Overview
- International Living’s 2026 Top 10 ranks Greece first, followed by Panama, Costa Rica, Portugal, Mexico, Italy, France, Spain, Thailand and Malaysia.
- Editors describe a shift in Europe’s retirement map, with visa changes and higher costs in Portugal and Spain pushing retirees to look to Greece.
- Greece’s residency pathways include a Golden Visa with property investment thresholds of €800,000 in prime zones, €400,000 elsewhere, or €250,000 for renovation projects, plus a financially independent visa requiring at least €3,500 in monthly passive income.
- International Living’s Greece correspondent reports living comfortably on roughly €2,900–€3,000 a month, with private insurance for two at about €250 monthly and a retinal procedure costing around €250 out of pocket.
- Coverage notes a contrast with local realities, citing data that over 60% of Greek retirees receive pensions below €1,000 per month.