Portugal: the best country in the world for foreign retirees

The International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2023 recognised Portugal as the best country in the world for foreign retirees. According to this Index, the country obtained an average score of 87.43 based on factors such as housing, cost of living, visas/benefits, affinity rating, development/governance, climate and healthcare.

Portugal ranked first, followed by Mexico on second, and Panama on third. Spain was sixth, followed by Greece, France, and Italy. Some of the areas in which Portugal scored highest were healthcare (92), development/governance (94), and visas/benefits (90). On the other hand, housing was the area where Portugal scored the lowest (74).

In her assessment, Terry Coles of International Living wrote, “despite its compact size, Portugal always offers something for everyone from country to city and from traditional to contemporary.” She also stated that “people in Portugal are some of the kindest and most genuine in the world”, pointing out that “since English is taught in schools, the younger generation have a good command of the language”. She further continues “with over 500,000 foreigners from around the world living in Portugal, it’s easy to fit in and often impossible to tell the expats from the locals”.

Terry Coles pointed out as well that “Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world, ranked 6th by the Global Peace Index so expats never need to worry about crime. Healthcare in Portugal is both affordable and excellent, ranked 12th by the World Health Organization”.

It is undeniable the increased number of foreigners interested in relocating to the country. The cool lifestyle, tax benefits and the possibility for non-EU citizens to acquire Portuguese citizenship in a short period of time is a key factor for the number of residency requests that increases every year.

One of the most popular routes for retirees looking to settle in Portugal is the D7 Visa, which is the ideal option for those who intend to live in the country and are able to show evidence of having a regular passive income that is deemed sufficient to support his or her family aggregate in Portugal. Passive income can be from dividends, real estate income, capital gains, State and occupational pensions, royalties, business profits, intellectual property, or other financial investments.

Portugal is widely popular with Expats. It is a great home for retirees, young families, digital nomads, entrepreneurs, investors, and students. In fact, it is difficult to imagine any group that would not love Portugal’s warm climate, affordable cost of living, beautiful cities, and overall high quality of life and healthcare.