Humans are living 20 years longer than they did in 1950 and a growing number of people are choosing to spend their later decades abroad.

Selling up your home and leaving friends and family behind for a new life overseas is a major move which requires serious research before taking the plunge.

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.

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