International Living magazine is the best resource for you if you’re interested in the pleasures of a full- or part-time retirement overseas. In each issue we detail in-depth information on moving or retiring overseas, making money, saving money and learning all the ins and outs on buying property abroad. You’ll also hear from expats who have already made the move to the best havens abroad.

You see, when it comes to retirement, the message these days is too often: Work longer…scale back your plans…or never retire at all.

But it doesn’t have to be that way..

That’s according to Jackie Flynn, publisher of International Living—the well-respected organization which has carried out ground-breaking research over the last three decades on the subject of retirement. You may have seen their research in publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and AARP.

“You’ve got a lot more options than you may realize,” says Flynn. “In fact, there are seven towns in particular where you can reclaim your retirement and live very comfortably, no matter how much savings—or how little—you have.”

You could have a cottage on a quiet beach…an apartment in a vibrant city with a great café culture…a mountain hideaway where the air is crisp…and live the good life on a Social Security check alone.

According to Flynn, in the following seven places, you’ll likely find the climate is better…there’s more to do…and you can make your retirement dollars stretch much further than where you’re living right now.

1. A Pacific-Coast Beach Town

How would you like to live on the coast where the surfing is good or where you can snorkel and sail?

This is a place where the long, wide stretch of sand comes complete with excellent restaurants and well-appointed high-rises—you can rent a condo for $450 a month. And you can own a spacious three-bedroom home for just $120,000—right across the street from the sand.

2. An Outdoorsman’s Dream Retreat

Maybe you’d prefer a sunny mountain hideaway where the hiking is spectacular and you can garden, bird watch, ride horses, raft and fish in the rivers, and simply enjoy the great outdoors.

This place is remarkably affordable…$3 will buy you lunch…you can walk out of the market with a sack of fruits and vegetables for just $5…and you can rent a home for $300 a month.

3. A Vibrant University Town

Or maybe you like the idea of a college town…a place where there are plenty of cultural offerings like concerts and museums.

This is the kind of community where you can take a cooking class or learn to make cheese. Where the little stores and markets sell lovely items produced by local artists…and there are great cafes and top-notch restaurants.

4. Laid-Back Lakeside Living

This is a lakeside community where the weather is heavenly year-round. With average highs in the 70’s, it’s perfect for an active lifestyle.

Along the lake shore a few minutes from the town center there’s a well-established gated community planted with hundreds of fruit trees. There’s a yacht club there, too…and an enormous community garden. And you can own a half-acre lot in this oasis for just $64,000.

5. A Cosmopolitan Escape

There’s a place where so many restaurants exist you couldn’t eat in all of them if you went out every day for two years. It’s a world-class destination that in-the-know celebrities like Michael Douglas, Angelina Jolie, and Martha Stewart visit.

Yet property is remarkably affordable. There’s a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment right in the thick of things on a high floor with a water view from the balcony and with a pool, gym, and 24-hour doorman in the building. It comes with all the appliances and with a parking space, too—for just $185,000.

6. The Grace of Old-World Elegance

This is a place where the pace of life is slow and attention is paid to the ceremony of food and wine.

In the little community I have in mind, a shady park wraps around the town walls…and from there you have views of vineyards stretching right up to the mountains.

In this town you could live very comfortably for $1,600 a month.

7. Exotic Island Living…for Less

If you think living on an island is expensive, think again. In fact, on this island you can expect to slash your expenses by about three-fourths.

You’ll keep all that extra money in your pocket…yet you won’t sacrifice anything when it comes to your quality of life. The weather is great, the beaches are perfect, and there’s a lot to do—from sailing to diving to museums and concerts.

The point is, if you know where to go, you don’t have to be rich to retire well…to retire with the confidence that you won’t outlive your nest egg.

In the right towns, you can enjoy a retirement where you have the funds to relax, to travel…to trade in that $600-a-month golf club membership for $200 country-club dues.

It seems like all we hear in the news is how people aren’t saving enough to retire on comfortably…how, with interest rates so low, it’ll be impossible to recoup losses…how health care costs and taxes are rising…while Medicare is on the chopping block.

But according to Jackie Flynn, there still exist towns that offer the perfect solution. You don’t have to be wealthy to take advantage of it. In some of these towns, the living is so affordable, it means you could even retire early.

If you’d like to make the first footprints of the day on your own un-crowded piece of beach… enjoy night gazing on stars that shine brighter than anywhere else on the planet… live free from the stress of commutes and bureaucratic interference…

Then Island living could be the perfect escape for you.

In this article, we outline the best five tropical island paradises for retirees. These places meet all the criteria needed to make them perfect retirement havens. As well as looking the part, all five of these islands—spread throughout the world—are becoming easier to get to as more and more flights open up to and from North America.

Many tropical getaways have been consumed by commercialism, leaving them beyond every reasonable budget. But the islands on our list remain affordable, as attested by our expat experts on the ground. On some, it’s possible to live for as little as $1,500 a month including rent.

1. An affordable Caribbean Island with a well-established expat community.

With its own international airport, a well-established expat community, and modern amenities mixed with rustic charm, this Island offers retirees an incredible opportunity for a new life in paradise.

Filled with small communities where expats and locals mix and create endearingly intimate neighborhoods.

Stretching about 35 miles long and only five miles wide at its widest point, this island offers breathtaking hillside views and affordable beachfront property.

The monthly budget for a retired couple renting on-island is just $1,800.

2. Laidback, English-speaking Caribbean Island with easy access to the States.

If you’re after a laidback, English-speaking Caribbean retirement at an affordable cost and with easy access to the States, you can’t do much better than this group of islands. The largest island has racked up a series of impressive “best island” awards over the last few years; the island received Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award for Best Island for 2013 and 2014. But it’s much more than a tourist destination. It’s a perfect retirement haven.

It’s easy to fly to from North America; fly direct from cities such as Houston, Miami, Dallas, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

It’s possible to live here for under $2,000 a month, although this is easier if you own your own home.

How much you pay in rent is usually determined by how close you want to live to the beach, with beachfront properties usually commanding a higher price. Away from the beach, lots are available for less than $750 a month.

3. A Lush, Mountainous Island Oozing History and Heritage

One of the oldest outposts of the former British Empire, this Island delivers 110 square miles of tropical treasures. A lush, mountainous island oozing history and heritage, Victorians christened it “the Pearl of the Orient.” It lies anchored on the Spice Route, a mere two-hour drive from the borders of southern Thailand.

First-rate hospitals that offer unbelievable heath care at super reasonable prices are the norm. Just one of the reasons the island has two planeloads of medical tourists arriving every day, and when it only costs $20 to see a specialist you can understand why.

4. Hidden Jewel of the Orient

Think of a tropical island that offers just about everything the discerning retiree could want.

It’s warm and balmy 12 months a year. English is widely understood everywhere. There’s a thriving expat community. The hospitals and health care options are of high-quality. And it’s still a big-time bargain when compared to other well-developed tropical islands worldwide.

The island offers much exotic tropical beauty and exciting outdoor activities like deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, horseback riding, archery, golf, tennis, jungle trekking and so much more.

If you’d like to buy a home in here, you can find deals like a brand-new fully-furnished one-bedroom apartment with one ceramic-tiled bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, a terrace, beach access, a gym, high-speed internet, concierge service and dozens more highly-valuable owner amenities for just $92,000.

If you’re really budget conscious and don’t mind living frugally, you could rent a property like a furnished apartment with Wi-Fi, satellite TV, hot water, and a king size bed for $169 a month. Or If you’ve got a slightly higher budget, you could rent a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a living area, kitchen and just five minutes from an expat hotspot $614 a month.

5. A Relaxing, Quintessential Caribbean Island Retreat

The Caribbean here is warm and clear. Depending on where you sit, it looks a pale jade, electric blue, or a translucent turquoise. Views are quintessential Caribbean…pale white sand and lush green palms. It’s the kind of scenery that takes your blood pressure down.

There are places where you can buy a local beer for about 50 cents or have a gourmet meal for $30.

For a little variety, surrounding islands offer a watery world to explore. Some are tiny and uninhabited… you can have stretches of white sand all to yourself. Others may boast a few little B&Bs or restaurants, or indigenous settlements.

Property for rent, is readily available and very inexpensive compared to more popular Caribbean destinations. Smaller apartments can start as low as $500 a month, and three-bedroom, two-bath homes range from $600 to $900 a month. Expect to pay more closer to the main center or for ocean views.

Expats here are of all ages and tend to be mellow, easygoing types. The dress code is “beach casual” and outings consist of a couple beers and maybe some live music, courtesy of musically-minded residents or transient talent.

There are plenty of ways to get involved in island life.