{"id":117833,"date":"2026-10-15T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=import-25497-forget-portugal-this-south-american-coun-202610151118"},"modified":"2026-10-15T06:09:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:09:14","slug":"forget-portugal-this-south-american-country-has-been-named-the-worlds-best-place-to-retire-abroad-in-2026-25497-g01","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/forget-portugal-this-south-american-country-has-been-named-the-worlds-best-place-to-retire-abroad-in-2026-25497-g01\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget Portugal: This South American Country Has Been Named the World’s Best Place to Retire Abroad in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"iStock
iStock @Kevin Lee
Veiw of traditional stone street in the historic quarter of Colonia, Decorated with a classic car, Uruguay, UNESCO world heritage site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For years, the answer was always the same. Ask anyone dreaming of retiring abroad and they would mention Portugal: the light, the coast, the cost of living, the easy visa. In 2025, it topped the rankings. In 2026, it has slipped to fifth place, and the country that replaced it is one most Americans have never seriously considered.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Which country took the top spot?<\/b><\/h2>\n

It is Uruguay. The small South American nation of about 3.4 million people ranks first in the 2026 Global Retirement Report and Index published in October by Global Citizen Solutions, a firm specializing in residence and citizenship programs. The index compares 46 retirement and passive-income residence programs around the world, as 401(k) Specialist<\/a> reported.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ranking weighs five categories: quality of life, which counts the most, followed by travel freedom and routes to citizenship, taxation, application procedures and costs. Uruguay did not win any single category. According to Euronews<\/a>, it took first place by scoring consistently across all five, and fewer than four points separate first and tenth place. Mauritius came second, Spain third, Costa Rica fourth and Portugal fifth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why did Portugal fall?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Mostly because of one rule change. In May, Portugal doubled the residency period required for citizenship for most non-EU applicants, from five to ten years. It also ranks 41st out of 46 on taxation. It remains a strong option, with an income requirement of \u20ac920 a month, but it is no longer the obvious first choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spain, the top European country in the index, shows the same trade-off in reverse: it ranks fifth worldwide for quality of life but last of all 46 programs on taxation.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does retiring in Uruguay actually look like?<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the Global Citizen Solutions guide to living in Uruguay<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n