When it comes time to plan for life after retirement, one of the biggest decisions is deciding where you want to plant your roots. Some soon-to-be retirees may want to stay put, but others may want to take advantage of this newfound freedom and move abroad. If you fall into the latter category, the recent news from International Living will be of interest.
On Dec. 1, the publication released its Annual Global Retirement Index—and Greece topped the list as the world’s best retirement destination for 2026.
“For years, Portugal and Spain led the way, but recent visa changes and rising costs have retirees looking elsewhere,” Jennifer Stevens, the executive editor of International Living, said in the press release provided to Travel + Leisure. “Greece now offers what many are seeking—a beautiful, welcoming, and affordable European base with accessible residency options and a lifestyle that feels rich in every sense.” She also added that this is a country “where your money stretches, and your days feel full.”
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Alessandra Amodio/Travel + Leisure
Scenic view of boats in a harbor in Ios, Greece.
To curate this annual ranking and find “the best global destinations for a rewarding, low-cost retirement overseas,” International Living uses expert input and concrete data to evaluate countries across a range of categories, including visas, ease of integration, and cost of living. This is the very first time that Greece has taken the No. 1 spot, a distinction it received after scoring well in three particular categories: health care, housing, and climate.
As far as health care, International Living highlighted the affordability of private health care, quoting its Greece correspondent, Leena Horner, who said her private health care “has been consistently good” and costs her and her husband €250 (about $288) a month. The press release also shared that retirees can find “comparable seaside homes [to] rent from €600 to €1,000 a month.” (The current conversion to USD is about $691 to $1,151.) And if you prefer hot, dry summers and relatively mild winters, well, the weather is reason enough to call Greece your new home.
International Living also noted that the Mediterranean country’s residency options were a key factor in the ranking. Greece is one of the easiest countries to get citizenship, thanks to its Golden Visa program.
If you’re interested in retiring to Europe, but Greece doesn’t necessarily call to you, consider the other featured countries. International Living’s top 10 retirement destinations for 2026 include Portugal (No. 4), Italy (No. 6), France (No. 7), and Spain (No. 8).
View the full Annual Global Retirement Index and ranking details on InternationalLiving.com.
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure