Greece and Cyprus named top global retirement destinations by Forbes

Forbes has released its 2026 list of top global destinations for retirement, highlighting a growing trend of Americans seeking more affordable and high-quality lifestyles abroad. Data indicates that by late 2024, approximately 712,000 American retirees were receiving Social Security benefits while living outside the United States, a 20% increase over the last 13 years.

The publication evaluated 96 destinations across 24 countries based on several factors, including cost of living, healthcare expenses, taxation, safety, political stability, ease of travel to the US, language, and climate change risks.

Greece is featured as an ‘ancient cultural diamond in the sunny Mediterranean,’ with four specific locations identified: Athens, Corfu, Kalamata, and Thessaloniki. The report notes that the cost of living in Greece is significantly lower than the US average, potentially being one-third lower in many areas outside of Athens. Cyprus is also recognized on the list, featuring Limassol, Paphos, Polis, and Larnaca.