The monthly magazine and website International Living has just released its Annual Global Retirement Index, which evaluates the world's top destinations for retirees across categories including cost of living, healthcare, housing, visas, climate, and ease of integration. The new No.1 for 2026 is a sun-soaked country in Southern Europe whose thousands of picturesque islands have made it a tourism hot spot, but International Living says it has everything it takes for a permanent stay as well.
Known for its incredible coffee, gorgeous beaches, and welcoming culture, it's no wonder Panama was named the best country in the world for expats. The designation was part of a 2025 expat insider survey from expat community InterNations, which was shared with Travel + Leisure. In Panama, which took the top spot for the second year in a row, 94 percent of expats surveyed