Where should I retire abroad?
Explore retirement destinations based on pension income, weather, healthcare needs, language and lifestyle, with transparent city estimates and practical checks.
This first version compares Portugal, Spain, Greece and Costa Rica, using Porto, Valencia, Thessaloniki and San José as city budget examples. City estimates are not national averages.
Countries to research, not verified retirement recommendations. Residency and healthcare eligibility are not assessed. A monthly estimate within your pension does not establish a right to live there.
Example: £2,000 available pension per month
One person, no weather or lifestyle preference, open to learning the local language and exploring private cover. These are FindMyPlace Comfortable Relocation Living Estimates, not national averages or live prices. Healthcare is a £150 planning allowance, not a verified insurance premium.
Greece: Thessaloniki budget example
£1,285 estimated per month. Pension remaining: £715. No selected weather, language or lifestyle preference is counted as a match in this open-choice example.
- Weather: Hot summers and cooler winters than many Greek islands. Conditions vary locally.
- Language: Learning Greek would help with local life. English service availability has not been assessed.
- Lifestyle: Thessaloniki is an urban base on the Thermaic Gulf with a waterfront setting.
Healthcare checks, not an eligibility result
Greece’s government portal links to healthcare services, but this guide does not establish a newcomer’s entitlement, registration or costs. Confirm your circumstances with the responsible health authority.
- Ask insurers for written quotes covering your age, residence status, pre-existing conditions, exclusions, excesses and local provider network.
- Check whether your residence route requires particular insurance and how emergency treatment would be paid for.
- The £150 monthly healthcare allowance is not a verified premium or guarantee of sufficient cover.
Residence and pension checks
Greece’s Ministry of Migration and Asylum lists residence-permit categories for third-country citizens. The relevant category and requirements depend on nationality and purpose of stay.
Check pension payment abroad, deductions, taxes, exchange costs, residence conditions and accommodation before committing to a move.
- Greece Ministry of Migration and Asylum: immigration to Greece (Eligibility official starting point)
- Greek Government Portal: healthcare services (Healthcare official starting point)
Portugal: Porto budget example
£1,470 estimated per month. Pension remaining: £530. No selected weather, language or lifestyle preference is counted as a match in this open-choice example.
- Weather: Mild Atlantic conditions with wetter winters. Inland and coastal conditions differ.
- Language: Learning Portuguese would help with local life. English service availability has not been assessed.
- Lifestyle: Porto offers urban life around the Douro and access to the Atlantic coast.
Healthcare checks, not an eligibility result
Portugal’s Health Regulatory Authority explains access by foreign citizens to the National Health Service (SNS). Registration, eligibility and any costs depend on the person’s circumstances.
- Ask insurers for written quotes covering your age, residence status, pre-existing conditions, exclusions, excesses and local provider network.
- Check whether your residence route requires particular insurance and how emergency treatment would be paid for.
- The £150 monthly healthcare allowance is not a verified premium or guarantee of sufficient cover.
Residence and pension checks
The European Commission lists the authorities responsible for immigration in Portugal. Residence routes and requirements depend on nationality and the reason and length of stay.
Check pension payment abroad, deductions, taxes, exchange costs, residence conditions and accommodation before committing to a move.
- European Commission: immigration authorities in Portugal (Eligibility official starting point)
- Portugal Health Regulatory Authority: access for foreign citizens (Healthcare official starting point)
Spain: Valencia budget example
£1,572 estimated per month. Pension remaining: £428. No selected weather, language or lifestyle preference is counted as a match in this open-choice example.
- Weather: Mediterranean conditions with hot summers and mild winters.
- Language: Learning Spanish would help with local life. English service availability has not been assessed.
- Lifestyle: Valencia is a Mediterranean city with urban amenities and coastal neighbourhoods. Valencian is also used locally.
Healthcare checks, not an eligibility result
The linked Spanish Ministry of Health system overview is dated 2008 and cannot confirm current newcomer eligibility or registration rules. Current access details remain unavailable in this guide; check the relevant regional health authority.
- Ask insurers for written quotes covering your age, residence status, pre-existing conditions, exclusions, excesses and local provider network.
- Check whether your residence route requires particular insurance and how emergency treatment would be paid for.
- The £150 monthly healthcare allowance is not a verified premium or guarantee of sufficient cover.
Residence and pension checks
Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion provides immigration and migration information. The applicable residence process depends on nationality, purpose and individual circumstances.
Check pension payment abroad, deductions, taxes, exchange costs, residence conditions and accommodation before committing to a move.
- Spain Ministry of Inclusion: immigration and migration (Eligibility official starting point)
- Spain Ministry of Health: National Health System (Healthcare official starting point)
Costa Rica: San José budget example
£1,712 estimated per month. Pension remaining: £288. No selected weather, language or lifestyle preference is counted as a match in this open-choice example.
- Weather: Tropical highland conditions, milder than the coast, with wet and dry seasons.
- Language: Learning Spanish would help with local life. English service availability has not been assessed.
- Lifestyle: San José is an inland city base for trips into surrounding highland areas, not a beach destination.
Healthcare checks, not an eligibility result
Costa Rica’s Social Security Fund lists insurance categories including independent, voluntary and migrant insurance. Which category and contributions apply depends on your situation; confirm directly with the Fund.
- Ask insurers for written quotes covering your age, residence status, pre-existing conditions, exclusions, excesses and local provider network.
- Check whether your residence route requires particular insurance and how emergency treatment would be paid for.
- The £150 monthly healthcare allowance is not a verified premium or guarantee of sufficient cover.
Residence and pension checks
Costa Rica’s Directorate General of Migration publishes regularization procedures. That page covers a specific immigration process, not every residence or entry route; check the route for your nationality and plans.
Check pension payment abroad, deductions, taxes, exchange costs, residence conditions and accommodation before committing to a move.
- Costa Rica Directorate General of Migration: regularization (Eligibility official starting point)
- Costa Rica Social Security Fund: insurance information (Healthcare official starting point)
How the quiz works
- This first version compares Portugal, Spain, Greece and Costa Rica, using Porto, Valencia, Thessaloniki and San José as city budget examples. City estimates are not national averages.
- Monthly pension means the GBP amount you expect to have available after tax and deductions. We do not calculate pension taxes, benefits, currency conversion or the right to receive a pension abroad.
- Budget comparisons use the supplied FindMyPlace Comfortable Relocation Living Estimates for a one person baseline. Healthcare (£150) and other spending (£200) are included as planning allowances, not insurance quotes. Family costs and specialist medical costs are not modelled.
- Affordable estimates appear first. Within each budget group, destinations are sorted by the number of selected weather, language and lifestyle preferences that align, then by money remaining. No preference is counted for an open choice. This is an editorial shortlist, not a percentage suitability or quality score.
- Healthcare answers change the checks shown, not the country ranking. We have not verified healthcare quality, public entitlement, insurance acceptance, waiting times or specialist access for your circumstances.
- Climate and lifestyle matches are broad editorial city categories, not weather averages, neighbourhood assessments or guarantees that a whole country matches your preferences. English availability in services is not assumed.
- A pension covering the monthly estimate does not establish a residency route or meet a visa income threshold. Citizenship, age, dependants, savings and residency rights are not assessed here.
- The supplied cost estimates have no independent market verification or price collection date. Moving costs, deposits, taxes, visas and major medical expenses are excluded. Check current prices and leave a personal contingency.
- This quiz runs in your browser. Answers are not saved or sent to the questionnaire database, and no account is required.
Explore the comfortable living estimate breakdowns, browse country guides or take the full relocation questionnaire.