Lifestyle
Where the world’s retirees are heading (and why we’re staying put)
This year’s Global Retirement Report shows retirees are spreading their wings across the globe, chasing sunshine, safety and simplicity. Yet many of those same joys can be found in our own backyard.
By Bron Maxabella
If you’ve ever caught yourself daydreaming about a European villa, a Spanish siesta or an island life in Mauritius, you’re not alone. According to the Global Retirement Report 2025 by Global Citizen Solutions, retirement is no longer something we settle into, instead it’s something we travel towards.
Globally, today’s retirees are reimagining what it means to grow older, swapping international borders as easily as previous Australian generations swapped state borders. The report found that people in their 50s and 60s are more mobile than ever, chasing better weather, lower costs and a higher quality of life.
But before you start packing for Portugal (ranked #1 in the world, by the way), it’s worth asking: could you find all those perks right here at home?
The great global retirement migration
The Global Retirement Report 2025 looked at 44 countries that offer passive income or retirement visas – basically, programs that let you live comfortably in a new country using your savings, pension or rental income.
It’s big business: Europe dominates the list, but Asia and Africa are fast becoming the new hotspots for adventurous retirees. Portugal, Mauritius, Spain, Uruguay and Austria topped this year’s rankings thanks to their mix of healthcare, safety, affordability and culture.
A few standout findings:
- Over 70% of countries (more than 30 out of 44 countries) offer above-average scores for healthcare, environmental quality and overall living conditions.
- A massive 93% of countries now offer retirees clear paths to citizenship (most allowing dual passports), reflecting global momentum toward more inclusive migration policies for retirees.
- 61% provide tax perks for retirees, while another 68% keep application costs under €2,000 – making global retirement surprisingly attainable.
- And yes, you can bring the kids (and even the grandkids): 93% of programs welcome family reunification.
So retirement has gone global, but so have expectations. Top of their list, people want safety, connection, affordability and purpose. Sound familiar?
Sun, safety… and Medicare
If you ask us, Australia stacks up pretty well on all those fronts. While Portugal might win on pasteis de nata, we’ve got flat whites that taste like heaven and healthcare that’s (mostly) heaven-sent.
When Citro released our Australia’s Top 50 Retirement Locations 2025, we found many of the same drivers shaping retirement decisions right here:
- Quality of life: fresh air, low traffic, local produce and space to breathe.
- Affordability: places where your super stretches further.
- Community and connection: where newcomers are welcome and a sense of belonging is actively fostered.
- Safety and security: solid healthcare access and feeling safe and cared for.
Whether it’s Orange NSW with its vineyards and festivals, Mandurah WA with its oceans of calm, or Ingham QLD’s friendly tropical charm, Australians are already living the “global retirement lifestyle” without needing a visa.
Download your copy or read it right here:
Why we stay (and why some still go)
Of course, the lure of a new culture, lower taxes or sunnier winters is powerful. The report notes that many retirees abroad are motivated by reduced costs, a sense of adventure and a fresh start – a chance to reinvent life post-work somewhere beautiful and inspiring.
Read this too: What’s retirement like in the Philippines?
And there’s no denying it’s tempting. Portugal offers tax breaks and an ocean view for less than Sydney’s median rent. Spain’s healthcare system ranks among the world’s best. And a place like Mauritius combines postcard beaches with generous visa options that last up to 10 years.
But uprooting your life isn’t for everyone. The Global Retirement Report itself highlights challenges like integration, language barriers and navigating healthcare in a new country. It also found that many expat retirees tend to cluster in enclaves, forming little pockets of “home away from home” rather than truly embedding in local culture.
Rings a bell? It’s the same reason many of us choose to stay put where we already have that sense of home.
The world’s best place to retirement might be your postcode
If retirement overseas sounds thrilling but complicated, you’re not wrong. Visas, taxation, insurance and currency exchange all add layers of complexity.
More on this: A CITRO GUIDE: 10 places for Australians to retire overseas
For many Australians, the smarter move is to chase value, vitality and connection closer to home.
And we’re spoiled for choice. Our Australia’s Top 50 Retirement Locations 2025 guide showcases communities that tick every box: affordable homes, excellent healthcare, natural beauty and a genuine sense of welcome.
Places like Victor Harbor SA, Toowoomba QLD, and Port Macquarie NSW deliver the kind of quality of life that global retirees dream about, without the bureaucracy and fish-out-of-water feeling that can come with being a foreigner abroad.
A world of inspiration right here
The global retirement movement is proof that this generation of retirees and pre-retirees isn’t slowing down. Instead, we’re making bold, creative choices about where and how we want to live.
Whether that’s swapping Melbourne for Madrid, or Sydney for Sorrento (possibly the one in Victoria), the goal is the same: a retirement that feels rich, meaningful and full of possibility. Sometimes expanding your comfort zone means crossing oceans; sometimes it just means crossing the street.
Feature image: iStock/Prostock-Studio
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