The 7 Categories International Living Assess

Their Index looks at seven categories…
Housing
This category looks first at the ease of buying and owning property as a foreigner, then the value you’ll receive as a homeowner. They consider factors like the price of housing in expat-friendly locations and property taxes.
They also examine rental values. In many destinations, renting makes better financial sense than buying. We look at long-term leases, the cost of renting a two-bedroom, 900-square-foot (83 sq/m) furnished apartment in a mid-range area, and whether renters’ rights are well-protected by law.
Visas and Benefits
A place isn’t much good as a retirement destination if you can’t live there easily. International Living begins with an analysis of available tourist visas: how fast/simple it is to obtain a tourist visa, the ease of exploring a country on a tourist visa, the length of a tourist visa, etc.
However, they also investigate the legalities of extending a stay, the ease of becoming a permanent resident, and the availability of special retiree options. They additionally consider retiree benefits and discounts on healthcare, prescription medication, entertainment, eating out, travel, utilities, and local transport.
Cost of Living
Each of their contributors answers an extensive cost-of-living questionnaire, tailored to the needs and wants of an expat retiree, from the cost of rent and utilities to groceries to the cost of an international flight. The lower the cost of living, the higher the score.
Affinity Rating
This one is where gut feeling comes in. They pride themselves on being systematic in the way they put the Index together—but the truth is, retiring in a new destination involves the heart as well as the head. So, they ask their experts to rank the destinations according to whether they’d be happy to move there. What’s more, they ask their readers—where you would like to move.
For example, how easy will it be to make friends? They find out by evaluating the size and character of the expat community, the number of clubs and activities, and whether or not English is widely spoken. They also rate the range and variety of restaurants, the ease of finding an English-language movie, a concert, a world-class sporting event… essentially, the ability for you to have a thriving social life as an overseas retiree.
Healthcare
International Living assesses healthcare based on both quality and cost. In many of the world’s best retirement destinations—and all of those included in the Index—you’ll find world-class care far cheaper than private care back home.
Development and Governance
If the roads are good and clean, the public transport excellent, and the internet fast and reliable, then a place will rank highly. Additionally they factor in whether your new home offers a stable political environment, well-maintained infrastructure, and an efficient banking system.
Climate
Their “Goldilocks” category. For some folks the perfect climate is hot and humid, others want spring year-round… So, how do they score somewhere like Roatán—a small Caribbean island with a tropical climate—next to, say, Ireland? Apples to oranges, right?
They score a destination based on how many different climate options it offers. Ecuador’s landscape ranges from permanent snowfields, to cool mountain re-treats, to tropical rainforest, to arid coastal plains reminiscent of the Karoo. In the Andes highlands, in Cuenca at 8,000 feet, it’s cool.
Belize, by contrast, has tropical warmth year-round, but that’s all. For that reason, Ecuador scores higher than Belize. (That said, maybe you love tropical warmth year-round… If so, Belize might be just right for you.)