Thailand has been ranked the second-best country in the world to retire abroad in 2026, according to the Retirement Abroad Index published by Expatriate Group, a London-based international insurance provider. The country scored 77 out of 100, trailing only the Philippines by a single point, and placed well ahead of European destinations including Portugal, Spain, and France.
For anyone already living in Thailand or considering the move, the ranking confirms what many long-term expats have been saying for years: the combination of private healthcare quality, manageable living costs, and an established foreign resident infrastructure is difficult to match elsewhere.
How the index works
The Retirement Abroad Index 2026 evaluated 20 countries across five equally weighted categories, each worth up to 20 points. The five pillars are healthcare quality, visa accessibility, health insurance requirements, cost of living, and expat community and integration. Data came from the Numbeo Healthcare Index 2026, the Numbeo Cost of Living Index 2026, UN DESA 2024 international migrant estimates, the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, and the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 rankings.
On this page:
| Section (Click to jump) | Short |
|---|---|
| Thailand’s scores | Thailand ranked second globally to retire with strong scores for healthcare, insurance accessibility, and cost of living, although expat integration remained its weakest category. |
| How the Philippines took the top spot | The Philippines edged Thailand by one point thanks to easier retirement visa access, lower living costs, and stronger English-language integration. |
| What the ranking tells us about Europe | Many European retirement destinations scored highly for healthcare but were held back by higher living costs, causing countries like Spain and France to rank lower than expected. |
| What to consider beyond the ranking | Retirement decisions depend on personal priorities such as healthcare, language, community, and lifestyle, making the index a useful guide rather than a definitive answer. |
Thailand’s scores
Thailand’s strongest performance was in healthcare, where it scored 18 out of 20, the joint-highest in the entire index alongside Spain and France. Private hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket are internationally recognised for clinical standards and are considerably more affordable than comparable facilities in Western countries.
Health insurance requirements scored 20 out of 20. Thailand’s retirement visa (Non-Immigrant O-A) mandates health insurance coverage of at least US$100,000 (approximately 3.3 million baht) per policy per year, which the index treated as a mark of well-structured, insurance-accessible infrastructure rather than a drawback.
Cost of living scored 16 out of 20. A retired couple can typically live comfortably on around 36,000 to 72,000 baht per month, depending on lifestyle and location, with Bangkok at the higher end. That figure aligns with what real expats report on the ground. One British retiree, Simon Thatcher, shared his monthly costs publicly in 2025 and put his total spending at 35,000 to 45,000 baht a month, covering rent, food, and daily expenses in a comfortable condo with pool and gym access.
Visa accessibility scored 15 out of 20. The Non-Immigrant O-A requires proof of funds of 800,000 baht held in a Thai bank account, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht, and is valid for one year with annual renewal. For a full breakdown of what the insurance requirement now involves, this guide to Thailand’s retirement visa insurance requirements covers the current conditions in detail.
The one area where Thailand scored below average was the expat community and integration, finishing with just 8 out of 20. The index cited limited English functionality outside tourist and expat areas, and InterNations data places Thailand lower on ease of settling in than its overall popularity suggests. For retirees planning to base themselves in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Phuket, this is manageable. For those wanting a more remote lifestyle, it is worth factoring in.
How the Philippines took the top spot
The Philippines scored 78 out of 100, edging Thailand by one point. Its strongest performance came from visa accessibility, low living costs, and expat integration, all of which were boosted by English being one of the country’s official languages. The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) allows applicants aged 50 and over with a pension to qualify with a fixed deposit of US$15,000 (approximately 490,000 baht), with no annual renewals required after approval.
Living costs are lower than in Thailand across most metrics, with a retired couple able to live comfortably on around US$860 to US$2,500 per month depending on location. Healthcare scored 12 out of 20, reflecting the gap between well-equipped private hospitals in Manila and Cebu City and the more limited provision in rural areas.
The full ranking
| Rank | Country | Healthcare | Visa | Insurance | Cost of Living | Integration | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines | 12 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 78 |
| 2 | Thailand | 18 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 8 | 77 |
| 3 | Colombia | 12 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 12 | 73 |
| 4 | Portugal | 16 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 71 |
| 5 | South Africa | 10 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 69 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 14 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 69 |
| 7 | Dubai (UAE) | 14 | 12 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 68 |
| 8 | Malaysia | 14 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 68 |
| 9 | Mexico | 16 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 66 |
| 10 | Indonesia | 8 | 13 | 14 | 20 | 9 | 64 |
| 11 | Spain | 18 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 64 |
| 12 | Panama | 8 | 15 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 63 |
| 13 | Qatar | 16 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 12 | 62 |
| 14 | France | 18 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 60 |
| 15 | Costa Rica | 10 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 59 |
| 16 | New Zealand | 12 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 58 |
| 17 | Greece | 6 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 53 |
| 18 | Cyprus | 4 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 51 |
| 19 | Italy | 10 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 51 |
| 20 | Malta | 2 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 48 |
What the ranking tells us about Europe
One of the more counterintuitive findings in the index is how poorly European destinations perform overall. Portugal, the highest-ranked European country, came fourth. Spain and France, both with healthcare scores of 18 out of 20, finished eleventh and fourteenth, respectively, pulled down by cost-of-living scores of 10 and 4. France scored just 4 out of 20 on affordability. For retirees from Western countries who might assume Europe is the natural choice, the data makes a case for looking further afield.
What to consider beyond the ranking
A ranking built on five pillars gives a useful starting point, but retirement decisions are personal. The index weights each category equally, which means a retiree whose priority is staying near other English speakers will read the table differently from someone whose primary concern is healthcare access or keeping monthly costs below a specific threshold.
Thailand’s position at number two reflects genuine strengths in healthcare infrastructure and cost management when you retire, but the integration score is a real signal for anyone considering a more immersive lifestyle outside the main cities. For a more detailed picture of what long-term expat life in Thailand actually involves beyond the headline numbers, this piece on what really changes after a few years living in Thailand covers the day-to-day realities.
For those seriously considering making the move, The Thaiger’s full guide to retiring in Thailand covers visa options, healthcare, costs, and what to expect at each stage.
Source: Retirement Abroad Index 2026, Expatriate Group. Supporting coverage: NY Post.
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