If safety is your first filter, start with the U.S. State Department's travel advisories. Of the retirement destinations we cover, eight carry the lowest risk rating, Level 1 (exercise normal precautions): Portugal, Slovenia, Poland, Malta, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, and Vietnam. These ratings are from the State Department's early-2026 advisories.
Safety is only one part of the decision, though. Here's how the safest countries compare on cost, healthcare, and English, based on our country data.
The Level 1 Countries
- Portugal: about $1,835 a month, good healthcare, high English. The most popular safe choice, with an accessible D7 visa
- Slovenia: about $1,687 a month, good healthcare, high English, and far fewer crowds than Portugal
- Poland: about $1,803 a month, good healthcare, high English in Warsaw and Krakow
- Malta: about $1,980 a month, English is an official language, and the retirement programme asks for about $760 a month in income
- Japan: about $1,328 a month, excellent healthcare, but English is low and long-stay options for retirees are limited
- Malaysia: about $880 a month, excellent healthcare, and high English. The strongest all-round value on this list
- Mauritius: about $1,270 a month, high English, but healthcare is only adequate
- Vietnam: about $768 a month, but healthcare is adequate and there's no dedicated retirement visa
Safest Countries on a Budget
If you want both safety and low costs, four Level 1 countries come in under $1,400 a month for our baseline budget of rent, groceries, dining out, insurance, utilities, and transport: Vietnam ($768), Malaysia ($880), Mauritius ($1,270), and Japan ($1,328). Malaysia is the standout, with excellent private hospitals and English in daily life.
Safest Countries to Retire in Latin America
None of the Latin American countries we cover is at Level 1. Most sit at Level 2 (exercise increased caution), which describes most of Western Europe too, including Spain, France, and Italy. Within Latin America, Costa Rica and Uruguay pair a Level 2 rating with stable politics, and Panama is close behind. Colombia is at Level 3 (reconsider travel), largely because of specific regions, so research the exact city before committing.
What the Ratings Do and Don't Tell You
- Level 1 means exercise normal precautions; Level 2, exercise increased caution; Level 3, reconsider travel; Level 4, do not travel
- Ratings are for the whole country. Some, like Mexico, are also rated state by state, and risk can vary a lot between regions
- A country-level rating says little about your street. Neighborhood choice matters as much as the country
Check before you go
Advisories change. Look up the current level at travel.state.gov before you book, and ask expats who live in the neighborhood you're considering.
Ready to narrow it down? Compare countries side by side, or read what makes a country easy for Americans to retire to.
Ready for the next step?
Check out our country-specific guides to see exactly how to apply these steps in your dream destination.
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