This Country Ranked #1 For Retirement Living In Europe (And You've Probably Never Been)

An Eastern European country that used to be part of the Soviet Union was named in a recent report as the best place to retire in all of planet Earth. Estonia, population 1.3 million, was ranked as the No. 1 over 136 countries in a report on the best places to retire by life insurance company Everly Life. Estonia scored well on health care and safety as well as for size of its elderly population and cost of living. Mariah Bliss, senior manager of content strategy for Everly Life, told Travel + Leisure that Estonia is a "sweet spot" for some retirees, adding: "You're getting Northern European health care standards and safety without the crushing costs of places like Switzerland or Denmark." Indeed, according to Numbeo, Estonia's cost of living is 29% lower than that of the United States, a country that did not make Every Life's top 10 despite the new tax deductions for seniors in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Estonia is also a recommended as a great place to retire according to International Living, which noted that the small Baltic nation has lots of restaurants and entertainment venues, preserved Medieval architecture, nice people and modern infrastructure. More than 50% of Estonia is covered in forested landscape. And 54% of Estonia's 1.3 million people speak English. Its weather, though is an acquired taste. While it averages 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, Estonia's winter temperatures frequently drop below freezing.

Regardless of the frigid and wet weather, Estonia's citizens and residents have access to low-cost healthcare provided by the Estonian Heath Insurance Fund. But until they become residents, non-EU citizens staying in Estonia longer than 90 days will be required to obtain private traveler's health insurance, according to the Embassy of Estonia in Washington, D.C. And to stay longer than three months, retirees and other non-European Union citizens will need something more than a tourist visa. For a regular short-term or long-term visa, proof of income of at least €70 Euros (about $81 USD) a day or €2,100 (nearly $2,460) a month, will be required. This is higher than the $1,950.27 monthly average Social Security payment received by retired American workers as of May 2025, per the Social Security Administration.

Although, retirees not quite retired and earning income as a remote-working freelancer can pursue a digital nomad visa if they take in at least €3,504 (just over $4,080), per Visit Estonia. A one-year e-residency visa can be obtained by registering the intent of opening an online business in Estonia, a pathway pursued by more than 126,000, according to Estonia's E-Residency webpage. The income requirement for a startup business is at least €800 ($931) "one-time," per the Estonian embassy.

Meanwhile, another northern European country, Norway, was ranked as the second-best place to retire by Everly Life due to its superior health care and great social infrastructure. The Scandinavian country was edged out of the top spot because Norway has a high cost of living, which is 3.1% higher than in the United States, per Numbeo. But to get a permanent visa here you'll need proof of earning 325,400 Norwegian krone (about $32,000) a year, among other requirements, according to Norway's UDI (Directorate of Immigration) website.

But at Everly Life's third best place to retire, Portugal, a non-European Union citizen can obtain a two-year passive income visa if a retiree earns at least €870 (or about $1,019) a month. Because Portugal is a cultured European country that is also a cheap place to live, the number of Americans who moved here increased by 239% since 2017, according to Global Citizens Solutions. In Portugal, the cost of living is 32.1% lower than the United States, per Numbeo. And Bragança, a mountainous town in northern Europe, is one of the best European cities that cost under $1,500 a month by International Living. Other nations that made Everly Life's top 10 list for retirees, per Travel + Leisure, include Spain, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Hungary, Malta, and Italy.