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ThonRetire

Head to head · verified July 2026

Greece vs Philippines

Philippines scores 10 points higher on our balanced view — but that gap is small enough that your own priorities can flip it. The breakdowns below show exactly where each one earns and loses.

Everyday street scene in Greece

GreeceGreece

Mediterranean

77/100

Greece's 7% flat tax is the broadest deal in Europe — it covers all foreign income, not just pensions, for fifteen years. The entry bar is the highest of the Mediterranean set (€3,500/mo or €126k banked) and you must actually live there — 183 days — to keep it. Elderly-care units license under Ν. 2345/1995 — silence can approve; no public list of licensed units was opened. Cheaper than Spain or Italy, with freehold property open to foreigners.

Full Greece guide
Everyday street scene in Philippines

PhilippinesPhilippines

Southeast Asia

87/100

The SRRV is still the bluntest instrument in retirement migration: deposit $15k (50+, with pension), get a permanent visa on day one, and pay zero Philippine tax on foreign income. English is everywhere and the cost of living is among the lowest on this list. The trade: health insurance past 65 runs thin, serious care means Manila or Cebu, and DSWD licenses social-welfare agencies without publishing a searchable national elderly-care register. Plan for the care gap the same way you plan for the hospital gap.

Full Philippines guide

Side by side

Greece compared with Philippines
CriterionGreecePhilippines
Visa & Residency
Retirement visaFIP VisaSRRV Classic
Minimum ageNone (18+)40 (since 2025; 50+ pays less)
Min income / assets€3,500/mo or €126k$15k dep. (50+, pension)
Visa processing time~10d visa; permit 2–4 mo~30–45 working days (PRA)
Path to permanent residency5 yrsPermanent
Path to citizenship7 yrs + Greek language exam10 yrs; must renounce AU — impractical
Tax
Tax-residency threshold183 days or vital interestsIrrelevant — source-based system
Tax on foreign pension7%0%
Capital gains tax7% under regime; else 15%0% on foreign assets
Inheritance / estate tax1–10% (low for close kin)Estate tax 6%
Annual property taxENFIA — few hundred €/yrRPT ≈0.2–0.5% of market value
Finance & Property
Foreign property ownershipYesCondo only (no land)
Deposit / bond required€3,500/mo income or €126k deposit$15k (50+, pension ≥$800/mo) or $30k without
Forced-heirship rulesForced heirship; will can elect AU lawAU law governs your succession; estate tax 6%
Cost to establish residency~€2–4k (€1k permit + legal)~$2.5–4k + deposit
Living
Cost of living22001500
Healthcare quality7.96.8
Safety7.86
Logistics
Flight time from Australia258
Health insurance requiredYesYes — health policy required for SRRV
Visa renewal ease3-yr permit; needs 183 d/yr stayNone — annual $360 PRA fee; 2-yr ID cycle
Provision for dependentsYes — +20% spouse incomeSpouse + 2 deps in annual fee; $300 each

Showing the open fields. 17 more criteria — tax-residency day counts, capital gains, forced heirship, setup costs and processing times — need a free Thon account. Sign in to see the full table.

Why Greece scores 77

77/100

Why this number

Every point is accounted for. Nothing is hidden in a weighting you cannot see.

  1. Base country quality81Greece scores 81/100 before anything about you is applied — visa system, tax regime, healthcare, safety and property rights.
  2. Australian passport-4Worse than average for Australian retirees: No AU treaty; long flight
  3. Best fit for you77A decision aid, not a prediction. Two people with the same passport can rank these differently — that is the point of showing the working.
  • No double-tax treaty — Greece has no tax treaty in force with Australia — the same income can be taxed twice unless you structure around it.

Why Philippines scores 87

87/100

Why this number

Every point is accounted for. Nothing is hidden in a weighting you cannot see.

  1. Base country quality83Philippines scores 83/100 before anything about you is applied — visa system, tax regime, healthcare, safety and property rights.
  2. Australian passport+4Better than average for Australian retirees: ~8h, English, cheap, permanent-style SRRV
  3. Best fit for you87A decision aid, not a prediction. Two people with the same passport can rank these differently — that is the point of showing the working.