One number decides where you live
You worked for decades. Now one line on a pension letter decides where you wake up. The sea in Portugal? The mountains of Ecuador? A quiet town in Thailand? This finder checks 12 visas against their official rules in one minute.
The good news: most retirement visas do not ask for a fortune. They ask one question. Can you pay your own way without working here? Prove a stable income or enough savings, and the door is often open.
How retirement visas work
Each country sets a money bar: a monthly income, a lump sum in a local bank, or either. Pensioner visas in Panama, Costa Rica and Ecuador want a pension paid for life, so rent and dividends do not count. Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy accept other passive income too, but never wages from a local job.
The bars we use, checked against official pages in October 2026:
- Portugal D7: €920 a month, +€460 for a spouse
- Spain non-lucrative: €2,400 a month, +€600 per dependant, or €28,800 saved
- Greece FIP: €3,500 a month after tax, +20% for a spouse
- Italy elective residence: around €31,000 a year per person (New York consulate)
- Panama Pensionado: $1,000 lifetime pension, +$250 per dependant
- Costa Rica: $1,000 pension, or $2,500 other stable income
- Ecuador jubilado: pension of 3 basic salaries: $1,446 in 2026
- Mexico temporary residence: $4,630 a month or $78,025 average balance (Las Vegas consulate)
- Thailand O-A: age 50+, 65,000 baht a month or 800,000 baht in the bank
- Philippines SRRV Classic: age 40+, deposit from $15,000 to $50,000
- Malaysia MM2H Silver: $150,000 deposit plus a home of RM600,000 or more
Two bars change every year. Portugal ties the D7 to its minimum wage, which rose from €870 to €920 in January 2026. Ecuador ties its bar to the basic salary: $482 a month in 2026.
What your result means
Meets means you pass the money rule. It does not mean you get the visa. You still need a clean police record, health insurance and often a place to live. Visas are ranked by your room above the bar, so the first one is the safest.
Close means you are within 20% of the bar. Did you forget any income? A small private pension or a partner's pension often makes the difference.
Mistakes to avoid
- Planning on the minimum. The bar lets you in. It is not a comfortable budget. See real costs in our guide to retiring in Portugal on the D7.
- Forgetting the exchange rate. Paid in dollars? A euro bar can move against you. Keep a buffer.
- Ignoring tax. Living abroad most of the year usually makes you tax resident there. See countries that do not tax foreign pensions.
- Using an old figure. Greece raised its bar from €2,000 to €3,500 a month in 2024. Our Greece FIP guide has the new rules.
Compare in depth: the Spain non-lucrative visa, the Panama Pensionado visa and the best countries to retire abroad.
What we simplified
Mexico and Italy let each consulate set its own amount. We use the Las Vegas and New York figures. Thailand's bar is per person, so a partner under 50 needs a different visa. For Malaysia, we add the deposit and the minimum home price. We leave out property routes, investor visas and children.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest retirement visa in this finder?
By income, Portugal's D7 has the lowest bar for one person: €920 a month in 2026, about $1,031. Panama and Costa Rica ask for a $1,000 lifetime pension. The Philippines SRRV asks for a bank deposit instead, from $15,000 if you are 50 or older and get a pension of at least $800 a month.
Does Social Security count as a pension?
Usually, yes. A state pension paid for life, such as US Social Security, is the kind of income pensioner visas look for. Ask the consulate which letter proves it. Savings that you draw down do not count as a lifetime pension.
Can my partner and I combine our income?
Often, yes, but the bar goes up for two. Portugal adds 50% for a spouse, Greece adds 20%, and Spain adds €600 a month. Panama lets a married couple combine two pensions. Costa Rica's Rentista amount of $2,500 already covers a spouse and children.
Can I use savings instead of a monthly income?
On some visas. Spain accepts savings that cover the first year. Mexico accepts a 12-month average balance. Thailand accepts 800,000 baht in a Thai bank. Malaysia and the Philippines are built on deposits. Portugal, Greece and the pensioner visas look at monthly income.
Why does the finder ask for US dollars?
To keep it simple. We convert euro, baht and ringgit bars at fixed European Central Bank rates from 9 October 2026, where €1 was $1.1206. Rates move every day, so a result close to the line can change.
Estimate only, not legal advice. The consulate or immigration office decides every application, and rules can change after October 2026. Check the official page for your visa before you apply.
