Most articles about where Americans retire abroad are built on surveys, search interest or somebody's impression. There is a better source, and it is a count rather than an estimate: the Social Security Administration knows exactly how many retired workers it pays in each country, because it sends the money.
The headcount
| Country | Retired workers collecting US benefits |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 36,095 |
| Germany | 23,679 |
| Philippines | 22,310 |
| Portugal | 12,185 |
| Colombia | 9,784 |
| Spain | 9,740 |
| Thailand | 7,680 |
| Ecuador | 2,541 |
| Brazil | 2,490 |
| Panama | 2,239 |
| Vietnam | 618 |
| Singapore | 472 |
| Malaysia | 459 |
Figures as of December 2025.
What the gaps tell you
Malaysia scores well on almost every liveability measure and has 459 American retirees. That is not necessarily a mark against it — it may simply mean few have tried. But if part of why you are moving is that you want people nearby who understand where you came from, 459 is a very thin cushion, and it is better to know that before you go.
Germany is the opposite case: a large American retirement population in a country the settling-in surveys rank 28th of 31. People clearly go. The survey suggests a fair number of them are lonely when they get there.
Read it with the money
The headcount says where people went. It does not say whether the arithmetic worked.
| Country | Retirees | $2,086 is worth |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 36,095 | $3,535 |
| Philippines | 22,310 | $5,761 |
| Portugal | 12,185 | $3,449 |
| Colombia | 9,784 | $5,511 |
| Spain | 9,740 | $3,275 |
| Thailand | 7,680 | $6,750 |
Sources
Social Security Administration, payments to beneficiaries outside the United States. World Bank price levels for the purchasing power column.