Top 10 Budget Retirement Destinations

Are you one of the Americans struggling to save for retirement who President Barack Obama mentioned in his State of the Union address? GlobalPost has put together a slideshow of some of the best places to settle down when you need to make your dollar last. We favored countries that not only have low costs of living but also offer beautiful, relaxing settings; access to good medical care; and a range of activities to keep you busy.

Check out our slideshow and let us know what you think. Have you already retired abroad? Know other great inexpensive retirement destinations? Share your suggestions with other readers in the comments section below.

Notes on methodology:

The Cost of Living Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, compares the cost of maintaining a typical international lifestyle in a foreign country with that of in New York City. New York prices are the base at 100. The figures come from the Economist's Pocket World in Figures 2009 Edition.

The United Nations Human Development Index measures a country's adult literacy, life expectancy and income levels. The figures here, which come from the U.N. Human Development Report 2009, are scaled from 0 to 100. Countries scoring over 80 are considered to have high human development and those scoring under 50 have low human development. The United States has a human development index of 95.6.

Costa Rica
With lush forests, beautiful beaches, rich biodiversity and affordable living, Costa Rica is a prime tourist and retirement destination. It has a high standard of living and modern amenities for less than the price in Europe or the United States.

* Activities: Rainforests, volcanoes, bird watching, ecotourism, beaches
* Cost of living: 57
* Healthcare: Medical care is adequate but limited outside San Jose.
* Human development index: 85.4
* Weather: Tropical

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