Where Should You Actually Retire? The 2025 Global Retirement Rankings Are Here

Natixis Investment Managers just dropped their annual retirement index, ranking 44 countries across four key metrics: healthcare access, quality of life, financial firepower, and pension system quality.

The top 10 tells an interesting story—spoiler alert: Nordic/EU countries dominate hard.

The Winners:

🥇 Norway (83%) - Jumped to #1. Crushes it on income equality, low unemployment, and material wellbeing. Healthcare? Top-tier.

🥈 Ireland (82%) - Rose 2 spots thanks to better inflation control and solid retirement financial infrastructure. #1 ranked for pension/finance access.

🥉 Switzerland (81%) - Expensive but stable. Low taxes, strong currency, excellent financial services keep it in the conversation.

4-10: Iceland, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Luxembourg, Slovenia round out the list.

What Actually Matters:

According to the data, there’s no cheat code—countries that rank highest do well across all categories, not just one. Norway didn’t top the list by crushing healthcare alone; it’s consistent strength everywhere.

The Real Talk:

Notice the pattern? Universal healthcare + strong pension systems + income equality = better retirement outcomes. Wild concept, right?

For crypto folks wondering about “low-tax” retirement havens—these top performers actually have high taxes but deliver better services. Trade-off culture.

Thinking about relocating? Check the full rankings by healthcare quality, cost of living, and pension structure—they vary wildly by country.