10. Thailand
For those willing to venture to Southeast Asia, Thailand delivers unparalleled value and an exotic, deeply welcoming culture. The “Land of Smiles” offers world-renowned cuisine, pristine beaches, and a highly modern capital city in Bangkok.
The Thai retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O-A or O visa) is available to individuals over 50. You must hold roughly $23,000 (800,000 THB) in a Thai bank account or prove a monthly income of about $1,900 (65,000 THB). The cost of living is astonishingly low. Street food and local markets provide delicious meals for a few dollars, and modern condos rent for a fraction of US prices.
Thailand serves as a major hub for medical tourism. The private hospitals in Bangkok and Chiang Mai feature internationally trained doctors, state-of-the-art technology, and luxury-hotel amenities at prices 50 to 70 percent lower than in the US. A couple can live luxuriously here on $1,500 to $2,200 per month.
