This Country Just Ranked as the Best for Americans to Retire Abroad for Quality of Life, Safety, and Health Care

The golden years could mean a move to the Gold Coast.

The retirement years are often called the “golden years,” and now, it could actually mean a move to the Gold Coast.

That’s because the country of Australia has been named the top destination in the world for Americans hoping to retire overseas, according to analysis by financial advisor Hoxton Wealth that was shared with Travel + Leisure. The designation was based on several different factors, including the cost of living, property ownership, lifestyle, health care, visa access, and more.

“This research was undertaken to assess which retirement destinations truly remain attractive and viable for US citizens today,” Chris Ball, the CEO of Hoxton Wealth, said in a statement shared with T+L. “We’ve taken a structured and comparative approach to evaluate the traditional favorites that have historically drawn the largest numbers of American retirees as well as a series of emerging destinations … that are becoming increasingly viable for today’s globally minded retiree. In so doing, we can offer a realistic, data-informed, and planning-oriented view of the global retirement landscape, empowering U.S. citizens to make smart, secure decisions about where to base their future.”

When it comes to Australia, the English-speaking destination offered retirees “exceptional quality of life, safety, and health care, with some cost and distance trade-offs,” according to the report. In fact, it scored the highest for language and integration along with New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

As one of the largest countries in the world by size, Australia offers something for everyone from incredible sunshine and a sub-tropical climate on Queensland’s Gold Coast to wineries and oyster farms in Tasmania, incredible culture in Sydney, and more.

Ranking just below Australia was Portugal, considered one of the safest places to retire and which the report recognized for its visa access, favorable taxation, lifestyle, and high safety rating. In fact, Hoxton Wealth found Portugal was one of Western Europe’s most affordable countries.

The countries of New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain rounded out the top five on the list.

Before moving anywhere, Ball advised retirees to focus on what is most important to them, noting “US retirees must choose between the ‘institutional strength’ of a market like Australia and the ‘affordability and access’ of places like Portugal.”

Ball added: “For a US retiree, the decisive factor is whether they prioritize a familiar, top-tier institutional environment like Australia or a more budget-friendly European base with exceptional visa and historical tax advantages like Portugal.”

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure