Greece is the world's best place to retire
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The reading
More and more people are choosing to spend their retirement overseas. The magazine International Living looked at the countries people most wanted to retire to. The researchers said Greece is the best place for 2026. The magazine has released its Annual Global Retirement Index. This looked at the things that were important for older people who wanted to live in another country in their golden years. These included climate, the cost of living, healthcare, and housing. It is the first time Greece has been the number-one choice for retirees. Spain and Portugal were usually the most popular choices. Panama, Costa Rica, and Thailand were also in the top-ten list for 2026.
Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living, said Greece had what many people were looking for. She said the country was "beautiful, welcoming, and affordable". She added that it offered "a lifestyle that feels rich in every sense". The Greek Reporter website found many expats choose Greece because of its beauty. It reported that retirees can benefit from thousands of kilometres of spectacular coastline, endless sunshine, diverse countryside, picturesque islands, and dramatic mountains. One retiree, Leena Horner, left the USA four years ago to live in Greece. She loves the Greek attitude of taking life slowly and the "daily connection with nature".
Sources:
- https://greekreporter.com/2025/12/01/greece-named-world-number-one-retirement-destination/
- https://www.newsweek.com/greece-worlds-top-retirement-destination-how-americans-can-move-there-11124134
- https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/01/travel/worlds-best-retirement-destinations-2026
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