Sri Lanka, the most affordable, to live or retire

A.R.B.J Rajapaksha
Jan 12 2026
27

The UK-based International Living magazine has identified the five most affordable places to live or retire in 2026, with Sri Lanka coming out on top in the cost-of-living category of its 2026 Global Retirement Index revealed yesterday.

It evaluated retirement destinations across climate, healthcare, visa and lifestyle, along with costs.

Sri Lanka ranked top of the list due to affordable local transportation and easy-to-obtain retirement visas. The magazine said a couple can live extravagantly on US$ 2,200 (£1,637) a month or on US$ 1,000 (£744) with some budgeting in Sri Lanka.