Israel Earns Second Place Among World's Best Retirement Destinations

Amid ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and rising tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel has been ranked as the second-best country in the world for retirement. This ranking comes from ConfidenceClub's “Aging Gracefully Index,” which evaluated 39 countries to determine the best retirement destinations.

ConfidenceClub, a UK-based company dedicated to assisting retirees, used data from sources like the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation and Numbeo’s cost of living database to compile the index. Israel scored 85, just behind Iceland’s top score of 87. Other top-ranking countries included Finland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

South Africa came in last with a score of 43, followed by Greece, Latvia, Slovakia, and Italy. The study used various data-driven variables to assign scores, including elder emigration, quality of healthcare, life expectancy, safety, and life satisfaction.

Remarkably, the survey conducted after Hamas’ October 7 attacks on southern Israel ranked Israel among the safest countries for retirees. Israel's safety score matched those of Denmark and Switzerland. According to the study, “safety isn’t just about low crime rates, it’s about creating an environment where seniors can enjoy their golden years with peace of mind.”

The index also highlighted Israel's high score in the “Elder Balance” variable, indicating strong support for the aging population from the working-age population. This contrasts with countries like Japan, which struggle with a high aging population and a smaller working-age demographic.

Israel ranked highly for retiree life satisfaction, reflecting contentment with factors such as economic stability, social connections, and personal fulfillment. This aligns with Israel's consistent high ranking in the United Nations’ World Happiness Report, where it placed fifth among the world's happiest countries in March, just behind Finland.

The Aging Gracefully Index also assessed the best cities for retirement, using the same criteria. Tel Aviv ranked third, following Reykjavik and The Hague, which took the first and second spots, respectively.

These findings underscore Israel's appeal as a retirement destination, offering a high quality of life, robust healthcare, and a supportive environment for its aging population, even amidst regional challenges.

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