Where Can You Actually Retire Early? These 10 Countries Show It's Still Possible

Think 65 is the magic retirement number? Think again. While most developed nations are pushing retirement ages higher due to aging populations, some countries still let you hang it up in your late 50s.

The early exit countries:

Indonesia leads the pack at 57 for everyone—though they’re gradually raising it to 65 by 2043. Workers can take a lump sum or ongoing payments from the state system.

India stays flexible: most retire at 58-60 depending on sector. Government workers hit 60. The catch? Only about 12% of Indian workers have access to formal pension programs.

Saudi Arabia and Russia both allow men to retire at 60 (women at 55 in Russia, also 58+ in Saudi Arabia). Russia’s system is getting strained though—they’re planning to bump it to 65/60 by 2028.

China’s system splits by job type: men at 60, white-collar women at 55, blue-collar women at 50. Manual labor roles? You might retire at 45-55.

Turkey, South Africa, and Colombia cluster around 57-62 for various groups, while Austria and Costa Rica sit closer to 65.

The real talk: Most countries require 15-25+ years of contributions before you can actually collect. Early retirement looks great until you do the math on how long you need to have been paying in. Plan accordingly.