The world's best countries for expats in 2026

The 2026 Expat Insider survey from InterNations has ranked 31 destinations across quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finance and practical essentials such as housing and digital services. Seven of the top 10 destinations ranked among the easiest places to settle in, while five led the world for personal finance.

Panama topped the ranking for the third year in a row, placing first in both the Working Abroad and Personal Finance indices. Eighty-seven percent of expats here report being happy with life abroad, compared with 70% globally, while 90% say housing is easy to find. He finds life in Panama more affordable than it was in Argentina, and appreciates the stable economy, which makes planning and business more predictable.

"Looking back, I was really moving towards a different way of living, one that values time over speed, experiences over possessions. Connection over constant activity." Ranking first in the Ease of Settling In index, Mexico placed second overall and remains the world's easiest country for expats to feel at home. She and her husband moved to Puerto Vallarta in 2022 and say the sense of community, along with the lower cost of living, has kept them there.

One caveat: Mexico ranked 25th of 31 for protection and security, with 68% of expats rating their personal safeness positively compared to 81% globally. Ranked third overall, Thailand is home to the world's happiest expats with 86% reporting satisfaction with life abroad.

It as well earned the survey's highest score for cost of living, with 85% ranking it positively – more than double the global average. "We fed the four of us for the equivalent of about £1 ($1.35)," told reporters Bethan Jeentipraphet, recalling her first street-food meal in Bangkok.

A British mother of two, she moved from Devon with her Thai husband in 2024, intending to stay a year. Jeentipraphet states newcomers should make an effort to understand and respect local customs, from removing shoes before entering homes to standing respectfully for the national anthem, which is played in public at 08:00 and 18:00 daily. "For expats willing to embrace Thai culture and embody the cultural norms, Thailand can be an extremely rewarding place to live." With top scores for Career Prospects and Expat Essentials (including visas and language), the UAE makes it easy for international residents to settle into life and build their careers.

"For me, Dubai offers a lifestyle that feels safer, more comfortable and more affordable." Nikita Oruganty, who moved from London to Dubai earlier this year to work in communications, states that the welcoming environment continues to make the country attractive. "There's no constant rushing, less traffic and generally less day-to-day hassles, which gives us more family time to enjoy by the pool, beach or explore the mountains here." She has in addition found the healthcare to be fast and efficient, and has made friends easily with people from around the world.

"It offers a side to the UAE that is different and relatively unknown to most," she explained. Breaking into the top five for the first time this year, Brazil scored highly for happiness, ease of settling in, local friendliness and culture, with many expats explaining it's the warmth of the people that makes them feel at home. "You could meet someone for the first time on a Thursday and be at their home having churrasco (barbecued meat) by Saturday," told reporters Clint Manning, who moved from Barbados to São Paulo to build his business.

"For someone truly interested in learning the language, it [is] a fantastic experience as you [are] forced to communicate in Portuguese out of necessity," he told reporters. "They were genuinely interested and curious in getting to know me and made me feel included from the beginning," stated Chris Kohl, who lived in São Paulo for 12 years.