What to Know About Health Care When You Retire Abroad

5 questions to ask before you move and 5 countries known for offering affordable, high-quality care

Stephanie Watson,

AARP

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Published November 25, 2025

a collage of passport, stethoscope, and other paperwork on a light blue background

Paul Spella (Getty Images, 5)

Not all retirees want to become snowbirds or move into 55-plus communities. An increasing number of older Americans are choosing to spend their golden years abroad, seeking adventure or a more affordable lifestyle.

In a February 2025 Harris Poll, 26 percent of boomer respondents and 35 percent of Gen Xers said they were considering a move out of the U.S. within the next two years. More than 700,000 Americans already collect their Social Security payments overseas.

For older Americans mulling an international retirement, future health needs are a crucial consideration. As you age — and your risk for chronic conditions like heart disease, arthritis and dementia rises — living in a country that offers quality, affordable health care becomes increasingly important.

Such care is increasingly available overseas, a key factor shaping retirement decisions for a growing number of older Americans, according to a November 2025 report from International Living magazine.

“When folks talk to us about retiring abroad, health care is no longer a side question; it’s becoming one of the main drivers,” says Jennifer Stevens, the magazine’s executive editor. “People want good doctors, modern hospitals and costs they can plan for. In many countries, that’s exactly what they find.”

Here are five questions you’ll want answered if you decide to make the big move.

1. Can my chosen country meet my medical needs?

People considering a move to another country typically assess factors such as its climate, culture and housing market. Look just as rigorously at its health care system. “While many retirement hot spots are ideal for their climate and amenities, they may not provide access to the level of health care [needed] to meet the growing number of medical conditions most older individuals eventually develop,” says Dr. Cai Glushak, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

To get an accurate picture, check the World Health Organization’s country-by-country data on metrics such as health coverage, life expectancy and the ratio of doctors to population. And look for hospitals and medical centers in your target country that are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a global health care nonprofit.

2. How will I access care?

You might envision retiring to a charming hillside hamlet or a scenic village by the sea, but finding the medical professionals you need in these remote locales may be difficult or impossible.

“The best, most accessible care will be in the cities,” says Dr. Michelle Scullock, an internal medicine physician in Charlotte, North Carolina, who writes about health care abroad on her website, My Stethoscope Travels.

If you’re intent on living in a small town or remote region, buy a private insurance policy that includes medical evacuation insurance to help cover the cost of getting to a big city or back to the U.S. in an emergency, she says.

3. How will I pay for care?

In many countries, you can choose among joining the public health care system, buying a private plan from a local or international insurer, or combining the two options.

Government-funded public systems generally offer universal coverage and are more affordable than private coverage. In many countries, the public option offers high-quality care to residents and citizens with little or no out-of-pocket costs, although wait times to see a doctor can be lengthy.

Even when a public option is available, however, relocation specialists typically recommend getting a private policy from a national or international insurance company. Most countries require new arrivals to have medical coverage as a condition for obtaining a visa, and it can take months or years of residency to become eligible for the public health service.

In most popular expat destinations, local private insurance “tends to be significantly cheaper than what we are used to paying in the United States,” says Anna Sosdian, cofounder of the international relocation company StartAbroad. “International health insurance tends to be more on par with what Americans are used to paying, but it does provide coverage in multiple countries.”

Either way, a private plan will likely offer access to a wider network of doctors than the public system, as well as hospitals that may have shorter wait times and provide more personalized care.

You can also choose to pay cash for some of your care — a la carte medical services are often much more affordable abroad. Jen Barnett, who lives with her husband in Mérida, Mexico, says her out-of-pocket medical costs are more like copays in the U.S.

“I just did a bone density scan and a mammogram, and both tests together with no insurance were $18,” says Barnett, the co-founder of Expatsi, a company that helps Americans move abroad.

Don’t wait until you arrive to enroll in an insurance plan. Some plans will have waiting periods or restrict coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Consult an international insurance broker, or one based in your destination country, before relocating. “If you can’t qualify, you need to know that before you get your heart set on a country,” Barnett says.

4. Do I still need Medicare?

Original Medicare, which consists of Medicare Part A for hospitalization and Part B for routine care such as doctor visits, doesn’t cover care outside the U.S. (except in very limited circumstances), but that doesn’t mean you should get rid of it.

“A lot of our clients decide to keep it, at least for the first few years after they move abroad,” says Sosdian. “It’s nice to have, just in case you want to go back to the U.S.”

Medicare can also be helpful if you wish to return to familiar doctors or facilities in the U.S. for a particular procedure or course of treatment. And if you eventually decide the expat life isn’t for you, you’ll have that coverage intact when you come back, as long as you have kept up with your premiums.

Some Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C) cover emergency urgent care you receive internationally, not routine care, and only for a limited amount of time, according to the National Council on Aging. You risk getting booted off the plan if you live outside the U.S. for more than six months.

5. What if I don’t speak the language?

A lack of linguistic skills might not be a problem. A large number of medical professionals abroad speak English, and many received training in the U.S. That’s especially true in cities like Porto, Portugal, that are home to big expat populations and have health care facilities catering to that community.

Most international health insurers can direct you to English-speaking providers who meet their quality standards. You can also search for JCI-accredited hospitals, which usually offer language support, or check with the U.S. embassy in that country.

Until you become fully conversant, a translation app on your phone can help you communicate with doctors and other medical staff who don’t speak English. Another option is Jeenie, a service that provides on-demand, HIPAA-certified translation in more than 300 languages.

Next steps to find out more

Join an expat group on social media. Connect with people who’ve moved to the country you’re considering and ask about their experiences with health insurance, doctors and hospitals.

Go on a scouting trip. Talk to locals. Stop by the neighborhood drug store and ask the pharmacist if your medicines — or their equivalents — are available in the country, how much they cost and whether you’ll need a prescription to purchase them.

Locate an English-speaking primary care doctor. “You want a doctor to help you navigate the system,” says Hunter Schultz, a health care consult for Expatsi and author of the Expat Health Guide. He suggests using expat networks or relocation services to find a trusted primary care physician who can connect you with specialists and help you maintain your meds.

5 Retirement Hot Spots That Have Great Health Care

These countries have become expat draws for their beautiful landscapes, buzzy cities and low cost of living. Relocation experts say they also offer easy access to affordable, high-quality medical care.

Colombia: The public health plan, Entidades Promotoras de Salud, offers universal care with copays as low as $1 for lab tests, specialist visits and medications. Most residents are required to join, but expats can opt out and purchase a private insurance plan that’s likely to provide shorter wait times, more attentive care and support services such as translation. Major cities like Bogotá and Medellín are home to some of the highest-rated hospitals in South America.

Costa Rica: Renowned for ecotourism, Costa Rica is also gaining popularity as a destination for medical tourists, especially for dental and optical care, according to the online expat community InterNations. Expat retirees have access to the low-cost public health plan, known locally as the Caja, which covers the full spectrum of medical services, but many opt for private insurance, which is still affordable but offers shorter wait times and a greater prevalence of English-speaking providers.

Portugal: Portugal spends just 20 percent of what the U.S. does on health care per person, but its residents live an average of almost four years longer. Global Citizen Solutions (GCS), a relocation consulting firm, ranks Portugal No. 1 in the world in expat health care (and as the best country overall for American retirees). Expats who join the national system can access low-cost or free care, but private coverage is also available. English-speaking medical providers are widespread, particularly in major cities such as Lisbon and Porto.

Spain: Spain’s rich history, low crime rate and thriving expat communities landed it at No. 3 on the GCS list of best landing spots for American retirees. Another reason to move there? The virtually universal national health system, Sistema Nacional de Salud, is free to citizens and resident expats and contributes to Spain having one of the highest life expectancies in Europe. InterNations recommends purchasing a private policy as well, to avoid wait times and get easier access to English-speaking providers and world-class medical centers.

Thailand: Along with gorgeous beaches, a tropical climate and affordable living costs, Thailand is one of Asia’s most expat-friendly destinations for health care, according to GCS, with doctor visits and surgical procedures costing a fraction of what you’d spend in the U.S. Private health insurance, which you’ll need if you’re not working in the country, provides access to a wide network of top-notch private medical centers — Thailand has 62 JCI-accredited hospitals, among the most in the world — staffed with English-speaking providers.

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Stephanie Watson is a freelance writer with more than two decades of experience covering consumer health. Her work has appeared in WebMD, Time, Harvard Health Publications, Healthline, HealthCentral and many other publications. She also served as executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.