The Top Seven Places to Retire七地養老，無憾人生！

文/羅布·巴登 譯/吳真真 審訂/閆冉

By Rob Budden

The Top Seven Places to Retire七地養老，無憾人生！

文/羅布·巴登 譯/吳真真 審訂/閆冉

ByRob Budden

These days most of us can expect our retirement to last for more than a couple of decades. So, with life expectancy1life expectancy 預期壽命。on the rise where you choose to spend those twilight years2twilight years 古稀之年。is more important than ever.

[2] A growing number of pensioners are seeking far-flung destinations.They’re lured by hours of sunshine, a slower pace of life, favourable tax rates,and the prospect of a more fulfilling lifestyle where their income goes much further than it does at home. Considered carefully, retiring abroad can deliver all of the above without compromising home comforts or quality healthcare.

[3] From tropical towns in Thailand to coastal comforts in Central America,our guide to the seven best countries to retire has it all.

Panama

我們大多希望自己可以多享受幾十年的養老光陰。因此，隨著預期壽命的延長，選擇在哪里度過自己的暮年變得前所未有的重要。

[2]越來越多申領養老金的人正期望到更廣闊的世界中尋求自己的養老天地。他們向往更長的日照時間、更慢的生活節奏、優惠的稅收政策，希望退休金可以支持他們享受比國內更久、更好的生活。仔細想來，走出國門去養老，生活的舒適度沒有降低，醫療的質量沒有削減，而且可以實現上述多種愿望。

[3]從泰國的熱帶小鎮到中美洲舒適的海濱城市，我們為您精心挑選了七個絕佳的養老勝地！

巴拿馬

[4] Panama, the southernmost country in Central America tops the 2016 global retirement havens listings compiled byInternational Living, with what the magazine describes as “hands down the best package of retirement benefits in the world”. These include discounts for retirees on transport, entertainment,medicine and energy bills.

[5] To receive these wide array of benefits all you need is a Pensionado Visa, for which you need to be over 18 years of age and have a pension of at least $1,000 a month to qualify (both private or social-security payments count). The currency, the Panamanian balboa, is pegged to the dollar, so US retirees shouldn’t face shocks from currency swings.

[6] Savings will go a long way here too. Even without these pension benefits, living costs are already low compared to many countries in Europe,North America and Australasia3Australasia澳大拉西亞（包括澳大利亞、新西蘭及太平洋西南島嶼）。, with a three-course meal for two in a midrange restaurant4mid-range restaurant中檔餐廳。in Panama costing $30,according to numbeo.com, a website that tracks the prices of everyday items.

[7] Property prices are also reasonable, with foreigners having the same property rights as Panamanians.Purchasing a three-bedroom property in the popular mountain town of Boquete would cost about $179,000, according to globalpropertyguide.com.

[4]巴拿馬共和國——中美洲最南部的國家， 在環球旅行雜志《國際生活》2016年收錄的 “全球養老宜居”國家中位列榜首。雜志稱之“一直以來都有世界上最好的養老福利”。退休老人的福利包括：乘坐公共交通工具、娛樂場所消費、醫療護理、支付能源賬單時均能享受折扣。

[5]一本退休簽證在手，即可尊享以上諸多待遇。只要年齡在18周歲以上，每月有不低于1000美元的養老金（個人賬戶或者社保賬戶），就能辦理退休簽證。巴波亞是巴拿馬的流通貨幣，其匯價與美元掛鉤，所以美國人入境巴拿馬養老不用擔心匯率波動的影響。

[6]儲蓄也可以在這里使用很久。即便沒有上述養老福利，這里的生活成本也遠低于歐洲、北美洲和澳大拉西亞諸國。根據追蹤日常消費價格數據的網站numbeo.com，在巴拿馬的中檔餐館，30美元英鎊就可使兩人享用三道菜肴。

[7]房地產價位也合理。在巴拿馬居住的外籍人士享受和本地居民一樣的產權。根據網站globalpropertyguide.com，在巴拿馬，只需179,000美元就可在頗受歡迎的博克特購置一套三居室的房子。

[8] Panama has an internationally well-regarded healthcare system, with many doctors trained in the US and Europe. However, retirees should allow at least $200 a month to cover private health insurance.

[9] The biggest downside for many retirees is the country’s poor road infrastructure5infrastructure基礎設施。outside of Panama City.But balance that against Panama’s affordability, leisure options and proximity to the US—just two-and-ahalf hours flight from Miami—and it’s easy to see the country’s draw.

[10] And compared to some Central American countries, Panama is relatively safe, according to Overseas Security Advisory Council, a body set up by the US Department of State,whose primary aim is to assist private sector in identifying and tracking security threats.

Ecuador

[11] Ecuador ranks second in the 2016 listings, compiled byInternational Livingmagazine, on its generous retirement benefits, affordable housing and a great climate.

[8]巴拿馬的醫療體系在國際上享有盛譽，許多醫生在美國和歐洲接受過訓練。但是，退休人員每個月至少要花費200美元才能覆蓋個人醫療保險項目的費用。

[9]對諸多來此養老的人來說，最大的缺憾莫過于：城外的路況較差，設施簡陋。但是巴拿馬物價低廉，休閑方式眾多，而且距離美國本土較近——從邁阿密出發經過兩個半小時的飛行就能到達——這個國家的好處顯而易見，這些優勢彌補了市政管理上的不足。

[10]海外安全顧問委員會是美國國務院建立的一家實體機構，專門對私人領域的安全威脅進行識別和追蹤。據其報告：和某些中美洲國家相比，巴拿馬的治安是相對安全的。

厄瓜多爾

[11]厄瓜多爾養老福利優渥，住房經濟適用，氣候得天獨厚，因此在《國際生活》收錄的2016全球養老宜居國家名單中位列第二。

[12] Resting on the equator, the country enjoys 12 hours of daylight every day throughout the year. In addition, the highlands of Ecuador,which include popular expat destinations like Cuenca, Cotacachi,and Vilcabamba, sit several thousand feet above sea level, giving residents a year-round spring-like climate.

[13] For housing costs, there are few countries that can beat Ecuador. In the popular colonial city of Cuenca, for example, a two-bedroom apartment can be rented for $500 a month or less.

[14] To live here though, retirees will need to learn Spanish, as English is not widely spoken and expats will have to adapt to a limited national road infrastructure.

[15] But there are plenty of perks.Like Panama, Ecuador offers a wide range of desirable retiree benefits,including half-price public transport for those aged 65 or over and IVA (valueadded tax) refunds on many purchases.

[16] The Ecuadorian government also made a recent change to its healthcare system that will likely prove a major pull for expats. Since 2014, foreign retirees in Ecuador have been able to join the country’s national health care system, which is managed by the country’s Social Security administration, at a cost of about $70 a month. At the same time,age and pre-existing medical condition restrictions were removed. Previously,those older than 60 weren’t eligible for membership. Retirees can also opt for private healthcare.

[12]這個位于赤道的國家全年都享有12個小時的日照時間。另外，厄瓜多爾三個受歡迎的移民城市——昆卡、科塔卡奇和比爾卡班巴——都位于高原地帶，海拔數千英尺，這里的居民可享受四季如春的宜人氣候。

[13]就住房成本而言，厄瓜多爾的房價幾乎是全球最低。以著名的殖民城市昆卡為例，一套兩居室公寓的月租不過500美元甚至更少。

[14]雖屬南美洲國家，但英語在這里的使用并不廣泛，來這里養老的居民有必要學會西班牙語，并且還要適應這個國家簡陋的公路設施。

[15]但還有其他方面的多種福利待遇。和巴拿馬一樣，厄瓜多爾提供一系列誘人的養老福利，受益面廣，如年齡在65歲及以上的老人乘坐公共交通享受半價優惠，在許多購物項目上享受返還增值稅的優惠。

[16]厄瓜多爾政府近期對醫療體系做出調整，未來可成為吸引移民的主要亮點。2014年以后，外來養老人員就已有資格進入厄瓜多爾社會保障部門主導的國民醫療體系，按制度規定，每個月需繳納社保費70美元。在調整之前，60歲以上的老年人沒有資格申報養老，而調整之后，不再有申報養老的年齡和健康狀況的限制。養老人員也可以選擇個人投保。

Malaysia

[17] For year-round sunshine and diversity, consider Malaysia, which offers everything from tropical beaches and remote rainforests to the highrise bustle of capital, Kuala Lumpur.This former British colony is also an inexpensive place to live, withInternational Livingplacing it among the cheapest places to live in its global cost of living index.

[18] Add to this widely-spoken English, low cost of restaurants and direct foreign ownership of property freehold, and it is easy to see the country’s appeal for older expats.

[19] The magazine reports that a couple can live comfortably in a spacious luxury apartment for less than$1,000 a month. Xpatulator.com, a website that analyses costs for expats,rates healthcare and accommodation costs in Malaysia as “very low”. But be warned, not everything is cheap here: many imported goods, from cars to wine spirits, are often sky-high as a result of local taxes.

馬來西亞

[17]想要終年陽光普照，多元文化碰撞的環境，你可以選擇馬來西亞。這里有：熱帶沙灘、僻靜雨林以及高樓林立、繁忙鼎盛的首都吉隆坡。它曾是英國的殖民地，消費較低。《國際生活》將馬來西亞列為世界上生活成本最低廉的國家之一。

[18]除了英文作為交流語言普及之外，馬來西亞的餐館經營成本較低，外國移民也可直接申請購房。這個國家對養老移民的吸引力顯而易見。

[19]據《國際生活》報道，在馬來西亞，一對夫婦每月花費不到1000美元就能入住一套寬敞舒適的豪華公寓。據移民成本分析網站xpatulator.com，馬來西亞聯邦外籍移民的醫保繳費額度及住宿成本“相當低廉”。但還需提個醒：由于當地稅收緣故，并非所有商品都便宜，從汽車到酒水，凡是進口貨物，往往售價甚高。

[20] Malaysia also ranks as one of the world’s top “medical tourism”destinations attracting more than 700,000 healthcare travellers in 2013,according to the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.

[21] Under the country’s secondhome program, retiree residency is relatively easy to obtain. The visa lasts for 10 years and extends to your spouse and children. The minimum monthly income requirement is 10,000 Malaysian ringgit6ringgit林吉特，馬來西亞貨幣。(around $2,320).Retirees also typically benefit from pension, or social-security income,which is exempt from Malaysian taxes.

Spain

[22] Spain was one of the biggest victims of the Eurozone debt crisis:its economy plunged into recession in 2008, sending property prices sharply downwards and unemployment spiralling.

[23] But its economy is finally on the mend with growth expected to top 3%in 2015, according to the International Monetary Fund, one of the strongest rates of growth across the Eurozone.Although unemployment remains high, jobs are being created and estate agents are reporting rising demand for property in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Across the country as a whole,however, agents estimate prices are still around 40% below the peaks reached in 2007, giving retirees the opportunity to potentially snap up a bargain.

[20]據馬來西亞保健旅游理事會的報告：馬來西亞被列為世界上最受歡迎的“保健旅游”目的地國家之一，僅2013年一年就吸引了700,000多名參加保健旅游項目的旅游者。

[21]馬來西亞聯邦政府推出的“我的第二家園”計劃使來此的養老人士能相對便利地獲取居住權。退休簽證有效期長達10年，并且可攜帶配偶及子女。申請此項目要求月收入不低于10,000林吉特（馬來西亞貨幣單位，折合約2320美元）。退休人員尤可從養老金或社會保障金免稅的政策中獲益良多。

西班牙

[22]西班牙是歐債危機最大的受害者之一，其經濟于2008年陷入衰退，房產價格急劇下跌，失業率節節攀升。

[23]據國際貨幣基金組織，2015年西班牙的經濟終于恢復元氣，實現3%的漲幅，是歐元區經濟漲幅最大的國家之一。雖失業率居高不下，但就業崗位在不斷增加。從全國房地產代理商處獲悉：巴塞羅那和馬德里這些城市的房產需求正在上揚。然而，就西班牙全境而言，房產價格仍比2007年峰值時低40%左右。來此養老有機會搶先低價購房。

[24] Retirees in Spain enjoy one of the finest climates in Europe, particularly on the Mediterranean coastal region where the weather is characterised by hot sunny summers and mild winters.

[25] Spain also ranks high for its infrastructure according toInternational Livingmagazine, with its modern road networks, extensive public transport coverage and widespread high speed internet coverage.

Malta

[26] Among the smallest and most densely-populated countries in the world, Malta covers just 120 sq-miles and boasts a population of 400,000.With English the first language for many on this southern European island,Brits flock here. More than 5,000 UK citizens live on Malta, located just a three-hour flight from London. Aside from the abundant sunshine and an average annual temperature of 18 C or 64 F, an added draw is the “Malta Retirement Plan,” which allows EU nationals who take up residency to enjoy an income-tax rate of 15%.

[24]西班牙有著歐洲最好的氣候，尤其是在地中海沿岸地區——夏日晴朗熱烈，冬日溫和宜人。

[25]《國際生活》稱，西班牙的市政設施也堪稱一流，擁有現代化的交通路網，公共交通四通八達，高速網絡全面覆蓋。

馬耳他

[26]馬耳他是世界上地域面積最小、人口分布最密集的國家，占地面積僅有120平方英里，卻擁有400,000的人口。這個歐洲南部島國許多人的第一語言都是英語，大批的英國人在這里定居。有5000多名英國公民在馬耳他生活，這里到倫敦只有3個小時的飛行航程。除了充足的陽光、年平均溫度18攝氏度或64華氏度的適宜溫度，“馬耳他養老計劃”也極具吸引力——歐盟公民來此定居享有“按15%的比例征收所得稅”的優惠條件。

[27] Named after the local word for honey, Malta holds a wider appeal as a retirement destination. The country boasts a first-rate healthcare system(ranked fifth in the world by the World Health Organization) that is free to all citizens, as well as British residents,under a reciprocal healthcare provision with the UK. And cost of living here is reasonable too. According to website numbeo.com, the monthly rent for a three-bedroom apartment in the capital,Valletta, is 990 euros ($1,080) and a three-course meal for two at a midrange restaurant costs 50 euros ($55).

[28] The downsides? The picturesque Mediterranean island’s public transport system fails to match that of many other western countries. Expats also report that imported consumer goods can either be difficult to find or significantly more expensive than back home.

Portugal

[29] From beaches and golf courses,to fishing villages and medieval towns,Portugal offers its own allure. With a well-established expat population,English is also widely spoken.

[30] The capital, Lisbon, is one of the oldest cities in the world and ranks as of one of the world’s most liveable,according to the most recent annual study by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

[27]“馬耳他”一詞取自當地語言，意為“蜂蜜”。如今馬耳他吸引著更多的人來此養老。這里擁有世界一流的醫療服務體系（在世界衛生組織對各國醫療體系的綜合排名中名列第五）。根據馬耳他和英國簽署的醫療互惠條款，英國公民可以和馬耳他公民一樣享受免費醫療。另外，棲居于此，生活花銷也并不高。據numbeo.com的數據顯示：在首都瓦萊塔，租一套三居室的公寓，每月的租金是990歐元，折合1080美元；在一家中檔餐館，兩人花費50歐元即55美元可食三道菜。

[28]那么，在馬耳他生活有哪些不足之處呢？作為地中海島國，風光宜人，但其公共交通體系與諸多其他西方國家相差較遠。移民人士也反映，在馬耳他很難買到進口商品，即便買到了，其價格也遠比在自己國家買的要貴。

葡萄牙

[29]從海灘、高爾夫球場，到漁村以及中世紀的小鎮，無不綻放著葡萄牙獨具特色的魅力。這里的移民眾多，英語是廣泛使用的交流語言。

[30]首都里斯本是世界上最古老的城市之一，而經濟學人智庫的一項最新年度研究報告表明，它也是世界上最宜居的城市之一。

[31] The top destination in the country for retirees, however, remains the Algarve coastline, which hugs the Atlantic Ocean and promises azure waters, lots of sunshine and temperatures averaging from 12C (54F)in January to 24C (74F) in July.

[32] But if you are in search of warm, dry winters you are likely to be disappointed. While the country benefits from a temperate Mediterranean climate, winter in Portugal’s coastal resorts tend to be much wetter than in neighbouring Spain.

[33] Still, wherever retirees choose to settle, Portugal offers beneficial tax regimes. Under the country’s nonhabitual resident’s scheme, foreignsourced pension income can be exempt from income tax for a period of up to a decade.

[34] Property prices are also reasonable beyond the country’s luxury resort towns, such as Quinta do Lago or Vilamoura. Average monthly rents for a 350-sq-metre villa in the Algarve are around 1,635 euros ($1,790), according to website globalpropertyguide.com.

Thailand

[35] Known as the “The Land of Smiles”, Thailand offers expats retiring here plenty to smile about—a low cost of living, tropical clime, culture that respects older people plus no tax on retiree income from abroad.

[31]境內最適宜養老之地莫過于阿爾加維海岸線一帶，那里面朝大西洋，海水碧藍，陽光充足，氣候怡人，每年1月到7月的平均氣溫在12攝氏度（54華氏度）到24攝氏度（74華氏度）之間。

[32]葡萄牙的冬天溫暖卻并不干燥。受溫和的地中海氣候影響，葡萄牙海岸地區的冬天要比鄰國西班牙溫潤潮濕得多。

[33]不過，無論入境葡萄牙移民養老的人士選擇在何處定居，葡萄牙政府都會為他們奉上一份福利厚禮——優惠的稅收政策。根據葡萄牙非經常性居民稅收政策，境外養老金可在長達十年的時間里免征所得稅。

[34] globalpropertyguide.com的數據顯示：除金塔湖或維拉摩拉這樣的豪華海濱度假村之外，其他地區的房產價格要合理得多。在阿爾加維，每月支付大約1635歐元即1790美元就能租上一套面積為350平方米的別墅。

泰國

[35]泰國，以“微笑之國”著稱于世。移民泰國的養老人士也可以“笑對夕陽紅”，且看：生活成本低廉，熱帶雨林氣候，社會文化尊老敬老，對境外養老金免征所得稅。

[36]International Livingmagazine ranked the country as one of the cheapest in its cost of living index, buoyed by competitive property prices. Eating out remains reasonable with a typical Pad Thai lunch available from just $1.

[37] As well, the country’s retirement visa, which is renewable annually, is available to all retirees with monthly pensions of 65,000 Thai baht7Thai baht泰銖。($1,800)or to pensioners depositing 800,000 baht ($22,125) in a Thai bank account.

[38] While the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office rates many private hospitals in Thailand equivalent to western standards, it says standards at local hospitals can vary. Retirees should therefore budget to pay for local health insurance.

[36]由于泰國房產價格低廉，《國際生活》將其列為生活費用指數最低的國家之一。外出就餐僅花費1美元就能買到一份正宗的泰式午餐。

[37]與此同時，泰國養老簽證是一年一簽，只要月養老金不低于65,000泰銖即1800美元，或在泰國任意銀行的存款不低于800,000泰銖即22,125美元，即可申請。

[38]英國外交和聯邦事務部稱，泰國的多家私立醫院達到了西方標準，但同時指出，當地醫院的資質參差不齊。因此，移民養老人士應把購買當地的醫療保險編入預算。