10 Best Places To Retire Abroad in 2026

Retiring abroad is growing in popularity among American retirees. Some make this decision based on their budgets and what their retirement funds can afford, while others seek adventure in new locales. 

If you know you’d rather retire overseas than in the United States, it’s time to consult International Living’s 2026 Annual Global Retirement Index. This tool ranks the 10 best places to retire abroad, taking into consideration the cost of living, housing costs, visas and more key factors. In addition to the 10 countries ranked in the index, we utilized SmartAsset’s data for the average costs retirees can anticipate paying per month in each country.

Also, if you’d rather retire in the U.S., these five cities are just as cheap as Mexico, Portugal and Costa Rica.

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10. Malaysia

• Monthly budget needed to live comfortably: $2,000 – $2,500
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Kuala Lumpur: $373

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9. Thailand

• Monthly budget needed to live comfortably: $1,500 – $2,000
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Bangkok: $645

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8. Spain

• Monthly budget needed to live comfortably: $2,083
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $736

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7. France

• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Paris: $1,400

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6. Italy

• Monthly income required for a married couple to live comfortably: $3,167
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $790

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5. Mexico

• Monthly income needed for a married couple to live comfortably: $2,500
• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $600

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4. Portugal

• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon: $1,400

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3. Costa Rica

• Monthly budget needed for a married couple to live comfortably: $1,682.90
• Average monthly rent for a sizable home or condo: $1,497

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2. Panama

• Monthly budget needed to live comfortably: $1,500 – $3,000
• Average monthly rent in a smaller city or town: $400

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1. Greece

• Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Athens: $500

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Best Places To Retire Abroad in 2026