Expats living in different countries around the world find some countries make it easy to settle in and make friends, but in other places, affordability and personal safety are big concerns.
Expats living in different countries around the world find some countries make it easy to settle in and make friends, but in other places, affordability and personal safety are big concerns.
The United States is home to the highest number of immigrants in the world — 50.6 million, about 15% of the population — followed by Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia and the U.K., according to the U.N.
Career prospects in the U.S. could be the reason: a survey of expats around the world by Internations, a global networking and information site for people who live and work abroad, found the U.S. ranks No. 1 in this category.
But for quality of life for immigrants, the U.S. ranks 36th of 52 countries, and in the bottom three for health and wellbeing.
The ranking is the result of Internations’ survey of 11,970 respondents representing 177 nationalities and living in 181 countries.
Expats were asked to rate 56 different factors in the areas of:
Personal financeQuality of life, which includes travel/transit, environment/climate, leisure options, health and well-being, and safety/securityEase of settling in, which rates local friendliness, finding friends, and culture/welcomeWorking abroad includes career prospects in the country, salary/job security, work/leisure balance, and work culture and satisfaction.Expat essentials addresses other issues that expats face when arriving in a new country, such as internet access, housing, language barriers and administration.Scroll to Continue
Only countries with 50 or more participants are included in the ranking—there were 52 that met this requirement.
Spain, Taiwan and Austria top the list for quality of life. As for making friends, Mexico is No. 1, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines. In personal finance, eight of the top 10 destinations are in Asia, with Vietnam ranking No. 1.
Most of the expats surveyed (80%) had no children. About 18% were age 61 and older, the largest age group. About a third made the move for work, 22% for love and family, 10% for education, and others made the move for lifestyle reasons: 7% for a better quality of life, and 3% to retire abroad.
Some of the most common countries people moved to were Germany, the UAE, Spain, the U.S. and the U.K.
The survey found that Americans were the largest group of nationalities to move abroad, followed by British, Indian, German and Italian. Estimates in 2015 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office say about 8.7 million Americans live elsewhere, with the majority in the Western hemisphere, especially in Mexico and Canada, about 2 million in Europe and Eurasia, and about 1.1 million in East Asia and the Pacific.
Based on the Internations survey of nearly 12,000 expats in 52 countries, these are the best and worst countries for to live abroad:
The Best Countries for Expats1. MexicoSettling in is easy in Mexico and expats here are happy with their personal finances. Mexico tops the list for local friendliness, finding friends, and culture. Expats find the local residents friendly and love the culinary variety and dining options in Mexico, as well as the the natural environment, but are unhappy with the local air quality.
The Best Countries for Expats2. IndonesiaMost of all, expats here find it easy to settle in. Similar to Mexico, 73% of expats in Indonesia view the cost of living positively, compared to 45% worldwide. Housing and language barriers are not an issue, and job satisfaction is high. On the downside, Indonesia lags behind in the quality of life category, ranking 41 out of 52.
The Best Countries for Expats3. TaiwanTaiwan is the best-rated destination for personal safety worldwide in the survey, and it also lands in first place for health and wellbeing. It ranks eighth for personal finance and and sixth for ease of settling in. Expats in Taiwan are happy enough: 84% describe the population as generally friendly while 70% are satisfied with their financial situation.
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4. PortugalExpats enjoy the high quality of life in Portugal, find it easy to settle in, and are happy with their personal finances. Some 93% of expats find it easy and safe to get around on foot and/or by bicycle, and 82% feel that they can openly express themselves and their opinions (vs. 64% globally). When asked what they like most about life in Portugal, an expat from India said: “The good environment and peaceful life.”
The Best Countries for Expats5. SpainSpain tops the list for quality of life. Expats love the variety of culinary and dining options, the opportunities for recreational sports, and the culture and nightlife in Spain. The affordability of its healthcare system is a highlight, and the cost of living is very reasonable.
The Best Countries for Expats6. United Arab EmiratesIn the United Arab Emirates, expats love the quality of living and their working life, but struggle with their finances—only 55% feel that they are paid fairly for their work, even though they find the working conditions to be excellent. The climate and weather and the air quality also get mediocre ratings, but expats love their ability to get around easily, high-speed internet access, personal safety and leisure options.
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7. VietnamHere, expats like the affordability: “I live comfortably on my limited income,” said an American expat. The people are friendly, but some expats found issues with noise pollution, air quality and the healthcare system. Many find it very easy to get settled in but some struggle with the local language and the environment.
The Best Countries for Expats8. ThailandThailand is an affordable, friendly destination for expats, with plenty of leisure options. Some 70% are happy with their financial situation overall, and housing is no trouble either. For workers, however, career prospects are low and nearly two in five are unhappy with the local job market.
The Best Countries for Expats9. AustraliaAustralia, on the other hand, ranks second worldwide for working abroad. Expats love the environment, business culture, and employment prospects here. Housing can be pricey, and while 44% of expats unhappy with the general cost of living, 71% feel that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to lead a comfortable life, about the same as the global average.
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10. SingaporeSingapore affords a modern, digital life for expats, who also love the transit options and career opportunities. Most found no language barrier, and while nearly all find Singapore safe, only 40% feel that that they can openly express themselves and their opinions.
The Best Countries for Expats11. EstoniaExpats love the business culture and transportation options in Estonia although they struggle to connect with the local residents. About one in four expats in Estonia perceive the people as unfriendly towards foreign residents, but as one British expat explains: “Estonia’s people are introverted, but not hostile.”
The Best Countries for Expats12. OmanOman seems to welcome expats with open arms. It’s easy to settle in, and housing is affordable and easy to find. However, many expats here are unhappy with the job market, and 26% say they are not paid fairly for their work.
The Best Countries for Expats13. KenyaHousing and language are not an issue for expats in Kenya, but safety and security is, somewhat. Kenya ranks in the top 10 for ease of settling in and finding friends.
The Best Countries for Expats14. United StatesRanking 14th out of 52 countries overall, the U.S. offers expats a great working life, with promising career options and good pay, but healthcare is a major hurdle. The U.S. ranks in the bottom 10 for affordability, availability of public transportation and safety and security. “What bothers me most is safety — safety is not guaranteed, which is scary. You have to stay alert at all times,” an expat from Nigeria said.
The Best Countries for Expats15. BahrainExpats find it easy to connect with others in Bahrain. It’s easy to deal with administrative tasks here, easy to find housing and to make friends. However, many struggle with their finances, and expats rank the country in the bottom 5 for the natural environment (aspects such as nature, scenery, and wildlife).
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The Worst Countries for Expats52. KuwaitKuwait ranks last among all 52 countries in the survey. It also ranks among the bottom 10 in every single index, featuring among the three worst-rated destinations for quality of life, ease of settling in, and working abroad. Expats feel mostly safe in Kuwait, but there’s a “poor infrastructure” and the country is “not eco-friendly”, according to a British expat. “The locals here aren’t as friendly as in other Middle Eastern countries,” said another expat from the U.K.
51. New ZealandIt may seem surprising that New Zealand ranks second-to-worst, but it’s the worst-rated country in the InterNations personal finance index: 49% of respondents claim their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life, compared with 28% globally. While expats here love the natural environment and the opportunities for recreational sports, they also cite high transportation costs and a lack of culture and nightlife.
50. Hong KongHong Kong doesn’t rank well for personal finance either, and quality of life is also badly affected by low rankings for environment/climate and safety/security. Political stability is a major issue for expats in Hong Kong.
49. CyprusCyprus ranks near the bottom for personal finance, career prospects, work and leisure, salary and job security and work culture.
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48. LuxembourgWhile Luxembourg ranks in the top 10 for safety/security and travel/transit, it’s near the bottom for leisure options, finding friends, and personal finance. The cost of living is a major concern among expats in Luxembourg.
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47. JapanSlightly better than Luxembourg, Japan ranks in the top 10 for health and wellbeing, but in the bottom 10 for work satisfaction, finding friends and ease of settling in.
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46. South AfricaSafety and security are the main concerns in South Africa, and expats are generally unhappy with the quality of life, but it scores big for its weather and climate and fantastic natural environment. “Great climate, great natural environment, and very good food,” said one Italian expat living here.
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45. TurkeyTurkey ranks in the middle for most of the categories, except working abroad, salary/job security and work/leisure, where it’s last in all three.
44. ItalyItaly is one of the most common countries of residents for expats in the InterNations survey. It ranks in the middle range for most of the categories, but in the bottom five for career prospects. Some 29% of expats in Italy said they are not paid fairly for their work.
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43. MaltaTravel and transit is an issue for expats in Malta, and it ranks near the bottom for environment/climate. It’s in the middle range in most of the other categories, but when it comes to administrative issues, such as the ease of getting a visa, dealing with local bureaucracy, and opening a local bank account, Malta comes in dead last of all 52 countries.
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42. GermanyGermany is the No. 1 most common country of residence in the Expat Insider 2022 survey, with more than 900 expats responding. Germany ranks No. 15 for quality of life, in the top 10 for safety and in the top 20, health & well-being and environment/climate. But expats here are unhappy with the ease of getting high-speed internet access at home, and housing is hard to find and afford. “It may take up to three months to find even a temporary accommodation,” says an expat from Poland.
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41. GreeceGreece ranks one spot better than Germany. For 35% of the expats in Greece, moving to the country has not improved their career prospects. Greece ranks No. 34 for quality of life, and in the top 20 for settling in, culture & welcome, friendliness and finding friends. Digital life, administrative issues, and language barriers are challenging in Greece.
40. South KoreaSouth Korea’s strong point is quality of life, where it ranks in the top 10, and ranks No. 2 for health and wellbeing. Expats here were less impressed with their ease of settling in.
39. SwedenSweden ranks eighth for working abroad, with great marks for work/life balance, and salary/job security. It’s No. 20 for quality of life, especially good for safety and environment, but not so great for leisure options. Sweden ranks only second to last for ease of settling in and finding friends.
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38. IrelandIn Ireland, expats enjoy their working life, but struggle with healthcare, housing, and their personal finances. “The cost of living is outrageous. It is impossible to find decent accommodation at affordable prices,” said an Italian expat.
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37. United KingdomExpats find it rewarding to work in the U.K., but find the cost of living to be too steep. Close to three in 10 respondents describe housing as completely unaffordable. The climate is somewhat of an issue. “The weather is difficult, and during the winter the lack of daylight can be depressing,” a Chinese expat said.
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36. IndiaRanking slightly better than the U.K., India is second to last for quality of life, travel/transit and environment/climate. India ranks in the middle range for ease of settling in and working. India ranks high (6th) for personal finance.
35. EgyptIt’s easy enough to settle in in Egypt, the country ranks in the top 20 for finding friends, and it’s No. 17 for personal finance. Housing is not an issue, but environment/climate is— it’s in the bottom five— and Egypt ranks No. 42 for safety/security and in the bottom five for quality of life in general.
Read more about this ranking at Internations.