Have you lived a stressful and hard-worked life in your country and you are planning to live a peaceful, close to nature and calm life, yet affordable to your low-income lifestyle? Today, we are going to discuss the best options available to you in Europe, which are not as stressful as cities like Paris, and not as expensive as living in NYC. The opportunities are countless but in this article, we will explore the top 3 places, based on the study of the top 30 destinations offering immigration services to retirees in 2023.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Retirement Destination
Affordable Cost of Living
Though the cost of living in overall all of Europe is quite high in comparison to most countries, and as a retiree, one would have limited resources available to live his / her life. You may be depending upon your pensions and savings, therefore, the cost of living is the most important factor to select a place for migrating after retirement.
Climate and Natural Beauty
You may not like to settle in a place with mercury staying below freezing most of the year and you are bound in indoors. Nature and a comfortable environment are one’s priority once you need to enjoy retired life.
Healthcare and Infrastructure
Despite living in a rural area, you would still be interested to avail of modern and reasonable healthcare facilities. You would also like to live in a rural or suburban place that should be connected to the rest of the world with air and railway networks, and you may enjoy off-and-on hops to explore the surroundings.
Communities and Culture
Enjoying the cultural trends of a new society and socializing with people around you is surely interesting in all ages, but one needs to like it more after retirement, once he or she has plenty of time, limited resources, and less interest in the technology-driven lifestyle.
Top 5 European Countries for Retirees
Based on the factors mentioned above and the top 30 countries offering immigration services, we collected data from The World Bank, YouGov, and Numbeo to find the top 5 European countries offering the best affordable and enjoyable life to retirees in 2023.
1. Romania
Romania is nested in the heart of eastern Europe, a country with rich history, beautiful landscapes, and a warm hospitality of culture. Romania has 46 % of its population residing in rural areas and enjoys the heritage of Roman, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian civilizations. If one is interested to enjoy the nature, culture of Romania, the rural areas in Romania are an excellent choice, which offers the most affordable cost of living. According to a rough estimate offered by Numbeo, in most of the rural areas in Romania, a family of four can afford a living from 1500 to 2000 EUR, which also includes the cost of rent for a reasonable living. The country is also served by excellent rail and road networks, and National carrier TAROM along with other airlines provides excellent air transport facilities to Romania. Living in the rural areas, well connected with the world will be a loveable experience for retired people.
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2. Hungary
Hungary is located in central Europe, a country which has a lot to offer to its visitors and residents in the form of grand architecture, beautiful towns with a blend of old-world charms, and modern delights. Hungary has an overall population density of 106 people residing per square kilometer with the country’s overall 28% of population residing in rural areas. Cost of living in Hungary is very much affordable, as a retiree, one can easily enjoy a neighborhood in rural areas as low as 1500 EUR, while the Capital Budhapest also is very much affordable to a family of four at approx 3000 EUR. Following is a comparison of Cost of living in Budhapest vs. Paris.
Hungary also has a very low unemployment % as compared to rest of the Europe, i.e. 1.74 % for people with advanced education and 3.94% with intermediate education, which makes it an excellent choice for someone, who intends to engage himself in a part time job after retirement.
3. Poland
Poland, situated at the very core of Central Europe, possesses a rich historical background and is renowned for its cultural legacy. Poland is a country housing approx 37 Million people at a population density of 123 people per square kilometer as per the latest data of The World Bank. Out of which, approx 7 Million are above 65 years living a retired life. 40% of the country’s total population is living in rural areas, which is quite a large % as far as Europe is concerned.
In Poland’s rural areas living cost for a family of four is approx 1700 EUR including the cost of rent, which is quite reasonable for a person living a retired life in Europe. Poland hosts one of the largest number of annual tourists in Europe i.e. approx 88 Million annually and is also served with modern communication infrastructure. So if you want to enjoy history and travelling in your retired life, Poland gives you an opportunity to move around with European train networks, and enjoy short trips, exploring the bits of Poland.
4. Portugal
Portugal, nestled on the southwestern edge of Europe, is a captivating country known for its stunning coastline, rich history, and warm hospitality. Portugal offers a very affordable living in its rural and urban areas in comparison to many other cities in Europe, e.g. A family of 4 can afford a very reasonable living in 2400 EUR at Lisbon. For instance, the consumer prices and cost of living in Lisbon is compared with the same at Paris below for reference.
Weather in Portugal is also quite comfortable in comparison to many countries in Europe. In Dec and Jan, average temperature in Portugal is 8o C. If you want to spend your retired life, living laong the coast, doing fishing and other beach activities, Portugal provides an excellent opportunity.
5. Austria
Austria, nestled in the heart of Europe, is a country renowned for its alpine landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and architectural splendor. If you have saved well for your retirement days, and you want to live a peaceful and rich urban life, then Austria offers a great opportunity, located in central Europe, connected with all European countries through Rail, road and Air networks. Though cost of living is a little on higher side, as compare to Poland and Hungary, a family of 4 can live comfortably in Vienna for 4000 EUR. The rural area living may cost you somewhat 3000 EUR including rent, excellent weather and great tourism attractions, makes Austria an ultimate choice for a retirement package.
41% of Austria’s population is living in rural areas, which provides excellent healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Austria is also in top few countries in Europe in healthcare, according to The World Bank data, more than 5 Physicians are available to an average population of 1000 people, which is quite high as compared to the stats of UK where only 3 physicians are available to 1000 people, which makes another vote for Austria for better retirement experience.
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Conclusion
These top five countries provide not only affordability but also a high quality of life, favorable climates, rich cultural heritage, and opportunities for exploration. Whether you seek tranquil countryside living or a vibrant city lifestyle, Europe has it all. So, embark on this exciting chapter of your life and find your perfect retirement haven in one of these remarkable European countries.
