Envy Apartment

Most Americans are behind on their savings. The median amount the average American family has saved for retirement is just $5,000, according to a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute . Even among those nearing retirement age (age 56-61), the median amount saved is a mere $17,000. Also, while the cost of living in the U.S. varies depending on the area of the country, it's generally becoming more expensive to cover the basic necessities. Once you consider the costs of healthcare, long-term care, and other expenses you may incur during retirement, it may be more expensive than you think to retire comfortably. But who says you have to retire in the U.S.? With increasing healthcare costs , a shaky Social Security program , and rising home prices , it may be a good idea to pack your bags and consider moving abroad during retirement. Here are a few cities that may be a good choice for retirees looking for a more affordable lifestyle. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Kingston,...

The long retail spine of Sydney Road, Brunswick, just north of Melbourne's CBD, was once a prosperous trading outpost on the way to the goldfields. These days it's a bohemian mix of variety stores, op shops, halal butchers and Lebanese bakeries. Take a side street to the west, however, and a different picture emerges. Sandwiched between Sydney Road and the Upfield train line is an area undergoing rapid and widespread transformation. Light industry is fast being replaced by mid- rise apartment buildings , their inhabitants attracted by the short commute into town and cheaper prices than in the city's south-east. The quality of these units is, on the whole, depressingly bad; think poor ventilation and bedrooms that "borrow" natural light (a weasel word for being dark and windowless). The occasional jazzy façade tries feebly to make up for otherwise cheap construction amid a chorus of greys. At ground level, carpark roller doors alternate with mean pocket garden...