3 Best African Countries to Live or Retire
- By Walletally
- Jan 10, 2017
- 3 min read
Famous Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, kenya
Retiring abroad seems to be a trend that has become more popular these days. Some say the causes of this trend are rising cost of living in the United States and lack of adequate retirement income. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), around 29% of American households age 55 and older have neither retirement savings nor a pension.
People are simply not able to save for retirement anymore. Most folks rely on social security income as their main source of income during retirement.
Once retired, one must significantly reduce their cost of living if they are going to be able to make ends meet. Healthcare costs also becomes a major financial burden during retirement years.
A study done by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), found that the average female 65 and older spends about $19,000 per year on health related expenses while their male counterparts spend just a little over $18,000. Most seniors with less means find that once retired, they may need to consider the possibility of moving to a country with some kind of Universal Health Care.
With all these in mind, here is a list of the 3 best African countries to retire to.
1. Ghana
Compared to most West African nations, Ghana is probably one of the more stable countries. Ghana has a democratically-elected government. The people of Ghana are Left-leaning and very receptive to foreigners. There have been no reported talks of building walls, and such.
Ghana is a very safe place to live and work especially if you are a foreigner. Ghanaians are very welcoming people and would mostly go out of their way to help you if you are in need.
There is a government-funded form of Universal healthcare system in place which allows even the poorest of Ghanaians to access comprehensive medical services. Just like most healthcare systems, Ghana’s system needs some improvements.
The cost of an Apartment is a small percentage of what one would pay for a One bedroom apartment in a city like Philadelphia. The Newly-elected president has announced various measures to make foreign visit and settlement even more affordable.
2. Kenya
Next on our list of best African countries to retire to has to be Kenya. Kenya has also seen rapid improvements to its economy over the last decade. The cost of living in Kenya is also considerably cheaper than say, a Washington D.C. So here are some numbers: The average monthly rent for a One bedroom apartment in Nairobi is $336 compared to $ 2,208 D.C, A +555% difference.
The Average Monthly Disposable Salary in Nairobi is 34,257.31 KSh. Average Mortgage Interest Rate is 17%. Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment is $ 48.89 in most major cities in Kenya.
Kenya also has a democratically-elected government and a robust Universal healthcare system.
3. Botswana
Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, has a landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush animal habitat during the seasonal floods.
The massive Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilized river valleys and undulating grasslands, is home to numerous animals including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.
- Wikipedia
Botswana is a lesser-known nation in the context of this post. However, the country is considered by most as a very safe nation for locals and settlers alike.
Cost of Health Care and cost of living in Gaborone, Botswana take smaller portions of one’s monthly budget as compared to living in most other countries.
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