Retiring abroad: choosing a country with data
Retiring abroad is no longer unusual. But being "worth living in during retirement" is a combination of many factors that are easy to overlook if you look only at house prices or the weather. Our Retirement index combines six pillars using published weights:
- Cost of living: how long savings "last" — a key factor on a fixed retirement income.
- Healthcare: quality of and access to care, which matters more with age.
- Safety & stability: a peaceful environment with low political risk.
- Tax and wealth protection: two additional pillars in the current scoring model.
Some familiar destinations
- Portugal, Spain: Mediterranean climate, good healthcare, passive-income visas available.
- Malaysia, Thái Lan: moderate costs in Asia, long-stay programmes for retirees.
- Mexico, Panama: close to North America, generous retirement (pensionado) visas.
The key point: the cheapest place is not necessarily the most liveable if healthcare or safety is weak. That is why it makes sense to look at the composite score rather than a single factor.
See the full ranking in the Retirement Index, and cross-check with Healthcare, Safety cùng Quality of Life for the complete picture. This is reference data, not financial advice.
