Is the World’s Most Delicious Country Also the Best Place For Retirees Who Are Also Foodies?

For retirees looking for a fulfilling, foodie-forward approach to their later years, there may be a unique appeal to countries celebrated for having some of the best cuisine in the world.

However, retiring abroad also means balancing a host of factors: affordability, lifestyle, community, and accessibility, among others.

Below, we consider how to strike a balance between the deliciousness of a location’s foods and other retirement needs.

What Makes a Country the ‘Most Delicious’?

Ranking countries based on the best cuisines is almost impossible, since each eater’s opinions are likely to vary based on personal and cultural background. But data can help. Taste Atlas, a food encyclopedia that compiles hundreds of thousands of ratings on dishes worldwide, releases an annual ranking of the world’s best cuisines. In 2025, Italy claimed the top spot, followed by Greece, Peru, Portugal, and Spain.

What do these top-ranked food destinations have in common? Strong culinary traditions, an emphasis on fresh and regional ingredients, and global recognition for iconic dishes. Italy, for example, earned high marks for pizza napoletana, parmigiano reggiano, and prosciutto di San Daniele, foods that have crisscrossed the globe and changed how many people eat.

Other rankings tell a similar story. U.S. News & World Report places Italy at the top, based on global surveys, while CNN Travel consistently features Italy, Greece, Thailand, and Mexico among its best cuisines.

Does Amazing Food Equate to a Great Retirement Destination?

Food-loving retirees seek not only delicious, high-quality meals, but also several related goals. These often include daily access to affordable food through vibrant markets and fresh local produce, a social food culture, and walkable communities that support an overall healthy lifestyle.

Of course, food isn’t everything, even for gourmands. It’s important to look more broadly at potential retirement destinations for qualities such as affordability, health care access, and residency requirements to find the best places to retire.

Key Retirement Factors To Consider

Italy has long been ranked as a top food destination. But how does the country rate for other retirement factors?

• Affordability: The cost of living varies widely in Italy. Housing may be as low as $500 per month for a furnished apartment in Sicily, for example, but can be much more costly elsewhere. While costs are higher in touristy areas, overall, the cost of living in Italy is typically 30% to 70% lower than that of the U.S.
• Healthcare quality: Italy’s healthcare is generally ranked lower than that of much of the rest of Europe, largely due to its outdated hospital infrastructure, which—although affordable—can make accessibility difficult.
• Climate: Italy is renowned for its Mediterranean climate, but retirees should note that temperatures vary significantly, from the mountainous regions in the north to the hot and dry coastal areas in the south.
• Safety and stability: Crime in Italy encompasses both petty incidents targeting foreigners and more serious concerns. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Italy, advising travelers to exercise increased caution while in the country.
• Residency/visa rules: Retirees looking to move to Italy should apply for an Elective Residency visa, which requires “high self-sustaining incomes and financial assets” to meet its qualifications.
• Community: Given its popularity as a tourist destination, it may come as a surprise to retirees that Italy is not among the top 10 nations for expats overall. In fact, only 51,000 total U.S. expatriates are living in Italy, representing 1.6% of all U.S. expatriates as of 2024.

When the Best Foodie Countries Are a Good Retiree Fit

Nonetheless, the best food nations have the potential to be great spots for retirees, if they can offer some or all of the following:

• An affordable cost of living
• Rich cultural immersion
• Active outdoor and market culture
• Strong emphasis on fresh, healthy eating
• Access to recreational activities

Potential Drawbacks for Retirees

There are drawbacks to consider when looking to retire in a foodie hotspot. The cost of living in big cities, which are most famous for their food—destinations like Rome, Tokyo, and Paris—is often significantly higher than in more rural parts of the country. Language barriers may be significant depending on your choice of foodie destination.

Region-specific challenges may include extreme climates, urban congestion, or political instability. Regardless of the country you choose, residency restrictions or complex, bureaucratic legal processes can make moving to your retirement destination costly and time-consuming.