Malaysia tops Aussie retirement chart

Australians flock to Malaysia as the country has numerous attractive retirement qualities.

Malaysia has been dubbed as the best place to retire for Australian citizens. This is according to Internationalliving.com a website dedicated entirely on advising suitable places to retire. It ranks housing, visas, lifestyle, amenities, and healthcare in order to reach its conclusions.

Factors that have spurred on the 200,000 Australians who currently reside in Malaysia. Figures that are supplemented by the country’s Malaysia My Second Home scheme that grants visas to retirees wishing to settle down in the country. Additionally Malaysia is very accessible from Australia. There are countless direct flights operating from Kuala Lumpur that include destinations such as Sydney, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.

Australia’s sky high property prices and everyday costs are two reasons that many look overseas to retire. Malaysia provides a great alternative due to its attractive price point but with lots of home comforts thrown in. This includes good, fast internet, as well as the fact that English is common language making communication a breeze. The country also boasts a great healthcare system. It already entices vast quantities of medical tourists annually, and is something that retirees can benefit from too. The retirement website cites figures that include just AUD 16 to see a surgeon, a fraction of the cost on home turf.

Internationalliving.com have placed Vietnam at the top of their charts as the best place to retire if looking at the cost of living alone. Low rents is one of the most contributing factors for this Asian Tiger winning this accolade. But affordable eating out and purchasing fresh food have also helped push Vietnam into pole position.