Purchasing power, climate, care, security… There are many concerns for retirees and/or future retirees who wish to emigrate to fully enjoy their retirement. Choosing the most suitable destination can be complicated. To remedy this, Retraite sans Frontières unveils, exclusively by Capital, its 2026 ranking of the ten best countries to settle down after a professional life of long and hard work. The ranking is based on a dozen criteria: “The cost of living with real estate value in particular and the quality of life which includes the climate, natural and cultural heritage, gastronomy, leisure and even securitysays Paul Delahoutre, founder of Retraite sans Frontières. These parameters do not have the same importance for those concerned and are weighted when establishing the ranking*.
Accounting for 20% the score awarded for each country, the cost of living is the first element that interests candidates for expatriation. “It’s essential because they realize that they have to go abroad to maintain their purchasing power or even improve it.says Paul Delahoutre. Depending on the country, the cost of living can be 15% to 50% lower compared to France.he figures. The climate arrives immediately afterwards – 15% – in the minds of retirees. Of lesser importance, medical care, safety and accessibility (the distance by plane from France) represents for each 10% of the overall score by country. To find out what really suits you: “Nothing can replace a stay on site to make a decision”concludes the expert. Here, in preview, the ten best countries for spending happy days as a retiree according to Retraite sans Frontières.
10 – Bali
The Indonesian island loses one place compared to last year’s ranking. Enjoying a absolutely unbeatable cost of livinga pleasant climate or even heavenly beaches with turquoise water, this small piece of land located in Oceania nevertheless suffers from its low quality in terms of medical care and its distance from France – between 16 and 21 hours by plane for a ticket worth 800 euros on average, at the lowest.
9 – Vietnam
Absent from the ranking last yearthe Asian country with 100 million inhabitants bursts into this top destination for retirees in ninth place. If retirees lose slightly in terms of purchasing power compared to Bali, they are big winners in terms of infrastructure and medical carethe country of the Dragon being in full development phase.
8 – Senegal
First country in the ranking with a strong French-speaking sound – the official language is French – the country of Téranga combines accessibility (around 6 hours by plane), an attractive climate and an attractive cost of living. This is evidenced by the rate of 80% tax reduction on retirement pensions paid in CFA francs to a Senegalese bank.. However, there are drawbacks regarding infrastructure and health care. Not enough to make it lose a place in the ranking, just like the rest of the following countries.
7- Tunisia
Despite a cost of living which remains attractive, a French-speaking population and a gastronomy very popular with the French, the country stagnates in seventh place in this ranking. The reasons: security and natural heritageboth the lowest rated in the ranking.
6- Morocco
Like its neighbor, the Maghreb country suffers from the image of insecurity maintained among French retirees. For the rest, the positive points are approximately the same as those of the land of Jasmine, with the exception of natural heritage with its mounts in particularwhich seems to appeal to retirees in France.
5- Mauritius
Located approximately 260 kilometers from Reunion, the island shares, with the French language, another proximity to France. Add to that superb beaches, top security – number 1 in the ranking – and an exceptional climate, and you get a dream destination. The only disadvantages: a significant distance from the mainland and a higher cost of living than in the previous countries in the ranking.
4- Thailand
First non-European country in the top, its place is based primarily on an unbeatable cost of living : “It is around 50% lower than in France!”figure Paul Delahoutre. A similar situation in Bali and Vietnam. What allows it to be so high in this ranking, only ahead of European countries, is its highly developed medical care and infrastructure. “There are very efficient hospitals”takes the expert as an example. Distance and security can nevertheless hold back some retirees according to the study.
3- Greece
Ancient land of the Olympic Games, the Hellenic country attracts a large number of retirees, whether thanks to its charming climate, its fine sandy beaches, its paradise islands, its thousand-year-old sites like the Parthenon or very favorable taxation. All this helps to compensate less purchasing power than in the previously mentioned countries but which remains stronger than in France.
2- Spain
The only country bordering France, the Iberian Peninsula offers unbeatable proximity for French retirees wanting to see their family often. The gastronomy is very appreciated there, as are the infrastructures and leisure activities, of a level equal to what is found in France. The cost of living and real estate nevertheless remain quite similar, although lower than that of its French neighbor.
1- Portugal
Here comes number one in the ranking. The justifications are as follows: “A cost of living 15% lower than in France, geographical proximity with a two-hour plane ride and low-cost journeys, similar infrastructure, etc.”argues Paul Delahoutre. If it places itself ahead of its Iberian neighbor, it is because the cost of living and property prices are lower there. To this, French retirees say muito obrigado. Translation: thank you very much.
*Study carried out from physical meetings with groups of retirees and the sending of questionnaires to 176 candidates for retirement abroad for the definition and weighting of criteria. The grades were then awarded on the basis of public statistics and feedback from retired “friends” of the Retraite sans Frontières platform based abroad.
