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Best Countries to Retire Abroad

Retiring abroad can stretch your savings and improve your quality of life — but only if you choose the right destination. We rank 95 countries on what retirees care about most: healthcare quality, personal safety, affordable living costs, and lifestyle. Every score is backed by institutional data, not travel blog opinions.

🏥Healthcare🛡️Safety💰Cost of Living🌴Lifestyle

Personalize for your budget and healthcare needs

Top 10 Countries

Ranked using persona-optimized weights across 7 dimensions. Scores reflect 15 institutional data sources.

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Portugal

Southern Europe

SafetyHealthcareLifestyle

Denmark

Northern Europe

HealthcareEducationInfrastructure

Netherlands

Western Europe

InfrastructureEducationHealthcare

Malaysia

Southeast Asia

SafetyInfrastructureHealthcare

Spain

Southern Europe

HealthcareInfrastructureEducation

Austria

Central Europe

SafetyHealthcareInfrastructure

Singapore

Southeast Asia

InfrastructureCareer & EconomyEducation

Malta

Southern Europe

LifestyleSafetyHealthcare

New Zealand

Oceania

SafetyEducationHealthcare

Ireland

Western Europe

SafetyEducationCareer & Economy

60.1

Score

~$2,950/mo

Explore All 95 Countries

How We Score

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Healthcare

100%

🛡️

Safety

90%

💰

Cost of Living

70%

🌴

Lifestyle

80%

Full methodology with data sources →

#1 Pick for Retire Abroad

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Portugal

Southern Europe

64.7

Overall Score

$2,500

Est. Monthly Cost

Portugal delivers on your top priority (healthcare) while also standing out for safety.

View Full Country Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you measure healthcare quality?

We use the WHO Universal Health Coverage Index, healthcare expenditure per capita, physician density, and hospital bed availability. Countries like France, Japan, and South Korea consistently score highest.

Are visa requirements included?

Yes. Many countries offer retirement visas with income requirements. Set your citizenship and pension income in the onboarding quiz to see which countries you qualify for, with a 15% score boost for matching visa pathways.

What about cost of living for retirees specifically?

Our cost index reflects general living costs. Pro users can use the Monthly Budget Estimator on each country page to model retirement-specific expenses including healthcare, housing, and daily living.