Have you ever thought about retiring to Thailand and wondered what the best places to retire are? Having travelled extensively around Thailand let me share with you which places are worth looking at.
The Top 7 Best Places To Retire In Thailand are:
- Hua Hin
- Chiang Mai
- Bangkok
- Pattaya
- Patong Beach
- Phuket City
- Koh Samui
Now that you know what the best places to retire are, let’s dig into each one a little and explain exactly why they are great for retirement.
Is Hua Hin a good place to retire?
Yes, there is a growing expat community discovering this area of Thailand and the long stretches of beach it has. The slower pace of life on the beach is one of its main draw cards as well as two major shopping centres, many restaurants over the water and cheaper beach front real estate than Pattaya and Patong Beaches.
One of the main reasons it is not as well known as some of the other areas is that it does not have an airport and is a 5 hour bus ride from Bangkok airport or 3 hour drive from Bangkok city centre. If you don’t mind the ride time it is only $8.5 USD (294 baht) for the trip in an airconditioned bus.
The town itself is very simple to understand, all being on a single main road parallel to the beach. On the smaller beach side roads are shops and resorts as well as many beach front restaurants. On the couple of streets behind the main road are normally where the expats live in houses and where more of the locals live as well.
Here is the full article on Huan Hin for the full rundown of food, cost of living and more:
ARTICLE: Is Hua Hin Thailand A Good Place To Retire? And 7 Other Important Questions
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to bookmark this article so you can come back to it to see the rest of the places in Thailand you can retire too.
Is Chiang Mai a good place to retire?
Yes it is! As one of the cheapest places to retire in Thailand that still has everything you want and need, this hub of the rural agriculture towns is in the north west of Thailand. The people are friendly and dining out is one of the cheapest in Thailand. The cost of living is extremely low but you have access to all the modern amenities of any western city.
There are multiple shopping centres with the best being the one near the airport and you can buy any whitegoods and furniture directly in town. The old town has many festivals and events to keep you entertained throughout the year. The high temperature is a constant low 30’s deg C or 86 deg F and with the lowest temperature around 14 deg C or 57 deg F.
With cheap flights to Bangkok and an international airport it is easy to get to anywhere from Chaing Mai and is a great base for the rest of Asia and to explore the rest of Thailand as well. Flights with VietJet cost around $20 USD to Bangkok to give you an idea of prices.
For more information about Chiang Mai as well as a walking tour and cost of living check out this full article:
ARTICLE: Retire to Chiang Mai Thailand: 11 Pros and Cons
Is Bangkok a good place to retire?
Yes, it is a great place to retire if you like large cities with absolutely everything you would want as well. This includes a multicultural food scene, plenty of entertainment, cheap accommodation, great medical care and direct flights to half the world. The cost of living here is ⅓ what you will pay in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia.
As the country’s capital with the largest population there is something to suit every when you retire here. Whether you choose to live in the heart of the action or at the end of the metro and sky train lines you will have easy access to absolutely everything you could ever want. The world class medical and dental care at a fraction of the cost of what you will pay in the UK, Canada and Australia and a fraction of what you will pay in the USA.
To see exactly why it is such a good place to retire check out the full article including cost of living, video walking tours, variety of food and entertainment options check this article:
ARTICLE: Is Bangkok A Good Place To Retire? And 11 Other Common Retiree Questions
Is Pattaya a good place to retire?
Yes it is a great place to retire for single men or couples. In the traditional Pattaya Beach old town area are heaps of ladies bars for the single men and on the other side on Jomtien Beach there is another whole area for married or couples to enjoy as well. If you love the beach and want to live at ⅓ of the cost of the UK, USA, Australia or Canada then this may be the place for you.
There are hundreds of beach front restaurants multiple shopping centres including the brand new Terminal 21 shopping centre with a top floor cheap food court. You can laze on the beach or shop the day away and then head to the many entertainment venues at night. Being only a 1 ½ hour bus ride from Bangkok airport and 2 hours from downtown Bangkok you have a major city and cheap flights to half the world at your fingertips as well.
To look at the full article including cost of living, food, entertainment, walking tour videos and more check the full article here:
ARTICLE: Retire to Pattaya Thailand: The Closest Beach To Bangkok
Is Patong Beach a good place to retire?
Yes it is indeed! If you like walking on the beach on one of the most well known beaches in Thailand meeting new and interesting people with a wide selection of food choices then Patong Beach is right for you. Typically more a vacation hot spot in this area of Thailand there is also a thriving expat community that lives there as well. With watersports galore and a great hospital and dental facilities it is well worth considering at about ⅓ of the cost of living compared to the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA.
Phuket island also has Phuket City where you can go for more shopping and everything else you may need and it is only a 30min drive away or 45 mins on the bus. This is also where you can transfer your licence to a Thailand licence quickly and easily as well. With many places to explore across the island as well there will be heaps to keep you entertained in your retirement. A very common one is learning Thai which you can enrol in cheap courses all over Thailand and in Patong Beach.
For more about Patong Beach and Phuket Island including the food, entertainment, cost of living and video walking tours check out this article:
ARTICLE: Is Phuket a good place to retire? Plus 10 Common Questions
Is Phuket City a good place to retire?
Yes it is indeed! If you like living in a city that is not too big with access to multiple beautiful beaches less than 30 mins drive from you then this is worth considering. With great shopping, welcoming people, a huge food scene and a large expat community you have everything you will need for a fantastic retirement.
There are multiple hospitals and great dental care that is equal or better to most western countries. You will feel safe, welcomed as well as central to everything on the island. Being inland real estate prices are a little cheaper and you will find more in your price range if you have a lower retirement budget.
To get the full article as well as cost of living, food choices, entertainment and a video walking tour check out this article:
ARTICLE: Is Phuket a good place to retire? Plus 10 Common Questions
Is Koh Samui a good place to retire?
Yes it is if you like a quiet island life that picks up a few times a year in peak tourist season. While most expats on the island live away from the main tourist areas you can delve into them when you want to make more global and local friends. With a cost of living ⅓ of the UK, USA, Canada and Australia it is a great place to consider.
Besides the slowed back beach lifestyle the island also offers international food choices, the ability to learn German, Thai, Italian and French at the local language schools. There is a large expat community that you can assimilate into or you can live with the locals and absorb more of the local culture.
For more information on what it is like to retire to Koh Samui including exact food choices, cost of living, accommodation and transportation options check out the full article:
ARTICLE: Is Koh Samui a good place to retire? And Common Retiree Questions