Global Retirement Index Names Top Destinations and What They Mean for German Pensioners

Overview

• International Living’s 2026 Global Retirement Index ranks Greece, Panama, Costa Rica, Portugal, Mexico, Italy, France, Spain, Thailand and Malaysia among the top ten retirement destinations.
• Greece is top of the list and offers a tax rule that generally makes German statutory pensions taxable in Greece under the bilateral deal with a reported reduced rate of seven percent for the first 15 years after a move.
• Panama runs a retiree visa program that gives discounts to seniors, requires proof of a minimum monthly income of USD 1,000 and normally does not tax foreign pensions because it follows a territorial tax system.
• Costa Rica requires applicants for a retiree residency permit to show a guaranteed minimum income of USD 2,500 per month for at least two years and residency processing typically takes about six to 18 months.
• About 250,000 Germans already live abroad and Austria is the largest single recipient of German pension payments with 30,482 recipients at end‑2024, a fact that highlights how host‑country tax rules and local healthcare capacity can raise costs or change care access for moving retirees.