Imagine slower, warmer days that your pension comfortably covers. These are the best warm, affordable countries to retire to, where the climate and the cost of living both work in your favour.
-
#1 Portugal
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on property affordability and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide income, 48% top rate
- Visa: D7 passive-income visa (~€820/mo)
- Climate: Warm (~17°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Portugal guide · Compare expat health insurance
-
#2 Argentina
Strongest on property affordability and cost of living. Weaker on safety and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Moderate
- Tax: Worldwide, 35% top rate, wealth tax
- Visa: Rentista visa, 2yr PR and citizenship, dual
- Climate: Warm (~18°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Moderate
Read the full Argentina guide · Compare expat health insurance
-
#3 Greece
Strongest on healthcare and safety. Weaker on cost of living and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide; 7% flat pensioner regime
- Visa: Financially-independent visa (~€3,500/mo)
- Climate: Warm (~19°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
-
#4 Malta
Strongest on English-friendliness and expat community. Weaker on tax friendliness and cost of living.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: Remittance basis; 15% flat regimes
- Visa: Residence/retirement programmes
- Climate: Warm (~19°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Very large
-
#5 Croatia
Strongest on property affordability and English-friendliness. Weaker on healthcare and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide, up to 33%, nomad exemption
- Visa: No retiree visa, nomad EUR 3,622/mo, 5yr PR
- Climate: Warm (~17°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Croatia guide · Compare expat health insurance
-
#6 Saudi Arabia
Strongest on tax friendliness and property affordability. Weaker on English-friendliness and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Zero personal income tax for everyone
- Visa: Iqama or fee-based Premium Residency, no dual
- Climate: Warm (~26°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Saudi Arabia guide · Compare expat health insurance
-
#7 Taiwan
Strongest on property affordability and cost of living. Weaker on expat community and English-friendliness.
- Cost of living: Very low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Territorial, 40% top, low employee social
- Visa: Gold Card no sponsor, 3yr PR, no dual
- Climate: Warm (~23°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Moderate
-
#8 Chile
Strongest on cost of living and property affordability. Weaker on tax friendliness and safety.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Some concerns
- Tax: Worldwide, 35.5% top, 3yr new-resident break
- Visa: Rentista ~$1,000-1,500/mo, 2yr PR, dual
- Climate: Warm (~15°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Established
-
#9 Spain
Strongest on expat community and safety. Weaker on property affordability and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide income; wealth tax applies
- Visa: Non-lucrative visa (~€2,400/mo)
- Climate: Warm (~18°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Established
-
#10 Trinidad and Tobago
Strongest on English-friendliness and property affordability. Weaker on residency ease and safety.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Higher risk
- Tax: Worldwide, 25%/30%, no CGT or wealth tax
- Visa: Work permit, marriage, or 5 year residence
- Climate: Warm (~27°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Trinidad and Tobago guide · Compare expat health insurance
Would your income clear these countries’ retirement routes? Check in a minute
How these rankings are calculated
Each destination is scored from 0 to 100 on nine factors (cost of living, property, healthcare, safety, tax, visa ease, climate, English-friendliness and expat community), then weighted to the preferences above and ranked. The healthcare score reflects the public system (spending and doctors per head); private care, which many expats use, can differ, and first-hand expat ratings are coming from our own survey. Cost and property are world-comparable price levels. Figures are general information, not personal financial, tax or immigration advice.
Data sources: Expat Focus built dataset · Expat Focus climate reference · Expat Focus reference · World Bank ICP / PPP price level · World Bank ICP 2021 housing Price Level Index · World Bank health expenditure per capita + physicians per 1,000 · World Bank intentional homicide rate · World Bank international migrant stock. See our data and licences page.