Cyprus Rises in Global Ranking of the Best Countries for Retirees

Cyprus has improved its position in the global ranking of the best countries for retirement. In the Global Retirement Index 2026, the island rose from 25th to 23rd place. The country’s overall score increased by 2 percentage points to 68%.

It should be noted that the Index evaluates more than just retirement income. It considers the conditions that affect financial security and quality of life after retirement. The study analyses 4 main areas:

1. finances in retirement;
2. material wellbeing;
3. health;
4. quality of life.

In 2026, Norway topped the ranking for the second year in a row with a score of 83%, while Ireland ranked second. The index covers 44 countries and was developed by Natixis Investment Managers together with CoreData Research.

Which Cyprus indicators improved

According to the original report, Cyprus received the following scores across the four categories:

1. finances in retirement — 67%;
2. material wellbeing — 66%;
3. health — 80%;
4. quality of life — 61%.

The main factor behind Cyprus’s improved position was its rise in the “Finances in Retirement” category — up 12 places to 19th position, with a score of 67%.

Several individual indicators also showed noticeable improvement:

1. “Inflation” — up 11 places;
2. “Interest Rates” — up 6 places to 27th;
3. “Tax Pressure” — up 3 places to 8th in the world.

Tax conditions remain one of Cyprus’s important advantages for people considering the island as a place to live after retirement. At the same time, the country’s healthcare indicator deteriorated noticeably compared with previous years. In fact, problems in this category prevented Cyprus from climbing even higher in the overall ranking.

How Cyprus compares with the rest of Europe

In the European part of the ranking, countries can roughly be divided into several groups. At the top of the ranking are:

1. Norway — 1st place, 83%;
2. Ireland — 2nd place, 81%;
3. the Netherlands — 3rd place, 79%;
4. Switzerland — 4th place, 79%;
5. Denmark — 5th place;
6. Luxembourg — 8th place;
7. Iceland — 9th place.

Norway retains first place for the second consecutive year.

The middle group covers positions 11 to 25. Many European countries are included in this part of the ranking:

1. Malta — 11th place;
2. Russia — 14th place;
3. Slovakia — 16th place;
4. Belgium — 18th place;
5. the United Kingdom — 21st place;
6. Italy — 22nd place;
7. Cyprus — 23rd place, 68%.

Interestingly, Greece was placed in the lowest group, ranking 36th with a score of 52%.

At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that the Global Retirement Index is not simply a ranking of the cost of living for retirees. It combines a broad range of economic, social, healthcare and demographic indicators. In particular, the finances-in-retirement category takes into account inflation, interest rates, tax pressure, government debt and other factors.

For Cyprus, the 2026 results present a mixed picture: the country improved its overall position and reached 68%, with particularly strong progress in financial indicators, while healthcare and quality of life remain important factors when assessing conditions for retirees.