Climate, security and cheap housing attract foreign retirees to the Algarve which for the third year in a row has been voted the best place in the world to retire.
The survey from Live and Invest Overseas has been commissioned each year for 30 years and publishes a ranking of the best places in the world for a long and happy retirement.
"The Algarve has everything retirees could want: great weather and plenty of sunshine all year round, a welcoming community, excellent medical facilities, an affordable cost of living, cheap sea-view properties, a residency programme for foreigners and good access for retirees from Europe," according to the 2016 edition of the guide for retirees.
The index scores 12 major criteria: climate, cost of living, fluency in English, environmental conditions, the existence of a community of expatriates, health care, infrastructure, real estate, housing options, security and taxes.
The Algarve has obtained the highest average score.
The Algarve region excels in healthcare, "despite the problems of the lack of staff in Portugal, the health sector in the Algarve is good, and the country has the 12th best health care system in the world."
The index highlights Portimão hospital as being, "better equipped than private hospitals," and notes the "reputation for excellence" of the cardiology unit at Faro hospital.
Security was another of the factors where the Algarve scored high. "Portugal is the fifth most peaceful country in the world and statistics show that crime in the Algarve, which already is low, is falling."
The Algarve also topped the list for leisure activities due to an abundance of beaches and golf courses.
In terms of cost of living, the island of Crete had the highest score where a retired couple can comfortably live on €981 per month, according to Live and Invest Overseas.
Others in the top ranking, in descending order, are, Valletta in Malta, Puerto Vallarta in Mexico and then Belize, Slovenia, Malaysia, Greece and the Dominican Republic.
