Retiring Overseas from Australia: Countries, Costs and What to Plan

Research checked: 4 November 2026

At a glance

• Start with your right to stay: check the appropriate residency pathway, financial requirements and renewal conditions before committing.
• Compare the whole retirement budget: include healthcare, insurance, residency costs, trips home and exchange-rate changes alongside everyday expenses.
• Confirm your Age Pension position: payments may continue overseas, but the rate, supplements and concessions can change.
• Arrange healthcare separately: Medicare does not pay for treatment overseas. Check local eligibility and suitable insurance.
• Consider a trial before shipping a household: spending time in your intended location can help you decide where to live and what to take.

Retiring overseas gives you the opportunity to choose where you spend your time. You might want to be closer to family, return to a country you know well or try a different way of living.

The practical questions deserve attention early. Can you stay for as long as you intend? What will your retirement income cover? And will you have access to the healthcare and support you need?

Once those questions have answers, planning the household move becomes much clearer. You can decide whether to take selected belongings, move the contents of your home or keep some things in Australia while you settle in.

Where can Australians retire overseas?

Your citizenship, income, age and family circumstances affect the options available.

New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Portugal are useful destinations to investigate because they have residence or long-stay arrangements relevant to some Australian retirees. They are not a universal ranking of the best or cheapest places to retire.

The country sections below explain where to start checking these options.

New Zealand: investigate the residence arrangements first

Eligible Australian citizens and permanent residents can receive an Australian Resident Visa on arrival in New Zealand, allowing them to live, work and study indefinitely.

Conditions apply, including character requirements. Australian permanent residents normally need an NZeTA before travelling and must meet the relevant Australian residence requirements. Australian temporary residents do not qualify through this arrangement. Immigration New Zealand guidance.

This makes New Zealand worth investigating if remaining relatively close to Australia matters to you.

Work through the finances separately. Check your pension position with Services Australia and establish what healthcare you can access before building those assumptions into your budget.

Thailand: choose the correct retirement category

Thailand has retirement visa options for qualifying older applicants. Its published Non-Immigrant O-A guidance, for example, applies to applicants aged 50 or over and includes financial, health and insurance requirements. Thai Government retirement-visa guidance.

Different visa categories have different conditions. Confirm the current requirements for an application from Australia through the official Thai e-Visa service and the responsible embassy or consulate.

Before choosing a location, investigate housing, the healthcare you would use and how you would get around. If you expect to return to Australia regularly, include the complete journey and its cost.

Malaysia: distinguish living expenses from the cost of qualifying

Malaysia’s My Second Home programme has different categories with substantial financial commitments.

For example, the published federal Silver category requires a US$150,000 fixed deposit and a compulsory residential property purchase valued at RM600,000 or more. Other conditions apply, and different categories have different requirements. Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture guidance.

Those requirements need their own place in your planning. A deposit or property commitment affects how much capital remains available for living expenses and emergencies.

Confirm the exact programme and location you are considering before comparing figures from different websites. Ask how the requirements apply to your circumstances and what happens at renewal.

Indonesia and Bali: establish the residence category before arranging the move

Bali is part of Indonesia, so Indonesian immigration requirements apply.

Indonesia provides residence options for older people and retirees. Confirm the current category, permitted stay, financial evidence, sponsorship and other requirements through Indonesian immigration. Its official services distinguish retirement arrangements from permission to work. Indonesian immigration retirement information.

An entry arrangement suitable for a holiday should not be treated as a long-term retirement plan.

Investigate the particular location you intend to live in, including access to your preferred medical providers, transport and suitable accommodation. Establish the residence and household-import arrangements before sending belongings.

Portugal: check the retiree residence pathway

Portugal has a residence-visa route for qualifying retirees and people living on their own income.

The Portuguese Government directs applicants to the responsible consular post for the application process. Official Portuguese residence-visa information.

Confirm how your pension or other income will be assessed, what supporting documents are required and what follows the initial visa stage.

Compare actual accommodation in the town or neighbourhood you are considering. Put healthcare, language, transport and trips back to Australia alongside the housing budget. If you intend to divide your time between countries, ask how that fits the residence conditions.

What is the cheapest country to retire to from Australia?

A useful answer needs your circumstances and a specific location.

The lowest everyday spending does not necessarily produce the most affordable retirement. Residency commitments, healthcare, insurance and regular flights can change the calculation considerably.

For a cost-focused comparison, investigate actual locations in the countries on your shortlist. Use the same household assumptions for each one.

Build two separate budgets

Use current rental listings, insurance quotations and information from the providers you would use.

If you own a home in Australia, include its ongoing costs if you intend to retain it. If you are considering selling or renting it out, get advice before treating the proceeds or rental income as settled figures.

Allow for changes in exchange rates

If your income is paid in Australian dollars and your spending is in another currency, calculate what happens if the exchange rate becomes less favourable.

Include transfer fees and ask your adviser what financial buffer would suit your circumstances.

Keep an accessible reserve for unexpected travel, medical expenses or a return to Australia. That reserve should sit alongside the amount you expect to spend in an ordinary month.

Can you receive the Australian Age Pension overseas?

You may be able to continue receiving Age Pension overseas, but your payment depends on your circumstances.

Services Australia considers factors including the length of your absence, changes to income and assets, Australian residence history and any applicable social security agreement.

After 26 weeks overseas, the rate generally depends on your Australian residence between age 16 and Age Pension age. In most cases, 35 years or more means the rate does not reduce on that basis, while a shorter period can result in a proportional rate. This refers to qualifying residence, not simply years worked.

A permanent move can affect supplements and concessions from departure, before the 26-week point. Services Australia’s departure guidance.

Ask Services Australia to explain your expected overseas payment before relying on it in a budget. Tell them the destination, intended departure date and whether the move is temporary or permanent.

What if you retire overseas before claiming Age Pension?

Check eligibility before leaving.

On the day you claim, you generally need to be living in Australia, physically in Australia and an Australian resident. Exceptions can apply under social security agreements.

Returning to Australia to live, obtaining Age Pension and then leaving within two years can also affect whether payment continues. Age Pension residence rules.

Moving overseas before pension age and moving after a pension has been granted are different situations. Have Services Australia assess the one that applies to you.

What happens to your super and tax position?

Moving overseas does not itself give an Australian citizen or permanent resident a right to withdraw super early. The normal conditions of release still apply. GESB’s explanation of super when leaving Australia.

If you already receive super payments, discuss the proposed move with your fund and advisers. Ask about payment arrangements, account access and any insurance held through the fund.

Tax treatment also needs checking in both countries. A payment receiving favourable treatment in Australia may be treated differently where you retire. Smartraveller retirement guidance.

Leaving Australia does not automatically end Australian tax residency. The ATO considers more than your physical location, including your living arrangements and personal and financial connections. ATO explanation of tax residency.

Before making major commitments, ask appropriately qualified advisers about:

• your likely tax-residency position
• pension, super and investment income in both countries
• retaining, renting or selling Australian property
• any self-managed super fund responsibilities
• reporting obligations and relevant tax agreements.

Will Medicare cover you overseas?

Medicare does not pay for medical treatment overseas. Some countries have reciprocal healthcare arrangements with Australia that may cover certain costs, subject to eligibility and the agreement’s conditions. Australian Government Medicare guidance.

These arrangements provide access to specified care for eligible visitors. Check your position as someone intending to live in the country rather than assuming visitor arrangements will meet your long-term needs. Services Australia’s reciprocal healthcare guidance.

Research the care you would actually use

Before deciding on a location, investigate:

• a suitable GP and any specialists you need
• ongoing prescriptions and medication availability
• emergency treatment and hospital access
• transport to appointments
• rehabilitation, home support or longer-term care.

Discuss the move with your doctor. Confirm that your medications can legally be taken into the destination and how you would obtain future supplies.

Obtain insurance quotations based on your age, medical history and intended stay. Read the conditions for pre-existing illnesses, exclusions, renewals and medical evacuation. Smartraveller notes that pre-existing conditions can affect access to cover. Retirement healthcare guidance.

Also ask Services Australia about your Medicare eligibility when returning to Australia for visits or to live.

Should you try living there before moving permanently?

A trial can help you test the parts of daily life a holiday leaves unanswered.

Smartraveller suggests considering a temporary move of six to twelve months before making a longer-term commitment. The appropriate visa is still needed for the stay you propose. Australian Government retirement guidance.

Use that time to understand the location through different seasons. Arrange ordinary tasks such as shopping, medical appointments and transport, and see how easily you build a routine.

If you are initially renting furnished accommodation, a smaller shipment may suit the trial. Discuss storage in Australia and a possible later shipment before deciding to send everything.

What should you take when retiring overseas?

Once you know where you will live and what is already provided, work through the belongings.

Start with the items that matter to you and the furniture that suits the property. Check room sizes and the route through doors, stairs and lifts.

For larger pieces, compare the cost of moving them with replacement at destination. Allow for condition, personal value and how readily you could find something suitable.

Separate:

• belongings needed in the new home
• items for family or friends in Australia
• things to sell, donate or dispose of
• belongings you may store while your plans develop.

Discuss destination requirements before including a vehicle or arranging a pet’s travel. They need their own assessment alongside the household move.

How much does an overseas household move cost?

The route, volume of belongings, packing requirements, access and selected service all affect the quotation.

Prepare an inventory of what is actually going, including cartons, garage contents, outdoor furniture and stored items. If you are still deciding between taking a full household and a smaller shipment, explain that to your moving specialist.

Ask the quotation to make clear:

• what collection and packing include
• the proposed shipping and delivery arrangements
• what clearance assistance is included
• which destination charges are included or payable separately
• how inspections, storage or access difficulties would be handled
• what protection options are available.

Your permission to live in a country and the requirements for importing household goods need checking separately. Ask what documents are needed and whether the timing of your own arrival affects the shipment.

Keep medication, documents and everyday essentials with you for the period before delivery.

Plan for changing circumstances

Think about how the arrangement would work if one partner became unwell, could no longer drive or wanted to return to Australia.

Discuss where you could stay on return and how you would fund the journey and initial living costs.

Review wills, powers of attorney and other relevant documents with advisers who understand the countries involved. Overseas assets and local legal requirements may need separate attention. Smartraveller guidance on retirement and estate planning.

Give trusted family members current contact details and explain where important documents can be found. Make sure you can access banking, your super fund and relevant Australian government services from overseas.

A checklist before you commit

• Confirm the residence pathway for everyone moving.
• Build the ongoing budget and relocation budget separately.
• Have Services Australia explain your pension position.
• Obtain advice on tax, super and property decisions.
• Establish healthcare access and obtain suitable insurance quotations.
• Investigate the location through ordinary daily life.
• Decide what to move, store and leave behind.
• Confirm household-import documents and delivery arrangements.
• Review legal documents and your plan for returning to Australia.

Planning your retirement move with Palmers

Tell us where you are considering living, whether the move will begin as a trial and what you are thinking of taking.

We can help you assess the household move, including packing, shipping, delivery and storage options. If your accommodation is furnished or your plans are still developing, explain that at the beginning so we can discuss an appropriate shipment.

Your financial, healthcare and residency arrangements need their own specialist advice. Once those are taking shape, we can work through how and when to move your belongings.

Explore Palmers’ international moving services or speak with our team about your proposed destination and timing.