11/01/2026
International Living magazine has identified the five most affordable places to live or retire in 2026, which scored the highest in the cost-of-living category of its 2026 Global Retirement Index.
It evaluated retirement destinations across climate, healthcare, visa and lifestyle, along with cost.
Sri Lanka ranked top of the list due to affordable local transportation and easy-to-obtain retirement visas. A couple can live extravagantly on $2,200 (£1,637) a month, or on $1,000 (£744) with some budgeting.
In second place is Vietnam, with the average cost of living in Hanoi sitting at under $1,800 (£1,339) per month. Rent is low and healthcare is affordable.
Thailand was ranked third, because a couple can live comfortably for around $2,000 (£1,488) a month in cities such as Chiang Mai or coastal towns such as Hua Hin. These both have affordable housing, and accessible services and transportation.
