MALAYSIA is regarded as an excellent place for retirement as it has been ranked first in a list of 10 safest places to retire in Asia for less than US$2,000 a month of expenditure, US-based financial services corporation Nasdaq said.

Nasdaq, in an article in its GoBankingRates section recently, said to find these countries, it has pulled data from the United Nations Pacific-Asia Region Group and GDP from WorldPopulationReview.

It also obtained cost of living figures from Numbeo and the Global Peace Index from the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index 2022 Report.

Nasdaq has also set a precursor that countries needed to have a Global Peace Index (GPI) of under 2.0 to qualify.

Top of the list is Malaysia with a 1.471 GPI and US$1,066 (RM4,820) average monthly cost of living.

“Malaysia takes the number one spot with a cost of living index of 22.9 and a GDP of US$481.9 trillion. With average monthly expenses at just over US$1,000, it’s an excellent place for retirees to consider,” it said.

Runner-up in the list is Kuwait with a global peace index of 1.739 and average monthly cost of living of US$1,741.

Nasdaq said Kuwait’s cost of living index is not as low as some of the other countries on this list, at 37.4, but overall cost of living combined with its GPI score make it a great place to retire.

It said number three is Mongolia with a GPI of 1.775 and average monthly cost of living of US$940, adding that Mongolia’s cost of living index is tied for the lowest on the list with Indonesia, at 20.2, but its GDP is the lowest on the list, at US$21 trillion.

At number four is Vietnam with a GPI of 1.786 and average monthly cost of living of US$1,117, followed by Indonesia with GPI of 1.800 and average monthly cost of living of US$940 and Jordan with a GPI of 1.849 and average monthly cost of living of US$1,331.

At number seven is Cambodia with a GPI of 1.882 and average monthly cost of living of US$1,387, followed by Oman with GPI of 1.889 and average monthly cost of living of US$1,513.

In number nine is Cyprus with a GPI of 1.903 and an average monthly cost of living of US$1,964, and last on the list is Nepal with a GPI of 1.947 and average monthly cost of living of US$684. – Bernama, July 15, 2023.