The numbers at home no longer work. Housing, healthcare, and taxes are squeezing people dry.
Meanwhile, right now, in many countries you can buy a home for less than the price of a parking spot in the US. In many countries, buying cheap property gives americans a residency visa.
And that purchase secures your legal right to live there permanently — often putting you on a direct path to winning a second passport. Today I’m ranking seven of them, from good to the very best.
The best is a country where you buy a luxury house for $200,000, and live your life paying ZERO income taxes. Another has one of the best healthcare systems in this hemisphere, at prices Americans find hard to believe. And two of them will help you live longer — and healthier — while paying 51% cheaper than in Florida.
I’m Levi. I’ve spent the last decade living abroad — in Europe, South America, Asia. And I’ve watched how a whole group of countries started to reward you — a foreigner — for buying a home inside their border.
But these programs don’t last forever. So let’s start with the criteria.
The Criteria
This ranking is not about where you’d enjoy two weeks in July. It’s built for a specific type: you’re over 50, your income is paid in dollars, pounds, or euros, and you want a better life and a nice property.
So I weighed five things. Quality of life. Private healthcare. Property prices that unlock residency. Bureaucracy. And the cost of living — per month.
Not sure yet which of these profiles fits you? Our complete guide on where to move abroad will help you decide.
Now, we start our ranking with…
Number 7 — The United Arab Emirates
The country in last place in this ranking has the highest development score of all seven. The UAE’s Human Development Index sits around 0.937 — ahead of several Western European nations.
It’s also one of the safest countries on Earth. Violent crime is close to nonexistent; you can walk anywhere, at any hour, and the healthcare is superb.
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Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi — directly affiliated with the famous American clinic — is one of the finest hospitals in the entire Middle East. Add the location: Dubai and Abu Dhabi sit a short flight from Europe, Asia, and Africa. As a travel hub, it’s hard to beat.
So why just the 7th place? Because the cost of living is a very important factor here. But let’s talk about all the benefits first.
In the UAE, you buy a property worth 750,000 dirhams — roughly $204,000 — and qualify for a renewable two-year residence visa. Go up to about $545,000 and you unlock the ten-year Golden Visa, which covers your spouse and dependents.
And things got even better lately (at least in the financial part of the equation), because real estate prices in the UAE have dropped by up to 15 percent this year. That entry door for a tax-free life just got cheaper to walk through.
Yes, you heard correctly: Tax Free. No personal income tax. No capital gains tax on your property. No inheritance tax.
Now the other side of the balance: you save on taxes, but life is more expensive than the other countries we will show you today. There are also a few other points that are important to know about the UAE.
Then the climate: from June through September, temperatures routinely pass 45 degrees Celsius — that’s 113 Fahrenheit. Four months a year, life happens indoors.
Private healthcare insurance is excellent but gets markedly more expensive with age — exactly when you need it most. Bureaucracy? Buying real estate is straightforward, as long as you stay inside the designated freehold zones where foreigners are allowed to own.
So the UAE suits a wealthy retiree who wants zero tax, total safety, and world-class everything — and can pay for it. The next country is the opposite: life is very cheap there, but the economy is less stable.
Number 6 — Türkiye
I went there recently to see if what these videos on YouTube keep saying is true. Because all these YouTubers tell you that you can retire on the Turkish coast for pennies. That is half true. Let’s separate the real from the hype.
A couple can live comfortably in a coastal city like Alanya for $1,500 to $2,500 a month — including rent. In other words, the low end is less than half of what you would spend in Dubai.
Places like Antalya, Bodrum, and Alanya have become established expat enclaves: great weather, a beautiful coastline, a relaxed pace, and locals famous for their warmth toward foreigners.
For less than $250,000 you can buy a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,300 square feet luxury apartment with a sea view. In the Turkish Riviera, investors and the government have invested heavily in what you’ll actually use: modern highways, a booming domestic flight network, and beach infrastructure.
The healthcare might surprise you even more. Türkiye is a global medical-tourism destination — thousands of foreigners fly in every year for everything from dental work to plastic surgery.
Hospitals in major cities offer cutting-edge treatments for a fraction of US prices. Turkey has 3 hospitals among the 250 best in the world, and multiple private institutions with world-class standards.
Now the residency. Buy any property above $200,000 and you qualify for a residence permit — no huge capital required.
If you invest $500,000 or more in real estate, you and your family qualify for Turkish citizenship and a passport, typically processed within a few months. It is one of the fastest citizenship-by-investment programs in the world. That threshold was $250,000 until 2022, so the trend only moves upward.
So what is the main downside of this country? The economy. Inflation has been extremely high in recent years, and the currency swings.
Many foreigners actually benefit from the Turkish Lira devaluation — it made everything cheaper if you earn in Dollars or Euros. But a weak currency can also generate many unfortunate consequences.
There is also the bureaucracy: slow, paper-heavy, and outside the tourist zones, officials rarely speak English. Some neighborhoods have even hit foreign-ownership saturation and closed to new residence permits.
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By the way, I am thinking about publishing a deeper piece on the things I discovered while in Türkiye — you can support that work and get our detailed country reports on Patreon.
So who is Türkiye for? Someone who earns in hard currency, comfortable with volatility, who wants sea views and low prices.
Number 5 — Malta
There is virtually no language barrier in Malta. Malta is a former British colony where English is an official language.
Your doctor’s appointment, your property contract, your argument with the utility company — all in fluent English. That alone removes half the stress of relocation.
But there are many other positive things about this place. This tiny Mediterranean archipelago has over 300 days of sunshine a year, low crime, and a high level of Human Development.
It’s also a full EU member inside the Schengen zone, so residency there means free travel across Europe.
Healthcare holds up too, with Mater Dei as the main public hospital, while St James Hospital and Saint Thomas Hospital cover the private side — private insurance is also relatively affordable.
The way to obtain residence in Malta by buying a property is the MPRP. The property price must be at least €375,000, roughly $405,000 — or about 325,000 if you buy on the island of Gozo.
There are also some additional costs, like a government contribution, an administrative fee, a mandatory donation to a Maltese NGO, and proof of significant assets.
The process itself is EU-standard: formal, document-heavy, taking several months — but transparent, and entirely in English.
The bigger issues are physical. Malta is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Traffic congests, summers strain the water system, and living costs are somewhere around $4,000 a month for a couple.
It is still cheaper than a major US city, but pricier than the next countries on this list.
So Malta is for the Anglophone retiree who wants no language barrier and has the capital to pay for it. And if the “crowded sensation” of Malta is a dealbreaker… the next country is the opposite: spacious, calm — so calm that some people even call it… empty!
Number 4 — Uruguay
I spent 26 years of my life in South America, so take it from someone who knows the neighborhood: Uruguay and Chile are the region’s quiet overachievers.
They call Uruguay the Switzerland of South America, and in some aspects, it makes sense. It is the most stable country in South America (which is, honestly, kind of a low bar, like being the biggest city in Montana).
Your savings, your property title, and your legal rights are unlikely to vanish in a revolution, like what happened in Venezuela. It is stable to the point of being a bit sleepy — unless you are thrilled by sheep and cows.
But it is not only empty fields: Montevideo is a relatively big city, with the characteristics of a metropolis, while Punta del Este brings the glamour of a European riviera (and casinos…).
The climate is temperate — four real seasons instead of year-round tropical heat, which plenty of retirees quietly prefer.
Private healthcare is quite good, especially when you consider the small size of the country. Uruguay runs on mutualistas — private, membership-based health organizations. You pay a monthly fee and receive comprehensive care.
In Montevideo, the Hospital Británico is considered one of the finest in the country and one of the best in South America. High standards, at a fraction of US costs.
So why isn’t Uruguay on the podium? Three reasons.
First: it is expensive! To obtain residency you must purchase a property worth at least $525,000 — the second-highest threshold on this list. To be fair, there’s a workaround: Uruguay also grants residency based on stable monthly income, like a pension, with no lump-sum purchase at all — and new tax residents get 11 years of tax holiday — zero taxes!
The second con of Uruguay is that it is far, and not very well connected. To go to the US or Europe, likely you will need to make a stop in Buenos Aires or São Paulo.
Third, it isn’t that cheap anymore: budget at least $3,000 a month for a couple, with imported goods and cars heavily taxed.
The trámites — the paperwork errands, as we say in Spanish — are straightforward but the process can be slow.
And with that, the honorable mentions are done. Time for the podium.
But before we continue: if you ever thought about living abroad, you can get detailed reports on every country we cover — plus tools to find your ideal destination — by joining my Patreon.
Number 3 — Cyprus
Third place goes to an island I keep returning to with my own family — the food there is amazing.
Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean, and it might be the easiest EU country for an English speaker after Ireland. Cyprus is a former British colony: they drive on the left, the legal system is based on English common law, and English is spoken almost everywhere.
The climate does its part too: 320 to 340 days of sunshine a year, mild winters, low crime, and a warm, family-oriented culture.
Remember I promised two countries that help you live longer and healthier? Cyprus is the first — sunshine, a relaxed pace, and the Mediterranean table.
Healthcare made a leap with GESY — the General Healthcare System, a universal national system that residents can access. Private healthcare counts with the German Oncology Center in Limassol, a state-of-the-art facility with German standards, while Nicosia has the American Medical Center. Private insurance is affordable, and out-of-pocket costs stay reasonable.
Now, let’s talk about getting residency by purchasing a property. Buy a new residence worth at least €400,000 plus VAT, and prove you have an annual income from abroad, like a pension or investments.
One remarkable thing that surprised me is that approval on this Cypriot residency program often arrives within about two months. And that surprised me because I always considered Cyprus as kind of a “Richer Greece”, but apparently they don’t suffer from the legendary Greek bureaucracy.
The permanent residency covers your spouse and dependent children, and keeping it requires visiting just once every two years. And if you do settle in and meet the naturalization requirements, it can open a path to Cypriot — meaning EU — citizenship.
But always remember that Cyprus is one of the most popular Mediterranean islands, so it gets busy during summer. I covered Cyprus in more depth not long ago, explaining more about this fantastic island.
The next country has even more fame for “longevity” than Cyprus — to the point that scientists studied the habits of its population!
Number 2 — Greece
On the Greek island of Ikaria, people live so long that researchers labeled it a Blue Zone — one of the rare regions on the planet where humans routinely reach 100 years old.
The Mediterranean diet consistently linked to longevity, an outdoor social life, strong community bonds, and a pace that refuses to hurry. Its Human Development Index is high, crime is low, and the beauty — from the Aegean islands to the mainland mountains — needs no introduction.
Now, the famous part: the Golden Visa. Buy qualifying property and you receive a five-year renewable residence permit for your whole family, with Schengen travel freedom across Europe.
Another huge plus is that there is no minimum stay requirement. You don’t have to live in Greece to keep your Greek residence visa. Additionally, Greece has very good tax incentives for expat residents!
Which raises the question: with so many incentives, the threshold to qualify is a bit higher — but not everywhere in Greece.
In the highest-demand areas — central Athens, Thessaloniki, and hot islands like Mykonos and Santorini — the threshold is now €800,000. But across most other regions of the country, buying a home of €400,000 qualifies you for residency.
The €400,000 tier still covers stunning territory — the Peloponnese, Crete, the mainland coast, and many islands the crowds haven’t saturated. And with such budget you can easily buy a luxury villa.
There are plenty of renowned healthcare institutions in Athens and Thessaloniki. But… small islands and rural areas have limited facilities. If your health needs are serious, base yourself within reach of Athens or Thessaloniki.
The cost of living in smaller cities is quite low — a couple can live on a $3,000 budget.
The real weakness is bureaucracy: famously slow, buried in paper, and often operating only in Greek.
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So what place could beat a country like Greece, where people live healthier, and expats pay MUCH lower taxes than in most of Europe? Surprisingly, the next country might be even better.
Number 1 — Panama
This is the country I told you about at the beginning. There you get permanent residency, dependents included, by making a purchase of just two hundred thousand dollars in real estate through the Friendly Nations Visa — a program open to Americans, Brits, Canadians, and many other nationalities. It’s the lowest property threshold on this entire list.
And the zero income taxes? Panama has a territorial tax system: it only taxes income earned inside Panama. Your Social Security, your pension, your investment income from abroad — stay untouched.
But the property visa isn’t even Panama’s best trick to attract expat retirees. That is the Pensionado — one of the world’s most famous retiree visas.
Qualify with a pension of $1,250 a month for a couple with dependents — or just $750 a month if you also buy at least $100,000 in real estate — and you get discounts granted by law: 25 percent off airfares, 30 to 50 percent off hotels, 25 percent off restaurant bills, 15 to 20 percent off medical services and prescriptions, and much more.
And there is more! The practical advantages keep stacking. Panama uses the US dollar — there is a local currency called the balboa, but it’s of the same value as the dollar — so currency risk disappears.
Tocumen International Airport, the “Hub of the Americas,” puts dozens of US and Canadian cities two to four hours away.
Private healthcare institutions in Panama are among the best in Central America. Hospital Pacífica Salud in Panama City is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine, and many Panamanian doctors trained in the United States and speak fluent English.
And the low cost of living is the cherry on the cake. A couple lives well on $3,000 in highland towns like Boquete or coastal towns. Many compare Panama City with Miami, but for HALF the price.
There are trade-offs, of course. Panama is still a developing country, roads are not the best, and you should learn some Spanish if you want to live in the countryside. But for thousands of Americans who moved to Panama, the pros far exceed the cons.
Still weighing your options between these seven? Read our full guide on where to move abroad to narrow down your shortlist.
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Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the YouTube channel The Expat, and a best-selling author. Some of the links in our articles may be affiliated links, meaning the author earns a small commission if you make a purchase.
