Portugal is the No. 1 country to retire abroad: It's 'one of the most sought-after countries in Europe' for retirees, expert says

"This year, Global Citizen Solutions published its Global Retirement Report for 2025, which ranks the best countries to retire abroad. The report looked at 44 passive income and retirement visa programs. It examined 20 targeted indicators, grouped into six sub-indices: procedure, citizenship and mobility, economics, tax optimization, quality of life, and safety and integration. Each country was given a score out of 100. The United States was not included on the list simply because the country doesn't have an official retirement visa program."

""The Americas dominate the availability of digital nomad retirement visas and then Europe. They have a very high quality of life that's above average," Dr. Laura Madrid Sartoretto, Research Lead at GCS' Global Intelligence Unit, tells CNBC Make It. "That's not a coincidence because one of the motivations people have when they decide to relocate abroad is looking for a place where they will have a better quality of life.""

"Portugal is the European country that tops the list, with an overall score of 92.61. Dr. Madrid Sartoretto says Portugal's retirement visa program has been a flagship one for the last 10 years. "The country started to invest in attracting investors, retirees and digital nomads. Portugal is a country that nowadays scores really well in quality of life," she says. "Portugal is the safest country in Europe if you look at the World Peace Index. It is one of the most sought-after countries in Europe for retirement.""

Forty-four passive income and retirement visa programs were evaluated using 20 targeted indicators across six sub-indices: procedure, citizenship and mobility, economics, tax optimization, quality of life, and safety and integration. Each country received a score out of 100. The United States lacks an official retirement visa program and was excluded. Countries in the Americas and Europe dominate top rankings, reflecting availability of digital-nomad retirement visas and above-average quality of life. Portugal tops the list with a score of 92.61 and offers the D7 visa for non-EU citizens with a minimum income requirement of 870 euros.

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