KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s plentiful housing options, affordable and modern healthcare and visa programmes have placed it seventh in a list of the the best countries to retire, according to online magazine International Living.
Malaysia’s overall affordability for retirees makes it a “major draw” for “living well without overspending,” the magazine said a report on its 2025 Annual Global Retirement Index.
“This combination of affordable housing and low daily expenses allows retirees to stretch their savings while enjoying a high quality of life,” it said, mentioning cities like Penang and Malacca which offered excellent value, beside the capital here.
On housing, International Living made note of properties here as potential investments, given Malaysia’s real estate market growth.
Malaysia’s private healthcare was praised for its “efficiency and accessibility, with “minimal wait times and excellent service”, besides the far cheaper cost for procedures retirees are most likely to need.
“A visit to a specialist in a private hospital might cost between MYR 50–250 (USD 10–50), and procedures such as cataract surgery or dental work are significantly more affordable,” International Living said.
Staying in Malaysia was also made easy with several visa options including those that are “tailored to retirees and digital nomads”.
Specific mention was made of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme which offers a renewable multiple-entry visa, the Sarawak–Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H), and the DE Rantau Nomad Pass for professionals working remotely in IT, digital market and content creation fields.
Malaysia’s connectivity to the region and other global destinations also factored in positively for its ranking, as did the country’s modern infrastructure, diverse cultures and cuisines, natural environment and tropical weather.
International Living said its index on the best countries to retire was based on seven categories – housing, visas, cost of living, affinity rating, healthcare, development and governance, and climate.
Affinity rating is based on the ease of making friends and living a “thriving social life” in the adopted country which includes accessibility to activities and recreation.
Under the development and governance category, factors considered include a “stable political environment, well-maintained infrastructure, and an efficient banking system”.
Malaysia is only one of two Southeast Asian countries in the top ten list for places to retire in 2025, with Thailand being the other at tenth place.
The top six countries are Panama, Portugal, Costa Rica, Mexico, France and Spain. Greece and Italy placed eighth and ninth. – March 24, 2025