Best countries to retire abroad in 2026
From $570 a month in Slovenia to $5,500 in the UAE: we compared 28 countries where a retiree can get residence by money, tax on the pension and the route to permanent status.
In short
- Lowest thresholds in Europe: Slovenia from $570, Serbia from $620, Bulgaria from $700 a month.
- No income threshold: Paraguay, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Montenegro with your own home.
- Permanent status at once: Uruguay and the Philippines.
- Tax-free pensions: Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Georgia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica, the UAE and others.
- A couple's budget including rent from $1,400 a month in Thailand.
In detail
Retiring abroad is not one programme but dozens of different rules: some countries want income of $5,500 a month, others are satisfied with a pension certificate and your own home. We have gathered 28 countries where a retiree can get residence in 2026 and compared what matters: how much money is needed, when permanent status comes and whether a Russian pension is taxed.
Three figures most often decide the choice. In Europe the lowest income thresholds are in Slovenia from $570, Serbia from $620 and Bulgaria from $700 a month. Uruguay and the Philippines grant permanent status straight away. And pensions are tax-free in Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Georgia, Paraguay, Costa Rica and several other countries in the tables below.
Retirement residence compared by country
Countries are grouped by region, and each name leads to a detailed guide: documents, a couple's budget, taxes and common refusals. Amounts in US dollars at today's rate.
European Union
| Country | Means of support | Permanent status | Tax on a pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | passive income from $1,100 (€920) a month per applicant | after 5 years, citizenship after 10 | 12.5-48% on the scale after a $5,200 (€4,587.09) annual deduction |
| Spain | $2,700 (€2,400) a month per applicant plus $680 (€600) per family member | after 5 years | 19-47% scale for tax residents |
| Greece | income from $4,000 (€3,500) a month | long-term status after 5 years | 7% on all foreign income under a special regime or the 9-44% scale |
| Cyprus | income from $27,000 (€24,000) a year | permanent status through investment | 5% above $5,600 (€5,000) or the general scale with a $25,000 (€22,000) threshold |
| Italy | passive income from $35,000 a year per person | after 5 years, citizenship after 10 | 23-43% on the scale, or 7% in the south for 10 years |
| France | from $1,700 a month per adult, ~$20,000 a year | a 10-year resident card after 5 years, with language and civics exams | 0-45% scale: the pension is part of a resident's worldwide income |
| Bulgaria | pension from $700 (€620) a month | after 5 years | 0%: compulsory insurance pensions are exempt |
| Slovenia | at least the basic minimum income, $570 (€507.43) a month since April 2026 | after 5 years of continuous residence | 16-50% on the scale, but a pension up to $520 (€462) a month is covered by the general allowance |
| Hungary | no pension threshold: guest investor from $280,000 (€250,000) | after 3 years of residence, with a test in Hungarian | 0%: state pensions are exempt |
| Latvia | no threshold: a parent of a Latvian citizen or non-citizen aged 65+ | after 5 years, Latvian at A2 level | 25.5% on the part of the pension above $1,200 (€1,000) a month |
| Czech Republic | no threshold: joining a child after 65 | after 5 years of continuous residence | 0% up to 806,400 crowns a year |
The EU gives freedom to travel in Schengen and strong healthcare, but checks money and insurance more strictly than anyone. The gentlest EU thresholds are in Slovenia, Bulgaria and Portugal, the highest in Italy and Greece.
Europe outside the EU, Turkey and the Caucasus
| Country | Means of support | Permanent status | Tax on a pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serbia | funds of at least the minimum wage, ~$620 (€550) a month, and your own home | after 3 years of continuous residence | 0%: pensions are exempt from income tax in Serbia |
| Montenegro | no pension threshold; a home with a tax value from $170,000 (€150,000) | after 5 years | 0%: pensions are not treated as income |
| Turkey | no pension threshold, regular means of living required | long-term permit after 8 years | 0% for new residents for 20 years |
| Georgia | no income threshold: visa-free up to a year or residence for a home from $150,000 | after 10 years, faster with $300,000 investment | 0%: individuals' foreign income is not taxed |
| Armenia | no income threshold: no retiree ground, visa-free up to 180 days a year | permanent residence after 3 years of temporary, at once for people of Armenian descent | 0%: pensions, including Russian ones, are not taxed |
A separate retirement visa is rare here: in Serbia and Montenegro the basis is your own home, while in Georgia and Armenia a Russian citizen lives visa-free most of the year. In return, tax on pensions is almost everywhere zero.
Latin America
| Country | Means of support | Permanent status | Tax on a pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | lifetime pension from $1,000 a month | after 3 years | 0%: foreign income is not taxed |
| Uruguay | no fixed threshold, in practice from $1,500 a month | straight away; citizenship after 3 years with family or 5 without | 0%: foreign pensions are not taxed |
| Paraguay | no income required for temporary residency; a pension certificate for permanent residency | after the temporary stage or at once for investment from $70,000; citizenship after 3 years with permanent residency | 0%: foreign income is not taxed |
| Argentina | pension from five minimum wages, ~$1,300 a month | passport after 2 years in the country | worldwide income on the scale; a Russian pension is assessed under the treaty |
| Mexico | income from $4,630 a month or $78,025 in savings; immediate permanent residence with a pension of ~$7,300 a month | after 4 years, or at once with a high pension | 1.92-35% on the resident scale, the treaty with Russia applies |
| Ecuador | pension from $1,446 a month | permanent residence after 21 months | worldwide income at 0-37% with a tax-free allowance |
| Colombia | pension from 3 minimum wages: ~$1,640 a month | resident visa after 5 years on the retiree visa | 0% up to 52,374,000 pesos a month |
Latin America is the fastest route to permanent status and a passport: Uruguay grants permanent residence at once, Ecuador after 21 months, and in Argentina you can apply for a passport after 2 years in the country.
Asia and the Middle East
| Country | Means of support | Permanent status | Tax on a pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | pension from 65,000 baht a month or 800,000 baht in the account | not in practice: the visa is renewed every year | 0-35% on money brought in, if earned since 2024 |
| Philippines | pension from $800 a month and a $15,000 deposit | the status is already indefinite | 0%: a foreigner's foreign income is not taxed |
| Malaysia | a deposit from $32,000 in special zones at 50+ or $150,000 | not a basis for citizenship | 0%: remitted foreign income exempt until 2036 under conditions |
| Indonesia | pension or income from $3,000 a month and a balance from $2,000 | second home visa for 5 or 10 years for a deposit of ~$120,000 | 0% in Indonesia: under the treaty with Russia a Russian pension is taxed only in Russia |
| UAE | income from $5,500 a month, or savings or property from $280,000 | no permanent status, the visa is renewed every 5 years | 0%: no personal income tax |
Asian retirement visas are long but almost never lead to a passport: in Thailand the visa is renewed every year, while Malaysia and the UAE grant status for 5-20 years with no route to citizenship.
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Where retirement residence is cheapest
- No income threshold: Paraguay, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia and Montenegro, where the basis is your own home.
- Up to $1,000 a month: Slovenia, Serbia, Bulgaria, the Philippines and Costa Rica.
- $1,000-2,000: Portugal, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, France and Thailand.
- Over $2,000: Cyprus, Spain, Indonesia, Greece, Mexico, the UAE and Italy.
The threshold is the minimum for one person. Almost everywhere 20% to 50% is added for a spouse, and we calculate the total for a couple in the chat.
Where a Russian pension is not taxed
Tax depends not on the residence permit but on tax residency, which usually starts after 183 days in the country in a year. A resident's pension is tax-free in Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Georgia, Armenia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica, the Philippines, the UAE, Hungary and Turkey, where new residents get 20 years without tax on foreign income.
Special regimes exist in Greece: 7% on all foreign income, in Cyprus: 5% above $5,600 (€5,000), and in the south of Italy: 7% for 10 years. Elsewhere pensions are taxed on the general scale, but a Russian state pension is not taxed in Russia, and double taxation treaties help avoid paying twice.
Choose the country by your pension, not by adverts
The law does not stop a retiree from applying for residence on their own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a country that taxes the pension, a pension certificate without an apostille, insurance that does not cover the whole term, an income threshold with no margin that leads to a refused renewal. We compare countries against your pension and savings, prepare apostilled and translated Social Fund certificates, file the documents and handle residence up to the card and renewals. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first application.
The cost of our support depends on the country and family size; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Where permanent status and a passport come fastest
- Permanent status at once: Uruguay and the Philippines; Paraguay for an investment from $70,000.
- After 21 months to 3 years: Ecuador, Serbia, Costa Rica, Armenia.
- After 4-5 years: Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Montenegro, France.
- Fastest passport: Argentina after 2 years of residence, Paraguay 3 years after permanent status, Uruguay after 3-5 years.
If you do not need a passport, the time to permanent status matters little: many retirees live for years on renewable permits and are happy with that.
How to choose a country to retire to
- Money. Compare the income threshold with your pension and savings: a 20-30% margin avoids questions at renewal.
- Taxes. Work out whether you will become a tax resident and what happens to your pension and deposit interest.
- Healthcare. Private insurance is needed almost everywhere, and its price rises with age.
- Travel. Direct flights and visa rules for Russian citizens matter if you often fly to children and grandchildren.
- Community. A Russian-speaking community and the local language strongly affect how easy life will be.
A good country for retirement is not the cheapest one but the one you look forward to returning to after visiting the grandchildren.
Documents a Russian retiree needs
- a certificate of the awarded pension from the Social Fund of Russia or the state services portal, with an apostille and translation;
- statements of pension credits and savings;
- a criminal record certificate with an apostille;
- private health insurance covering the country for the whole term;
- a lease or proof of home ownership;
- for a spouse, a marriage certificate with an apostille.
Certificates expire quickly, usually in 3-6 months, so the filing is planned so that no paper goes out of date.
What retiring abroad costs
A couple's budget including rent in our guides starts from $1,400 a month in Chiang Mai in Thailand, from $1,570 in Novi Sad in Serbia, from $1,630 in Maribor in Slovenia and from $1,800 in Faro in Portugal. With your own home costs are lower by the rent. We will calculate the total for your family in the chat.
How we help
The law does not stop you from filing on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a country where the pension gets taxed, a pension certificate without an apostille, insurance that does not cover the whole term, a renewal on the last day. We match a country to your pension and family, prepare the documents and handle residence up to the card and renewals.
Panama retirement visa
A dedicated programme for retirees with a pension from $1,000 a month.
Learn more →Residence permits abroad
All bases for residence: work, business, family, income.
Learn more →The 183-day rule
When you become a tax resident of a new country.
Learn more →FAQ
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Where is a Russian pension not taxed?
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