The Retirement Abroad Index 2026: The Best Countries to Retire, Ranked

The Philippines ranks as the best country to retire 2026, with a winning overall score of 78 out of 100. Its success is driven by exceptional visa accessibility, low living costs, and one of the strongest expat integration scores in the index.

The country’s Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) is among the most accessible retirement programmes we assessed. Applicants aged 50 and over who receive a pension can qualify with a fixed deposit of $15,000 USD (around £11,000), and successful applicants benefit from long-term residency without the burden of annual visa renewals. Processing times typically range from four to eight weeks.

Healthcare receives a medium-range score of 12 out of 20, which reflects a significant gap between urban and rural provision. The major cities such as Manila and Cebu City offer access to modern private hospitals, internationally accredited facilities, and English-speaking medical professionals. However, healthcare standards can vary considerably outside of these urban centres, so location is an important consideration for retirees.

Affordability remains one of the country’s biggest strengths. A retired couple can typically live comfortably on around £750 – £1,000 per month, although costs are generally higher in Manila than in the smaller cities and coastal communities. English is widely spoken and is one of the country’s official languages, which removes a common barrier to integration for UK retirees. Combined with a well-established expat population across Manila, Cebu, and popular island destinations, this makes the transition to life overseas much easier than in many competing retirement destinations.

For retirees who are looking for an affordable lifestyle, a straightforward visa pathway, and a large English-speaking community, the Philippines offers one of the most compelling overall retirement packages in the world. The key is to ensure your health insurance is robust enough to bridge the gap between excellent urban healthcare and more limited provision elsewhere.

Colombia ranks third on the best countries to retire index, with a score of 73 out of 100. Combining an accessible retirement visa, low living costs, and improving healthcare infrastructure, it has emerged as one of the most attractive retirement destinations in Latin America. The Pensionado Visa requires a minimum monthly pension income of around £1,100, which makes it extremely accessible for many retirees.

Healthcare scores 12 out of 20. Major cities such as Medellín and Bogotá both have strong private hospital networks, and medical costs are significantly lower than in Europe or North America for comparable treatment. However, healthcare provision does become less consistent outside the main urban centres, so choosing where to live is an important consideration. The cost of living is one of Colombia’s strongest assets, scoring 18 out of 20. A retired couple can typically live comfortably on around £1,000 to £1,500 per month, with Medellín consistently cited by expats as offering exceptional value.

The main challenge for UK retirees in Colombia is language. English is not widely spoken outside expat areas, and day-to-day life can be more demanding for those who don’t have Spanish language skills. Although the expat community is growing rapidly, especially in Medellín, and Colombia scores a respectable 12 out of 20 for integration, even a basic level of Spanish can make a big difference to quality of life.

South Africa ranks joint-fifth on the retirement abroad index, with a score of 69 out of 100. Its strongest performances come in affordability and health insurance accessibility, supported by a relatively straightforward retirement visa pathway. The Retired Person Visa requires a minimum monthly income of 37,000 South African Rand (approximately £1,680). The visa is valid for four years, is renewable, and can lead to permanent residency after five years.

Healthcare scores 10 out of 20. The private hospital networks in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and other major cities are of a high standard, but the public healthcare system is generally not considered a viable option for foreign retirees. A retired couple can typically live comfortably on between £1,100 and £2,000 per month, with Cape Town sitting at the upper end of that range.

English is one of the country’s official languages and is widely used in everyday life. This helps support an integration score of 10 out of 20 – solid rather than outstanding, but sufficient to make settling in relatively straightforward for most UK retirees.

The countries in this index offer very different healthcare experiences, ranging from world-class private hospital networks in destinations such as Spain and Qatar to systems where high-quality care is concentrated in a handful of major cities. Yet one finding is consistent across every country ranked: retirees should not assume that public healthcare alone will meet their needs.

In some destinations, access to public healthcare is restricted by visa status or residency requirements. In others, public services are available in theory but can present practical challenges for foreign retirees, including long waiting times, language barriers, limited specialist access, or significant regional variations in quality. As a result, private healthcare often becomes the preferred, and sometimes only realistic, option.

Even where health insurance is not a formal visa requirement, going without adequate cover can carry substantial financial risk. A medical evacuation from a remote area can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and treatment for a serious illness or unexpected hospitalisation can quickly generate extremely high bills.

When selecting international health insurance for retirees, the policy details matter as much as the premium. Cover should include inpatient and outpatient treatment, medical evacuation and repatriation, and access to the private hospital network in your country of residence. Pre-existing condition terms, age-related premium increases, and the geographic scope of the policy, including whether it covers treatment in your home country during visits, are all worth scrutinising carefully before you commit. You can read more in our guide to international health insurance after 55.

Expatriate Group has provided international health insurance to expats and retirees in over 180 countries since 1997. If you’re considering moving to a destination in this index, our international health insurance provide a level of cover that can make overseas retirement a genuinely secure option.