(Special) - Living on the basic government pension cheque means making do with little more than the bare necessities in North America. But it will go quite a bit further in Malaysia.

Kathleen Peddicord, the author of How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (For Less) Abroad, has ranked Malaysia as one of the five best countries to retire in, highlighting the cities of Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

"This country is a melting pot and very international, with good infrastructure and great food," Peddicord said.

According to the retirement expert, Malaysia is the best country in Asia to retire because it is the only nation that makes it easy for foreigners to gain full-time residency. Peddicord took into consideration access to good medical care, low crime rates and emerging communities of expatriates when selecting the top five places in the world to retire.

The Malaysia My 2nd Home (MM2H) program makes it easy for foreigners to gain full-time residency in the country. Malaysia also offers several perks to foreigners, including tax-free income from foreign sources, a good currency conversion rate from dollar to the Malaysian ringgit, the ability to buy real estate, and a modern health care system. On top of that, English is widely spoken.

Source: http://www.seniorsgotravel.com/malaysis.php

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