Malta amongst top countries to retire at

Forbes and InternationalLiving.com recently published the Annual Global Retirement Index for 2014, now in its 23nd year and which ranks the best international retirement destination.

Editors assessed factors ranging from the price of groceries and average temperature, to utility costs and the friendliness of locals, as well as cost of real estate, benefits for retired people, healthcare, entertainment and amenities and ease of integration.

Panama ranked No. 1 this year with Ecuador placing second and Malaysia third. Malta ranked eighth, behind Spain but ahead of Ireland, Italy and Portugal, the other European countries at the top.