Best Countries for Seniors & End-of-Life Care
November 11, 2023 · Updated November 12, 2025 · 8 min read
In the U.S., the end-of-life system is designed to bankrupt you and your family while providing dismal care. If someone is living on a limited income but would like to live in a country that provides affordable senior care with dignity, where can they go?
Duke University created a study on end-of-life care and published an article called “Where is the Best Place to Die?” Their results ranked the U.S. 43rd of the 81 countries considered, based on criteria they developed with 1200 experts and 181 palliative care experts. These were the 10 best countries for seniors:
1) United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom offers universal healthcare and comprehensive end-of-life care. Since Brexit, you can only retire there if you have about $5 million to invest or worked in the UK already.
2) Ireland
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Ireland ranks highly among the best countries for seniors. It shows up again later in this list for offering end of life care and offering retirement visas for Americans.
3) Taiwan
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Taiwan is considered a top-notch geriatric care destination. Taiwan’s retirement communities and nursing homes offer an inviting place for senior citizens to spend their golden years.
Away from the capital, Taichung is about an hour from Taipei by high-speed rail, and southern Kaohsiung stays warm through the winter.
4) Australia
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Australia provides institutional long-term care for almost 20% of the population aged 80 years and older, and 6% of those aged 65 years and older. It’s difficult to emigrate here, particularly for seniors, without getting a costly investor visa.
5) South Korea
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South Korea believes in treating its senior residents with dignity, which is reflected in its nursing homes by providing a range of care options. Unlike the U.S.’ six-figure costs for retirement facilities, South Korea’s care homes will cost you about $800 – $1,100 per month. There’s even long-term care insurance that covers 80 – 100% of the costs, depending on beneficiaries’ economic status.
Life moves at an easier pace in seaside Busan than in Seoul, and quiet Jeonju is easy on the budget by Korean standards.
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6) Costa Rica
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Like South Korea, Costa Ricans often hold great respect for seniors, caring for their elderly at home instead of facilities. Senior care facilities do exist here, serving a number of English-speaking expats. Monthly costs for these facilities range from $1,000 – $5,000, providing varying levels of independence for their residents.
The country’s best private hospitals are in and around San José, and many of them sit in the suburb of Escazú.
7) North Macedonia
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North Macedonia has been developing over the last several years into a quaint destination for senior expats seeking quality healthcare. Average costs for a senior living facility in this Balkan country runs about $500 if paid out of pocket.
The capital, Skopje, is an easy first move, and in lakeside Ohrid the old town’s boardwalk is made for evening strolls. The visa D follows once the government approves your temporary residence.
8) Panama
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Panama offers high-quality healthcare for all, earning its place among the best countries for seniors. The Johns Hopkins facility in capital Panama City provides the cornerstone of this health system, while elder care stays affordable for at-home and live-in facilities. Trained helpers and nurses working 8-hour shifts can be hired for in-home care, costing about $50-$80 per shift.
Outside the capital, Boquete has spring-like highland weather with hospitals close by in David, and the mountain town of El Valle de Antón stays cool at night.
9) Hong Kong
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Hong Kong offers deep discounts for mobile seniors; metro stations offer a special card granting $.25 rides on public transportation, while most buses employ wheelchair access. Their elder care system emphasizes at-home services and is subject to a higher-than-US-average cost of living.
10) Lithuania
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Lithuania provides a range of senior care options, from in-home nursing to palliative care. Their healthcare system requires a doctor’s referral to access long-term care facilities, so establishing residency first would be a priority in this country.
Vilnius has the country’s only real expat scene, while Kaunas feels calmer and cheaper.
End of Life Care on a Budget
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However, the follower wants places where Americans with limited income can move to, and about half of the top 10 would be impossible. So here are the top 10 countries for end of life care who offer retirement visas along with the amount of verifiable annual income you need, usually through pension, retirement funds, or social security:
1) Ireland: $50,000
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Ireland will grant you a retirement visa, provided you can show about $4,000 per month in income. This includes social security, pension, annuities, and other investments.
That visa is Stamp 0, Ireland’s route for retirees of independent means. Kilkenny is small enough to walk end to end, and Waterford moves at a slower pace than Cork.
2) Costa Rica $12,000
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Costa Rica’s retirement visa expects seniors to show $1,000 per month in retirement income. Most retirees’ social security deposits will cover this amount. The Caja, Costa Rica’s universal healthcare scheme, covers all of your medical expenses for 7-11% of your retirement income.
The Pensionado has no minimum age, and after three years of temporary residency you can become a permanent resident.
3) Panama $12,000
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Panama’s pensionado visa requires you to show at least $1,000 per month in retirement income. Along with its world-class healthcare system in Panama City, retirees also enjoy significant discounts across the country, thanks to their retirement visa. Panama even uses the US dollar for its currency.
Despite the name, the pensionado doesn’t require you to be retired, only that your income lasts a lifetime.
4) Switzerland $42-48,000
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You may apply for a residence permit in Switzerland if you’re over 55 and not working. You must provide evidence of financial independence (about $4,000 per month), along with accident and health insurance. You can apply for the Swiss public health system once you’re a resident.
5) Poland ~$18,000
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Poland’s retirement visa requires you to show $1,500 per month in retirement income, which can be social security, investments, and other sources. One of the best palliative care providers in eastern Europe, Poland specializes in home care for those in need.
Of the bigger cities, Wrocław feels more relaxed than Warsaw, and Gdańsk has beaches a short train ride away.
6) Germany ~$30,000
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Germany strongly believes in healthcare for the good of the patient, not corporate profits. Health coverage and overall cost of living won’t break the bank like it does in the U.S. Germany offers free outpatient palliative care to its residents.
7) Sri Lanka $18,000
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Sri Lanka’s Independent Means visa allows retirees to establish residency in the country for about $1,500 per month. It also offers a 5-year path to citizenship, though most expats find residency to be a sufficient status when living abroad.
8) Sweden $12,000
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You’ll need a Schengen visa to retire to Sweden. It claims to have some of the healthiest seniors in the world, investing heavily in its universal healthcare system. Expats seeking end-of-life care can get their healthcare card after getting a personal ID number at their local Swedish tax office.
9) France $18,000
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France will grant a long-stay visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur) if you can show at least $1,500 per month in passive income from social security and other retirement funds. Aside from its quality healthcare system, France authorized the right to continuous deep sedation (CDS) for terminally ill patients in 2016.
Our France long-stay visa page covers the details. Many have long settled in Nice, where the winters stay mild.
10) Spain $29,000
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To get a non-lucrative visa in Spain, you’ll need to demonstrate income of about $29,000 per year, or 400% of Spain’s Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator (IPREM). You’ll be able to purchase private health insurance for your health needs, which should cost under $200 per month. Aside from being a beautiful country with lower cost of living, Spain’s palliative care services have exploded since 2006, giving dignity to the dying without robbing them blind.
The non-lucrative visa is issued a year at a time and renewable. To make that income go further, look at Murcia, with some of Spain’s lowest rents, or Seville, affordable if you can take the summer heat.
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While US citizens have traditionally lagged behind other countries in moving abroad, the trend seems to be shifting. As they reach retirement age, Americans seek to stretch their monthly pension and social security. They want to find affordable countries with high quality medical care that won’t bankrupt them. Retirees want to embrace local culture or find retirement destinations that aren’t so politically divided.
➤ Best Places to Retire in the World: 15 Countries for American Retirees
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For those looking to make Panama their new permanent home, the government offers a huge variety of Panama residency visas. I would venture to say it’s almost TOO many, but I guess it’s always good to have options. Applying for residency in Panama isn’t a DIY process — you must use Panamanian immigration attorneys to apply. Because the process isn’t public, and because there are so many available options, staying up-to-date on the exact requirements of each visa is challenging.
Use the guide below as a starting point to see which Panama residency visas might appeal to you.
Note: for work visas and business visas, some professions and retail businesses are reserved for Panamanian citizens only.
➤ 9 Best Panama Residency Visas for Expats, Including a Retiree Favorite
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