10 Affordable Places Abroad to Retire on the Water

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A home by the water might be out of your price range in the U.S., but look overseas and you’ll find an array of waterside havens offering great value for retirees.

Listed in alphabetical order, these 10 scenic communities abroad are affordable and well-suited for retirement living.

Braga, Portugal

Braga is the culturally vibrant capital of Portugal’s northern Minho province, famous for its lush, green landscapes. Located in the Cávado River valley, this attractive university city is a hidden gem of narrow lanes and lively plazas surrounded by historic buildings and elegant Baroque churches.

Braga offers river access across the region, providing opportunities for swimming, paddleboarding, fishing, kayaking and waterfall canyoning. The Parque da Praia Fluvial de Adaúfe features a diving board, fitness park, picnic area with tables and barbecues, walking trails, and a bar.

In Braga, there are public hospitals and health centers as well as private hospitals and clinics. Hospital de Braga is one of the biggest hospitals in the region, offering a wide range of services. Braga Private Hospital also provides quality care. Porto, a major city with several more hospitals, is less than an hour away for anything that can’t be treated in Braga.

Monthly rentals in Braga typically start around $750, and home prices for a one-bedroom apartment begin at around $175,000.

Cayo District, Belize

Belize is an English-speaking country, making it a popular choice among North American expats. Located on the mainland in the west of the country, the Cayo District is a frontier land of rivers and rainforest where you can enjoy off-grid living in close-knit waterside communities.

With wide-open spaces, country roads and river access at nearly every corner, there are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and boating are popular pastimes here.

A 40-minute drive outside of San Ignacio leads to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, a popular day trip destination with several attractions to visit, including Rio On Pool and Rio Frio Cave.

Additionally, there is a growing number of sporting events in Belize. The annual river challenge, La Ruta Maya, is a four-day event that launches in San Ignacio at the Hawksworth Bridge. Participants canoe the 180 miles of river from Cayo to Belize City.

When it comes to health care, Cayo is home to a highly rated private hospital, La Loma Luz, and one of the newest public hospitals, San Ignacio Hospital.

Real estate prices in Cayo vary depending on size and location, but you can find detached homes for less than $150,000. For riverfront properties, prices start around $300,000. Rental properties start from $500 a month.

Chania, Greece

The biggest island in Greece and the fifth-largest in the Mediterranean, Crete is a popular destination for retirees.

On offer are rugged outcrops, completely unspoiled coast, sandy beaches, pebble beaches and even pink beaches. Most water sports are available on Crete, from swimming and kayaking to scuba diving and sailing.

The majority of expats are older individuals from the U.K. and Germany. Due to the U.S. naval base in Souda Bay, there is also a sizable community of American expats.

Both public and private health care facilities are available in Chania, Crete’s second-largest city. Standards of care are generally high, and you can have most health care needs taken care of efficiently and affordably.

Monthly rentals in Chania start around $450, and one-bedroom apartments can be bought for as little as $123,000.

Hua Hin, Thailand

Nestled along the Gulf of Thailand, the charming seaside resort town of Hua Hin offers miles of soft, sandy beaches.

The town, the preferred summer retreat of Thai royalty since the 1920s, boasts a three-mile stretch of soft, clean sand punctuated by rocky outcrops. The calm waves and shallow waters are ideal for swimming.

Water sports, especially kiteboarding, are popular. You can swim, take kite or sailboarding lessons, jet ski, sail, windsurf, parasail, kayak, snorkel and scuba dive. Sport fishing, boat trips and horseback riding along the shoreline are also popular activities.

In Thailand, you’ll find a mix of public hospitals and high-quality private hospitals. Many of the private facilities are internationally accredited and have English-speaking staff, state-of-the-art equipment and spotless facilities.

Monthly rentals in Hua Hin start around $550, and studio condos can be purchased for as little as $60,000.

Kotor, Montenegro

Situated between Croatia and Albania lies Montenegro, an Adriatic country slightly smaller than Connecticut and home to half a million people.

Kotor is a fairytale historical town surrounded by towering mountains on one side and the dazzling Adriatic on the other. Its Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and widely considered the best-preserved medieval town in the Mediterranean.

The Adriatic offers an abundance of opportunities for boating, kayaking, fishing, paddle-boarding and swimming, and the Mediterranean climate is perfect for enjoying them all.

With a high standard of care and well-qualified doctors, health care in Kotor is solid.

Home prices in Kotor start around $115,000, and rentals can be found for $650 a month.

Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus

Kyrenia, on the north coast of Northern Cyprus, is blessed with year-round warm weather, clear blue waters and miles of coastline with soft-sand beaches. It is known for its historic harbor and iconic views, with the Kyrenia Mountains to the back and the Mediterranean Sea to the front.

Kyrenia is a place for beach lovers. Aside from hitting its beach clubs, visitors come to dive, snorkel, boat, fish and enjoy various water sports. Despite being a small island, Cyprus offers a variety of beaches, from fine sand to rocky cliffs.

Across Northern Cyprus, you’ll find private and state-run clinics and hospitals, as well as surgical and emergency medical facilities, dentists, opticians and even alternative health care options. In Kyrenia, the main hospitals are Kyrenia General Hospital, a public facility, and the private facilities Kyrenia Medical Centre and Kolan British Hospital.

English is widely spoken throughout Cyprus.

Monthly rentals start at around $500, and properties can be purchased for around $140,000.

Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic

Las Terrenas is an eclectic, multicultural Caribbean beach community found on the Dominican Republic’s Samaná Peninsula.

Las Terrenas has some of the best beaches in the world on its doorstep. Retirees here can enjoy swimming, sailing, kayaking and fishing as well as more high-octane activities like kiteboarding and surfing. From January through March, there are whale-watching tours led by a local marine life expert.

Las Terrenas has a public health center and a few small private clinics. Most expats maintain private insurance plans to access private clinics. The quality of care is fine for everyday health needs, and many of the staff speak English.

Home prices in Las Terrenas start at under $200,000, and long-term rentals can be found for $750 a month.

Mazatlán, Mexico

Often called the pearl of the Pacific, Mazatlán’s 13 miles of golden beaches and clean, swimmable waters are a big draw for retirees looking for a home near the water.

The vibrant Malecón, one of the longest seaside promenades in the world, lines the beaches. It’s always abuzz with people walking, exercising and socializing.

You can rent kayaks, jet skis and wave runners, go on banana boat rides, wakeboard, paddleboard, parasail, surf, scuba dive or snorkel. There are also island excursions to more secluded beaches and for wildlife sightings. For fishing enthusiasts, the deep-sea fishing is world-class.

Mazatlán has a mix of public and private medical facilities. Expats often opt for private insurance to use private hospitals, such as Sharp Hospital and Marina Mazatlán Hospital, both of which provide high-quality care at affordable prices. Many doctors are fluent in English and trained abroad.

Rental properties start from $500 a month. For ocean-front condos, expect to pay $1,500 and above. Small apartments can be purchased for under $100,000. Beachfront units start around $250,000.

Valencia, Spain

The sun-soaked city of Valencia offers an unparalleled quality of life surrounded by beauty, cultural richness and community on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.

Valencia’s golden sand beaches are easily accessible from the city center. These sandy stretches are perfect for walking, sunbathing, swimming and water sports. Albufera Natural Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise with trails through rice paddies and coastal dunes.

Spain is among the world’s top-ranked countries for medical care, and expats throughout the country speak highly of its health care system. In Valencia, excellent public and private facilities are on offer.

Monthly rentals in Valencia average around $750, and apartment prices start at around $270,000.

Veraguas, Panama

Panama’s Veraguas province is a growing haven for expats and retirees seeking affordability, tranquility and a hint of adventure. Veraguas has both a Pacific and a Caribbean coast, meaning beach lovers will be spoiled for choice.

Some of Panama’s most pristine beaches are found here and boast long, uninterrupted sandy stretches and surfable waves. Across the province, rivers and waterfalls offer opportunities for swimming, tubing and rafting.

Off the Pacific coast of Veraguas lies Coiba National Park, a protected area known for exceptional biodiversity, both on land and in the water. A snorkel or scuba trip could have you seeing humpback whales, hammerhead sharks, turtles, manta rays, whale sharks and more.

You’ll find public hospitals and private clinics scattered throughout the province. For serious health concerns, Panama City’s world-class medical facilities are just a few hours away by car.

Home prices here start at under $70,000, and long-term rentals can be found for as low as $500 a month.

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