The 2026 Global Retirement Report and Index, published by Global Citizen Solutions, has ranked the top 10 countries for retirement. The report evaluated 46 residency programmes across various global regions, considering factors such as quality of life, mobility and citizenship, tax optimisation, procedure, and costs and investment.
The top 10 countries are closely ranked, with less than four points separating them. This group comprises six European nations, three from the Americas, and one from Africa. The report suggests viewing these leading countries as a collection of strong options rather than a definitive ordered list.
Greece, ranked 10th, received the highest score for mobility and citizenship, offering a route to naturalisation after seven years for those with a Financially Independent Person Visa. Italy, in ninth place, also performed well in mobility and citizenship, with its Elective Residency Visa requiring passive income of approximately €31,000 per year.
Andorra, at eighth, stands out for its quality of life, ranking third in that category. However, it has the highest cost of entry among the analysed programmes, requiring a €1 million investment for passive residents following changes in February 2026. Latvia, in seventh, offers a relatively fast processing time of around two months and requires applicants to be aged 65 or over with a pension income of €1,231 per month as of April 2026.
Paraguay, ranking sixth, scored highly for affordability and taxation, with foreign-source income generally not taxed. Portugal, in fifth place, performed well for quality of life and mobility, with its D7 Visa having a minimum income requirement of €920 per month.