The Retirement World Cup: 36 Countries, 1 Clear Winner Per Group | Best Places to Retire Abroad

We ranked the best countries for retirement abroad using a World Cup style format - 36 nations, 9 groups, and one question: what is the best place to retire abroad? FREE: Download your Expat Wealth & Lifestyle Compass ($108 value) today! Includes our Zero-Tax countries report, our essential expat checklist, and more!.   / the_expat   Join us here before this offer ends! This is not another postcard list of the best places to retire. We scored every country on healthcare, cost of living, safety, weather, and infrastructure to find the true best countries for expats heading into 2026. You will see why some of the most famous "livable" nations failed, and if cheaper, lesser known options actually deserve the crown instead. We cover everything from the cheapest places to retire, like Paraguay and Turkey, to the safest places to retire, like Switzerland and Scotland. If you are thinking about retiring abroad, leaving the US, or just exploring the real cost of living abroad, this episode breaks down current retirement visa options, including the Pensionado visa in Panama and Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa now that the Golden Visa is gone. We dig deep into retiring in Mexico, retiring in Spain, retiring in Panama, retiring in Portugal, Colombia, France, Argentina, and Uruguay, always comparing real numbers instead of assumptions. If you want an honest expat retirement guide for moving abroad and living overseas on a budget, this is your starting point for affordable retirement countries and retire abroad 2026 plans. Videos mentioned: 💡Subscribe to ‪@the_expat‬ . I upload new episodes every week! This video is based on this article: Subscribe to our channel (it is free)! Planning to move abroad? Read one of these 3 📚books BEFORE: 📚 1 - https://amzn.to/3UkgWUn 📚 2 - https://amzn.to/3U6gacp 📚 3 - https://amzn.to/441oWwJ ➡️Podcast "The Expatriate": https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-... 🚨 QUESTION - Which country or city would you like us to talk about? 🔴 ** ABOUT THE CHANNEL ** From ten years living as an expatriate in the Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe, to facts from reliable sources. Straightforward, no-nonsense guides for every expat. Some of the links posted and mentioned may be affiliate links, meaning that the author will have a commission for any transaction. 💡 TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO 💡 Retirement abroad, Best places to retire, Cheapest places to retire, Retire overseas, Where to retire, Best countries for expats, Retiring abroad, Affordable retirement countries, Safest places to retire, Retire on a budget, Cost of living abroad, Moving abroad, Retirement visa options, Best retirement countries, Retire in Mexico, Retire in Spain, Retire in Panama, Retire in Portugal, Retire in Colombia, Retire in France, Retire in Argentina, Retire in Uruguay, Expat retirement guide, Pensionado visa Panama, Non lucrative visa, Cheap countries to retire, Leaving the US, Best European countries, Living overseas, Retire abroad 2026 #RetirementAbroad #BestPlacesToRetire #MovingAbroad #ExpatLife 🔎 EXCERPT 🔎 Countries from 5 continents divided in 9 groups. And one question that matters for the rest of your life — which of them is the best place to retire abroad? That's what we're deciding today. Same format as the World Cup. Same nations. Different prize. Every country gets scored on the five things a retiree actually cares about — healthcare, cost of living, quality of life, weather, and infrastructure. Group by group, worst to best, we crown the first places. And I'll warn you now: these results will start arguments.Some of the most famous, most "livable" countries on Earth finish dead last. A few places you've probably never even thought about challenge for the trophy. And if you're watching from the United States or the UK... your country loses. We'll get there. Unlike a lot of YouTubers, I'm not here to sell you a postcard – in fact, I had been in many of these countries. If you've ever seriously wondered whether you could afford to live better somewhere else — this video is the starting point I'm here to show you the real numbers behind each country, the good and the ugly. The group stage of the Expat Retirement World Cup... starts now. Group A A European country with solid infrastructure, an Asian economic powerhouse, a stunning but troubled African giant, and the one country half of all American retirees already know by name.