries for its health care. Due to Malta’s unique location, it could provide the perfect home base for exploring Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. However, you might want to compare credit cards to help save on travel expenses.

Cost of living: 33% less than New York City

Health care score: 91 (out of 95)

For many people, Mexico is the perfect country for retirement. It’s unique, inexpensive, beautiful, and also just a short flight away from the U.S. Depending on your location, you could have warm weather all year. Mexico also typically has more than reasonable healthcare, especially having to provide for a growing number of expats. It placed number 22 out of 95 countries for health care.

Cost of living: 65% less than New York City

Health care rank: 22 (out of 95)

Similar to other European countries, Portugal offers areas where you can live affordably and enjoy beautiful weather. This includes mild Mediterranean weather in the south with plenty of sunshine. The U.S. dollar is typically less valuable compared to the euro, but it all comes down to finding a location that works for your budget. Portugal placed number 24 out of 95 for health care.

Cost of living: 52% less than New York City

Health care rank: 24 (out of 95)

For many travel-focused retirees, retirement is about enjoying your time abroad without spending too much money. Any of these countries could help you stretch your retirement budget while living in a beautiful environment. Depending on where you choose to live, access to healthcare is typically on-par with that of the U.S., if not better.

If inspiration is setting in for your big move abroad, remember to consider ways you might help improve your financial situation. Heading to a less expensive area of the world is one way to save money, but what about before you retire? Check out these other ways to help boost your retirement savings.