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Ranked: The 25 Best Countries to Retire in 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Norway ranks #1 globally in 2025, followed by Ireland and Switzerland.
- Europe dominates the list, claiming 8 of the top 10 spots.
- The U.S. falls to 21st, while Canada drops to 20th amid rising fiscal and housing pressures.
Retirement outcomes vary widely across advanced economies, shaped by differences in pension systems, healthcare access, cost pressures, and overall quality of life.
The 2025 Natixis Global Retirement Index ranks countries across four pillars: retirement finances, material wellbeing, health, and quality of life. This year’s results show Europe continuing to outperform, while North America slips further down the table.
Below, we break down the full rankings and what’s driving the biggest moves.
Europe Dominates the 2025 Retirement Rankings
The Natixis Global Retirement Index evaluated countries across 18 indicators covering four core pillars:
- Finances in Retirement: Pension systems, inflation, interest rates
- Material Wellbeing: Income per capita, unemployment, income inequality
- Health: Life expectancy, healthcare spending, access to healthcare
- Quality of Life: Environmental factors, happiness, biodiversity
Below, we show the top 25 retirement destinations in 2025:
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 83% |
| 2 | Ireland | 82% |
| 3 | Switzerland | 81% |
| 4 | Iceland | 79% |
| 5 | Denmark | 79% |
| 6 | Netherlands | 79% |
| 7 | Australia | 77% |
| 8 | Germany | 76% |
| 9 | Luxembourg | 75% |
| 10 | Slovenia | 75% |
| 11 | Czechia | 74% |
| 12 | New Zealand | 73% |
| 13 | Singapore | 73% |
| 14 | UK | 72% |
| 15 | Austria | 72% |
| 16 | Israel | 72% |
| 17 | Belgium | 71% |
| 18 | Sweden | 71% |
| 19 | Malta | 70% |
| 20 | Canada | 70% |
| 21 | U.S. | 70% |
| 22 | South Korea | 69% |
| 23 | Finland | 66% |
| 24 | Slovakia | 66% |
| 25 | Cyprus | 66% |
Norway takes the top spot with a score of 83%, supported by high material wellbeing, its robust pension system, and strong environmental and quality-of-life metrics.
Ireland (82%) and Switzerland (81%) follow closely behind, reflecting their stable economies and access to high-quality healthcare. Over the past decade, Ireland has risen from 15th spot to runner-up, among the largest increases overall.
Similarly, Singapore’s ranking has jumped meaningfully. In 2015, it ranked in 25th and has since climbed ahead of the UK and Austria to reach 13th place. Boosting its score are strong finances in retirement, particularly income per capita.
By contrast, North American countries underperform many other advanced economies. In 21st place, the U.S. sees its overall score weighed down by healthcare affordability challenges and rising public debt, despite strong capital markets and high income levels.
In Canada, housing affordability remains a key pressure point for retirees. Notably, the country recorded the largest year-over-year decline in the rankings, falling seven places to 20th.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries with the highest life expectancies.