If your new neighbour is an elderly American, be sure to offer him a cheery “hello” if you want Malta to meet his expectations.
The influential International Living has just ranked Malta as the easiest place in the world for North American expats to integrate if they wish to retire overseas.
In its annual index of the world’s top retirement locations, the magazine gave Malta a flawless 100/100 for ‘ease of integration’.
This was calculated by analysing the degree to which English was spoken, the friendliness of the locals, the size of the existing expat community and the availability of home comforts.
“Just some of the benefits to living in Malta are a tranquil way of life, virtually non-existent crime, year-round Mediterranean sunshine, a reduction in your tax burden, and, of course, you won’t have to learn a foreign language,” according to the American publication.
Malta was ranked eighth overall in the index, with an aggregate score of 84.1.
Countries were assessed across eight categories to determine which were the most desirable for retiring expats looking to spend their twilight years overseas.
Malta also scored highly for climate (88), healthcare (88) and real estate (85).
The island’s lowest score (68) was in the entertainment and amenities category, which analyses the quality and availability of restaurants, cinemas, outdoor activities, local music and art.
Malta’s next lowest score (77) was for retirement infrastructure, which refers to the quality of the roads, public transport, the number of mobile phones, internet penetration, and the ease of getting to and from the US and Canada by plane.
The best country on earth for North American expats to retire to in 2014, according to the index, was Panama, followed by Ecuador, Malaysia, Costa Rica and Spain.
Panama was praised for its “rare combination of value and variety.”
“The currency is the dollar, English is widely understood, and the international community is large and welcoming,” the report said of Panama.
It also offers the best range of retiree benefits, according to International Living.
Malta had placed 10th overall in International Living’s Global Retirement Index 2013 with an aggregate score of 80.1, meaning it has improved slightly this year.
Countries are analysed using statistics and the input of “expert correspondents” based around the world, who are asked to reply to a long list of questions.