The best places to retire abroad

Retiring abroad lives or dies on four things: can you get a visa on retirement income, can you afford it, is the healthcare good and reachable, and how is your pension taxed. These countries score highest across exactly those — favouring places with a real retiree or income-based visa, a reachable income floor, accessible healthcare, and friendly tax treatment. Each row shows the income to qualify and links to a city to start with.

CountryIncome to qualify

Income floors, tax basis, and residency paths from our country feasibility data (directional). Immigration and tax rules change — verify current rules with official sources before you move. Updated 2026-06.

A retiree-friendly country is a strong start, but the city is where you actually live — and within one country the cost, climate, and feel vary enormously. Use this to narrow the map, then let the assessment find the place that fits the retirement you actually want.

Common questions

What is the best country to retire abroad?

It depends on your income and priorities, but the strongest pair an accessible retirement visa with a low income floor, good affordable healthcare, and light tax on pension income — Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Uruguay consistently score well. The ranking above orders countries on those factors.

How much income do you need to retire abroad?

Many popular retirement visas ask for roughly $1,000–2,500/month in pension or passive income, though some are deposit-based instead. Each row shows the income to qualify, and the linked country page details the specific route, tax treatment, and residency path.

Do you pay tax on your pension if you retire abroad?

It depends on the country and any tax treaty — some don't tax foreign pension income (territorial systems), others tax worldwide income once you're resident. Several countries offer special low-tax regimes for foreign retirees. Each country page flags the basis; confirm with a cross-border tax professional.

Which of these fits you?

A list is a place to start, not a way to choose. The assessment reads every city through your relocation profile — and surfaces the ones that fit the life you’re trying to build.

Take the assessment →