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Best places to retire in Europe: all 27 EU countries ranked

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Short answer

Portugal is the best EU country to retire to in the MoveMap EU 2026 ranking at 76/100, followed by Spain at 75 and Croatia at 74. Warm winters, a lower cost base and solid healthcare put the south on top.

Retiree score (climate, cost, healthcare, safety), out of 100

  • 1Portugal76/100
  • 2Spain75/100
  • 3Croatia74/100
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Pensions, healthcare access and residence rules change the answer. Find the EU country that fits you, in about 3 minutes.

Find my best fit

A good retirement abroad usually comes down to four things: a pleasant climate, a safe and calm setting, healthcare you can lean on, and costs that let your pension or savings stretch. Get those right and life slows down in the best way. This guide ranks all 27 EU countries for a comfortable retirement.

What makes a country good to retire in

  • Climate: warmer winters are easier on the body and the mood.
  • Affordability: a lower cost of living makes a fixed income go further.
  • Healthcare: the thing you will use most as the years go on.
  • Safety and calm: a stable, low-stress place to settle.

All 27 EU countries for retirees

Our retiree score below blends climate, affordability, healthcare and safety, best first (illustrative scores only):

CountryRetiree score*Healthcare*Climate
Portugal7672Warm
Spain7580Warm
Croatia7465Warm
Cyprus7368Warm
Greece7365Warm
Italy7378Warm
Malta7375Warm
Slovenia6574Mild
Bulgaria6258Mild
France6286Mild
Netherlands6285Mild
Belgium6182Mild
Luxembourg6185Mild
Ireland5872Mild
Czechia5672Cold
Finland5685Cold
Austria5585Cold
Estonia5570Cold
Lithuania5568Cold
Slovakia5464Cold
Denmark5386Cold
Germany5385Cold
Hungary5362Cold
Latvia5364Cold
Poland5360Cold
Romania5358Cold
Sweden5284Cold
*MoveMap EU's rough relative score, illustrative only, built from climate, cost, healthcare and safety. Higher is better for a relaxed, affordable retirement.

This ranking is for an average person. Rank all 27 for your passport, budget and family.

Rank them for me

The retiree fine print

Two things decide a lot for retirees and the score cannot capture: how your pension is taxed, which varies by country and any tax treaties, and how you access healthcare before pension age or as a non-worker, which may need private cover at first. Both are worth checking carefully for your situation.

Match it to your retirement

Whether you want a sunny coast, a quiet town or to stay close to family, the MoveMap check weighs your priorities and budget to rank all 27 EU countries for the next chapter.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best European country to retire to?

Blending climate, cost of living, healthcare and safety, our model puts Portugal first at 76/100, with Spain at 75, Croatia at 74 and Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta at 73. The southern bias is not an accident: warm winters, a lower cost base and solid healthcare are the combination most retirees are actually optimising for.

Can I retire to the EU as a non-EU citizen?

Yes, and it is one of the more accessible routes. Many member states offer a residence permit for people living on passive income, Portugal's D7 and Spain's non-lucrative visa being the best known. You typically need to show stable income at or above a set threshold, private health insurance and accommodation. Work rules are the condition people most often overlook, and they differ: Spain's non-lucrative visa rules out working, while a Portuguese D7 residence permit allows it.

Is healthcare free for retirees moving to Europe?

Not automatically. EU citizens drawing a state pension from one member state and moving to another may be covered through the S1 arrangement, with costs settled between the two countries, and people drawing a UK State Pension can still get an S1 after Brexit. Other non-EU retirees normally need private insurance to get the residence permit in the first place, and access to the public system usually follows legal residence and, in some countries, contributions. Check the rules for your specific nationality and pension.

How these numbers are made

Updated November 2026

The 0-100 figures in this ranking are MoveMap EU's own comparative estimates, not official statistics or a third-party index. They are built to rank the 27 countries against each other from public cost, wage, language and institutional data, and they are calibrated to be directionally right rather than precise to the point. Where a figure comes from a dated external dataset, such as the tax pages, the source and check date are named on that page.

The full weighting is written up on our methodology page. Published by Dobreon sp. z o.o., Krakow, Poland (VAT PL6772528744). Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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