The surprising country in Europe ranked world’s ‘best’ for retirement | Personal Finance | Finance
A surprising country in Europe has been named the world’s ‘best’ place to retire. Life insurance experts, Everly Life, analysed 137 countries across six key factors to determine the world’s most retirement-friendly destinations
The study evaluated the countries using six factors, including cost of living, healthcare quality, safety levels, air quality, elderly population percentage, and retirement visa availability. “When we talk to clients about retirement planning, location often becomes the wild card that can make or break their financial strategy,” says Mariah Bliss, the spokesperson for Everly Life. “A country might seem affordable on paper, but poor healthcare or safety issues could quickly drain retirement savings.” Topping the list is Estonia with an index of 79.41. This win “demonstrates how balanced excellence trumps single-category dominance”. The Baltic nation combines reasonable living costs (index of 55.9) with strong healthcare (index of 77.7) and impressive safety levels (index of 76.5).
Estonia’s 20.91% elderly population signals a retirement-friendly society, while pristine air quality (pollution index of just 4.6) adds another quality-of-life advantage.
“Estonia represents the sweet spot many retirees are seeking,” explains Bliss. “You’re getting Northern European healthcare standards and safety without the crushing costs of places like Switzerland or Denmark.”
The country’s digital infrastructure and e-residency program make it particularly appealing for tech-savvy retirees who want to maintain global connectivity while enjoying a peaceful lifestyle.
Norway claims second place with 77.30, showcasing how exceptional healthcare can offset high living expenses. Despite a steep cost-of-living index 78.9, Norway delivers the study’s highest healthcare rating (index of 83) and maintains solid safety standards (index of 67.2).
Portugal rounds out the top three with 77.10, offering the most compelling value proposition among elite retirement destinations.
With the lowest cost of living index (45.8) in the top 10, Portugal maintains strong healthcare (index of 77.4) and respectable safety levels (index of 67.6). The country boasts the highest percentage of elderly residents (index of 24.11), creating established infrastructure and communities for retirees.
