Best countries to retire to from the UK in 2026

Written by Dan Cozma · Reviewed by James Mallett, Director at Total Moving Solutions · Updated October 2026

You have worked for forty years. Now you want warmer winters, a slower pace and a pension that goes further. You are far from alone, and Spain, Portugal and Ireland are the names British retirees ask about most.

Brexit changed the rules, though. British pensioners no longer have an automatic right to settle anywhere in the EU. Most countries now want proof of income, health cover and a visa before you move. Some are easy, some are costly, and a few are almost closed. Your UK State Pension also rises every year in some countries and is frozen in others, which can cost you thousands over a long retirement.

Below, 12 popular countries are compared on what matters most to a British retiree: whether you can get in, how much income you need, how healthcare works, what happens to your State Pension and what everyday life costs. Australia gets its own section too, because so many people ask about it.

The best countries to retire to from the UK at a glance

If you only need the short answer, start here.

Figures are for the main applicant and were checked on 9 October 2026, with pounds at the ECB rate of 8 October 2026 (£1 = €1.18). Rules change, so check your own route with the country’s embassy, a qualified immigration lawyer or an adviser before you commit.

How we compared the countries

We picked the 12 countries British retirees search for most, then looked at five things for each one.

• Can you get in? The residence route and who qualifies
• How much money do you need? The income or savings the visa asks for
• What happens to your State Pension? Whether it rises each year
• How does healthcare work? Public access, the S1 form and private cover
• What does life cost? Official price levels where they exist

Every figure comes from a government source, an embassy or an official statistics office, unless we say otherwise. We also kept to what matters for planning a move. Tax and legal questions get a short overview only, because the right answer depends on your own circumstances.

The 12 best countries to retire to from the UK

Ireland and the seven EU countries come first, then the four countries further afield and a note on Australia. Most have a short summary box, so you can compare them quickly.

1. Ireland: the easiest country to retire to

Ireland is the simplest move here. Under the Common Travel Area, British citizens can live there without a visa and without any income test. Brexit did not change this. Your State Pension keeps rising each year, and you can use Irish public healthcare on the same basis as Irish residents. You do not need an S1 form.

The catch is cost. Ireland’s prices for household spending are 36% above the EU average, the highest of any country here (Eurostat, 2025). Housing in Dublin and the larger towns is especially expensive.

Our removals to Ireland service covers the whole country, and the guide to moving to Ireland explains the practical side.

2. Spain: the classic retirement choice

Spain remains the favourite for British retirees, with sunshine, good food and large British communities on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and the islands. Most retirees apply for the non-lucrative visa. You need at least €2,400 (£2,033) a month, or €28,800 (£24,393) for the first year, plus €600 (£508) a month for a dependent partner (Spanish Consulate in London, July 2026). You cannot work on this visa.

The London consulate accepts a registered S1 as your health cover, so State Pension holders may not need private insurance. Prices are about 8% below the EU average. Your State Pension rises each year.

See our removals to Spain service and the full guide to moving to Spain from the UK.

3. Portugal: lower costs and a gentler pace

Portugal is one of the cheaper countries in Western Europe, with prices about 13% below the EU average. The D7 visa is designed for people living on pensions or other income. The 2026 reference is €920 (£779) a month for one person and €1,380 (£1,169) for a couple (Portuguese Foreign Ministry). Your pension must be shown to be available in Portugal.

One thing has changed. The old non-habitual resident tax break, which made Portugal so popular with pensioners, is closed to new arrivals. Its replacement, IFICI, does not cover pension income (Portuguese Tax Authority), so expect normal Portuguese tax on your pension.

Our removals to Portugal team moves households to the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto regularly.

4. France: space, food and good healthcare

France suits retirees who want space, village life and good healthcare. You apply for a long-stay visitor visa and then visitor residence. France does not publish a fixed visa threshold, but the official benchmark for the visitor residence card is €1,477.93 (£1,252) a month (Service-Public, June 2026). You need medical insurance for the visa and proof of somewhere to live.

Once you live there, you can register an S1 with the local health insurance office. Without one, residents can usually apply for French state cover after three months. Overall prices are about 10% above the EU average.

Our removals to France service runs regularly, and our guide asks is it worth moving to France from the UK.

5. Italy: lifestyle and a 7% tax option

Italy offers the elective residence visa for people with a stable private income, such as pensions or rental income. The Italian Consulate in London does not publish a minimum figure, but it asks for strong evidence of regular income and a registered lease or property deed (Italian Consulate London). Savings alone are not enough.

Italy also has a 7% flat tax on foreign income for eligible pensioners who move to certain small towns in the south, for up to ten years (Italian Revenue Agency). Prices are close to the EU average.

See our removals to Italy service.

6. Greece: islands, sunshine and a 7% tax regime

Greece attracts retirees with its islands, climate and lower costs, with prices about 13% below the EU average. The financially independent person visa needs about €3,500 (£2,964) a month for one person and €4,200 (£3,557) for a couple, according to Greece’s UK visa centre and Greek legal guidance. It is one of the higher thresholds here.

Approved foreign pensioners can choose a 7% tax rate on foreign income for up to 15 years, if they were not tax resident in Greece for five of the previous six years (Greek tax authority, November 2025).

7. Cyprus: English widely spoken and outside Schengen

Cyprus is popular with British retirees because English is widely spoken and driving is on the left. The Category F permit needs a secure income of at least €9,568 (£8,104) a year for the main applicant, according to the Cyprus Migration Department. Treat it as a careful application, not a quick one.

Prices are about 11% below the EU average. Cyprus is outside the Schengen area, so the 90-day rule for the rest of Europe does not apply to time spent there. Foreign pension income can be taxed at a special 5% rate above a tax-free amount, if you choose it each year.

8. Malta: small, English-speaking and well connected

Malta is English-speaking, small and has direct flights to many UK airports. The Malta Retirement Programme taxes foreign income received in Malta at 15%, with a minimum of €7,500 (£6,352) a year, plus €500 (£423) for each dependant (Malta Tax and Customs). Your pension must make up at least 75% of your taxable income, and you must buy or rent a qualifying property and hold health cover.

Prices are about 8% below the EU average, but property in popular areas is expensive.

9. Thailand: low costs for the over-50s

Thailand is the furthest and most different country here, but it has dedicated retirement visas from age 50. The O-A visa needs THB65,000 (£1,461) a month in income, or THB800,000 (£17,983) in the bank. The Thai Embassy in London also accepts £1,500 a month or £18,000 (Royal Thai Embassy London). You need a medical certificate, a police check and health insurance of at least US$100,000.

There are longer routes too: the O-X visa gives five years plus five, with THB3 million (£67,435) in a Thai bank, and the Long-Term Resident visa suits wealthier pensioners.

Our removals to Thailand service can advise on what to ship and what to buy locally.

10. USA: possible, but not on a pension alone

The USA has no retirement visa. Owning a home or having a good pension does not give you the right to live there (USCIS). The realistic routes are:

• Sponsorship by a son or daughter who is a US citizen aged 21 or over
• The E-2 treaty investor visa, which means running an active US business, not passive investment
• The EB-5 investor Green Card, from US$800,000 (£605,743) in a qualifying area or US$1,050,000 (£795,038) elsewhere

The good news is that your UK State Pension rises each year in the USA, under the UK and US social security agreement. Healthcare is private and expensive, so budget for insurance.

Our removals to the USA service and is it worth moving to the USA from the UK guide cover the move itself.

11. Canada: family first

Canada has no general retirement visa. Most British retirees who move there have a child or grandchild in Canada. New applications to the Parents and Grandparents Program are paused as of October 2026, although existing cases are still being processed (IRCC, July 2026).

The Super Visa is the practical option. It lets parents and grandparents stay up to five years per visit, with multiple entries over up to ten years. Your Canadian child or grandchild must meet an income test, and you need Canadian or approved medical insurance for at least a year. Super Visa holders cannot use provincial healthcare. Your UK State Pension is also frozen in Canada.

See removals to Canada and our guide is it worth moving to Canada from the UK.

12. New Zealand: beautiful, but costly to qualify

New Zealand has two main options for retirees (Immigration New Zealand):

• Parent Retirement Resident Visa: you need an adult child living in New Zealand, NZ$1 million (£423,194) invested for four years, a further NZ$500,000 (£211,597) and NZ$60,000 (£25,392) a year in income
• Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa: for people aged 66 or over, with NZ$750,000 (£317,395) invested, NZ$500,000 for living costs and the same income. It lasts two years and does not lead to permanent residence

There is also a Parent Resident Visa sponsored by a child, which changed on 5 October 2026: most places now go in date order, with about 10% by ballot. Your State Pension is frozen in New Zealand.

Our removals to New Zealand service ships to all the main ports.

What about retiring to Australia?

Australia is not a realistic option for most retirees. Its Investor Retirement visa (subclass 405) and Retirement visa (subclass 410) are closed to new applicants. Parent visas exist if you have a child settled there, but Home Affairs estimates 18 years for a new Contributory Parent application and 42 years for a Parent or Aged Parent visa (Home Affairs, October 2026).

The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa allows stays of three or five years, up to ten years in total, but not permanent settlement. Your State Pension is also frozen there. If your children have moved to Australia, our guide to moving to Australia from the UK explains the visa routes in full.

The cheapest countries to retire to in Europe

Official price comparisons exist for the European countries here. Eurostat compares what households pay for the same basket of goods and services, with the EU average set at 100. A lower number means lower prices.

Source: Eurostat household consumption price levels, 2025 (preliminary), published June 2026. The UK is no longer included in this table, so it cannot be compared directly.

So Portugal and Greece are the cheapest of the European options, and Ireland the most expensive. Remember that these are national averages. A flat in Lisbon or Athens costs far more than a house in the countryside, and your health cover, travel home and tax all change the real figure.

Your UK State Pension abroad

You can claim your UK State Pension anywhere in the world. But it only rises each year in some countries. Elsewhere it is frozen: it does not get the yearly increase while you live there, and only returns to the current rate if you move back to the UK (GOV.UK).

A frozen pension loses value year after year. Over a 20-year retirement, that can add up to a significant amount. If you are choosing between two countries, this is one of the biggest differences between them.

Healthcare when you retire abroad

Healthcare is the question most retirees worry about, and the answer depends on where you go.

You can apply for an S1 online up to 90 days before you move. Remember that the S1 covers healthcare only. It does not give you the right to live in the country.

Tax on your pension when you retire abroad

In most countries, your State Pension and private pensions are taxed where you live, under the tax treaty between that country and the UK (HMRC). A few countries offer special rates to attract retirees.

Portugal no longer offers a pension tax break to new arrivals since the NHR scheme closed. Some public sector pensions, such as Civil Service and Armed Forces pensions, can stay taxable in the UK, depending on the treaty. Tax rules are personal and change often, so speak to a qualified tax adviser who knows both countries before you move.

Spending part of the year abroad: the 90/180 rule

Not everyone wants to move for good. Without a visa, British citizens can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not 90 days in each country. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and Malta all share that allowance.

Since 2025, the EU’s Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo and counts your days automatically. It became fully operational in April 2026 (European Commission). Ireland and Cyprus are outside Schengen, so days there do not count. If you want to spend six months a year in Spain, you need a visa.

Each country adds its own paperwork. Spain and France want a detailed, dated and valued inventory. Portugal asks for a certificate from its consulate. Greece needs a relocation certificate from a Greek consulate and, for the duty-free allowance, normally 24 months’ residence abroad. A good removals company prepares the inventory and customs forms with you.

Moving further afield

• Ireland: the same EU-style relief applies, for goods owned and used for six months
• Canada: first-time settlers can import goods they owned and used before arriving, duty-free
• USA: household goods used abroad for at least a year can enter duty-free
• New Zealand and Australia: duty concessions apply, but biosecurity rules are strict, so clean garden tools, bikes and shoes
• Thailand: check eligibility with Thai Customs before you ship

Taking your pet

From 22 April 2026, British residents should use an Animal Health Certificate, not an EU pet passport, to take a dog or cat to the EU (DEFRA, April 2026). Your pet needs a microchip and a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel, and you must enter the EU within ten days of the certificate being issued. Dogs going to Ireland or Malta also need a tapeworm treatment one to five days before arrival.

How to retire abroad from the UK: step by step

Give yourself plenty of time, as visas, healthcare and shipping all take weeks or months. Here is a sensible order.

A video survey lets us see what you are taking without a home visit. We move retirees across Europe and to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Thailand.

Which country is best for you?

There is no single best country. The right one depends on your money, your health, your family and how far from home you want to be.

Before you decide, ask yourself three questions. Will my income meet the visa threshold for as long as I live there? Will my pension rise, or will it be frozen? And how will I get home quickly if family need me?

Frequently asked questions