{
  "id": 11849712,
  "title": "The best place to retire abroad is no longer in Europe – but six of the top ten are",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/the-best-place-to-retire-abroad-is-no-longer-in-europe-but-six-of-the",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-04T05:00:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/04/the-best-place-to-retire-abroad-is-no-longer-in-europe-but-six-of-the-top-ten-are"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Uruguay has claimed the top spot in the Global Retirement Index for 2026, surpassing Portugal, which held the title last year. However, Europe still dominates the rankings, with six countries making the top ten. The Americas hold three places, while Mauritius ranks second in the world.\n\nThe index evaluates 46 retirement and passive-income residence programmes, considering quality of life, travel freedom, routes to citizenship, taxation, application procedures, and costs. Europe boasts high living standards and strong passports, though higher taxes affect its scores. Spain, Portugal, Latvia, Andorra, Italy, and Greece top the list, with Portugal dropping to fifth place this year.\n\nUruguay's success stems from its strong performance across all five categories, rather than excelling in a single aspect. Mauritius follows, combining favorable taxation with good scores in other areas. The report emphasizes that the ideal destination depends on individual priorities, as the top ten are closely matched.\n\nQuality of life is the most significant factor in the index, followed by mobility and citizenship, taxation, application procedures, and costs. These priorities reflect the needs of a typical retiree abroad. Europe scores well in quality of life and mobility but lags in taxation, with significant differences among its programmes. The Americas excel in affordability and favorable taxation, while Mauritius leads in Africa's performance. In the Middle East, low taxes and fast processing are major attractions, with the UAE ranking first for preferential tax regimes. Spain, third overall, also performs well in mobility and family mobility options.\n\nEuropean programmes benefit from strong passports and clear routes to citizenship, which contribute to their high scores. Gulf destinations offer favorable taxation and quick processing but lack a standard route to citizenship. Europe's top-ranking programmes in 2026 include Spain, Portugal, Latvia, Andorra, Italy, Greece, Austria, Albania, Cyprus, and Malta, all placing in the index's top half.\n\nEuropean programmes excel in quality of life and mobility but struggle with taxation. Spain, the best European country for living abroad in retirement, ranks fifth globally in quality of life and offers a smooth application process up to eight months. However, it ranks last in tax, with worldwide taxation, regional wealth taxes, and no special regime for visa holders. Portugal ranks second in Europe, having increased the citizenship requirement from five to ten years for most non-EU applicants. Despite this, it remains highly ranked due to affordability and mobility. Programs like Malta, Andorra, and Cyprus perform well in taxation but often have high income thresholds, large investments, or slow processing times. Some countries offer opt-in regimes, such as Greece's 7% flat tax on foreign pensions and southern Italy's 7% flat tax on income. Processing times and costs vary, with Latvia offering the quickest process and Cyprus the slowest but lowest cost. Ireland ranks first in quality of life due to its English-speaking environment, safety, and environmental ratings. Andorra boasts the best safety and environmental scores, while Italy and Greece rank first and second, respectively, in mobility and citizenship. They also offer lower taxation options, though Greece requires a high monthly income of €3,500. Monthly income requirements vary globally, from less than €600 in Nicaragua to over €9,000 in Bahrain. In Europe, a monthly income of less than €800 may suffice in Cyprus with other requirements met, while Andorra requires more than €4,500. Income sources, such as foreign-sourced passive income, pensions, savings, or dividends, also play a role. Some countries, like Cape Verde, Namibia, Chile, Zambia, and Morocco, exclude from the chart due to unspecified income requirements. El Salvador is also excluded due to separate thresholds for pensioners and passive income earners.",
  "summary": "European destinations scored highly in a new global retirement ranking, with six countries among the top ten, as people looking to retire abroad weigh higher taxes against quality of life.",
  "key_points": [
    "Uruguay tops Global Retirement Index 2026, surpassing Portugal",
    "Six European countries in top ten, including Spain and Portugal",
    "Mauritius ranks second globally, combining favorable taxation with good scores"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Uruguay's top spot in the Global Retirement Index reflects a shift towards the Americas, where favourable taxation and affordability are prioritized, challenging Europe's traditional dominance in retirement destinations.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews Business",
        "title": "The best place to retire abroad is no longer in Europe – but six of the top ten are",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/the-best-place-to-retire-abroad-is-no-longer-in-europe-but-six-of-the-11851419",
        "published": "2026-10-04T05:00:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}