It allows you various tax benefits but doesn t demand you become a resident. The only former Communist nation to make our top 10 is Hungary, one of the Continent s most affordable countries. Budapest is a cosmopolitan capital with great art and marvelous music. The shopping is good, and medical care is both accessible and cheap. Ireland marks the other end of the spectrum.
Properties are outrageously expensive.
But, nevertheless, this country still holds great appeal for retirees. It offers good benefits including everything from discounted transportation to free medical care. If your heritage is Irish, you may well be eligible for citizenship there, which will allow you much greater mobility within Europe. The weather isn t tropical, to be sure but, then, you won t find a properly poured Guinness in those southern climes. Choosing a retirement haven is a matter of personal taste, after all.