European countries have once again topped the ranking of the best places to retire in the world. The leader is Norway, which outperformed Ireland and Switzerland in key quality of life indicators. This is reported by "Visual Capitalist".
Ranking of countries for retirement 2025: who is on top
According to the Natixis Global Retirement Index, European countries occupied the top 8 out of 10 spots.
The top ten includes:
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Norway — 83%
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Ireland — 82%
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Switzerland — 81%
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Iceland — 79%
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Denmark — 79%
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Netherlands — 79%
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Australia — 77%
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Germany — 76%
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Luxembourg — 75%
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Slovenia — 75%.
Norway topped the ranking due to its high level of prosperity, strong pension system, and quality of life.
Best countries for retirees: what influenced the rating
Analysts assessed countries based on 18 indicators, grouped into four key categories:
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financial stability of the pension system
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material well-being of the population
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level of healthcare
The high positions of Ireland and Switzerland can be explained by a stable economy and access to quality healthcare. Ireland has significantly risen in the ranking in recent years.
Meanwhile, North American countries have lost positions. The USA fell to 21st place due to issues with healthcare accessibility and rising national debt.
Canada also worsened its standings, coming in 20th place, particularly due to a housing access crisis.
The ranking demonstrates significant differences between countries even among developed economies, depending on social policy, income levels, and cost of living.
Earlier, we presented the ranking of countries that will particularly need tourists in 2026 and are capable of surprising with a unique experience.