Every year, millions of people pack up their lives, sell their furniture, and trade in their routine for something they hope will feel like freedom. The number of people living outside their country of birth has steadily increased, reaching around 300 million by mid-2024, which represents about three and a half percent of the entire world’s population. That’s an enormous number of human beings chasing a dream.
A Gallup poll found that roughly one in five Americans say they would like to move abroad permanently, with one of the most common reasons being lower confidence in U.S. institutions. So the urge is real, widespread, and growing. But here’s the thing: not every destination lives up to its Instagram version. Some countries will genuinely change your life for the better. Others will quietly drain you – financially, emotionally, sometimes both. Let’s find out which is which.
🌟 Panama: The Expat World’s Reigning Champion
Let’s be real. When a country tops the same global ranking two years in a row, you start to wonder if the hype is real. It is. After taking first place in 2024, Panama was again voted the best country to live and work in abroad, with a remarkable 94 percent of expats happy with their life there, thanks to the country’s beautiful natural environment, an affordable cost of living, and the ease of settling in.
The overall cost of living in Panama for a single person is more than a third lower than in the U.S., and the country offers expats several visa options, including the Friendly Nations visa, the Pensionado program for retirees, and a Remote Worker visa. That’s not a small perk. That’s a lifestyle revolution for the right person.
Other benefits include the modern infrastructure of the capital, Panama City, the widespread availability of high-speed internet, and the use of the U.S. dollar, which makes finances far easier to manage. It sounds almost too good. Still, every place has its rough edges, and Panama is no exception. Humidity, traffic in Panama City, and a bureaucracy that moves at its own pace are all real. But based on the numbers, it’s hard to argue with the results.
🌟 Mexico: Warm Weather, Warmer People – With a Catch
Mexico is the number one expat destination for happiness, with roughly nine out of ten expats satisfied with their quality of life. That’s a staggering figure. Think about that for a moment. Nearly every expat living there is genuinely glad they made the move.
In 2024, Mexico ranked second in InterNations’ Ease of Settling In Index, with expats saying they value the way they’re accepted by locals and how quickly they feel at home in the culture. The food is extraordinary, the social scene is vibrant, and the cost of living remains one of the most accessible in the Americas.
Honestly though, it’s not all golden sunsets and tacos at midnight. Despite high satisfaction, concerns around safety and affordability keep Mexico from the very top spot, with only about two thirds of expats in Mexico reporting they feel safe, compared to the global average of roughly four in five. Know the right neighborhoods, do your homework, and Mexico can be extraordinary. Go in blind and you might find yourself in a very different situation.
🌟 Spain: A Quality of Life That Honestly Can’t Be Topped in Europe
Spain was the only European country to make it into the top 10 of the 2025 InterNations ranking, squeezing in at ninth place. That’s notable in itself. Among all those European nations with centuries of culture and infrastructure, only Spain made the cut. There’s a reason for that.
Spain ranked first for good weather, culture, and nightlife, as well as recreational sports opportunities, and the country has an affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare system. According to the World Health Organization, Spain was ranked seventh in the world for healthcare systems, out of 191 countries evaluated. That ranks higher than most people realize.
Spain consistently ranks as one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe, yet it maintains an exceptionally high quality of life. For international buyers moving from the Netherlands, the UK, or Scandinavia, the reduction in daily expenses can be significant. Cities like Valencia, Málaga, and Alicante have become beloved expat hubs. It’s hard to find a country that packs this much lifestyle value into this moderate a price tag.
🌟 Colombia: The Underdog That’s Quietly Stealing the Spotlight
A decade ago, very few expats would have listed Colombia on a serious shortlist. The narrative has changed dramatically. According to the Expat Insider 2025 survey by InterNations, Colombia now ranks second overall among the world’s best destinations for living and working abroad.
Colombia is ranked second in the personal finance category, with respondents noting the country’s low cost of living. Colombia is also highly rated for ease of settling in and local friendliness. The cities of Medellín and Bogotá in particular have become magnets for digital nomads, retirees, and professionals seeking a different pace of life.
The Latin American top three – Panama, Colombia, and Mexico – share a friendly and welcoming culture, with no shortage of social life as indicated by a stellar Ease of Settling In index, where all underlying subcategories and factors rank in the top five. Colombia still carries outdated baggage from its past in many people’s minds. In reality, many expats there describe it as one of the most genuinely warm-hearted places they’ve ever lived.
🌟 Thailand: Asia’s Enduring Expat Favorite
Thailand has been on the expat radar for years. The question is whether it still deserves to be there. The answer, according to 2025 data, is a confident yes. Thailand ranks fourth overall in the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 survey. That’s not a fluke.
Thailand is affordable and welcoming to remote workers and entrepreneurs. Food costs are a fraction of what you’d pay in Europe or North America, the healthcare system in Bangkok is internationally recognized, and the country offers a stunning variety of environments, from mountain forests in Chiang Mai to gulf islands in the south.
One thing that unites expats across the top-performing Asian countries is their satisfaction with personal finance, with all of them ranking in the top ten of the index. Thailand fits this pattern perfectly. It’s not a paradise without complexity – visa rules have tightened and costs in tourist-heavy areas have climbed. But for value, warmth, and lifestyle, Thailand remains in a class of its own in Southeast Asia.
⚠️ Kuwait: Dead Last, Again
Now for the part that stings. Kuwait is not merely struggling in the rankings. It holds the absolute bottom position. South Korea, Türkiye, and Kuwait make up the bottom three in the 2025 InterNations survey, with Kuwait sitting in last place at number 46.
Although most expats move to Kuwait for work and are employed full time, dissatisfaction with job security, work-life balance, and fair pay is widespread, while extreme heat, limited leisure and cultural options, poor air quality, and a challenging social environment further dampen the experience, leaving many expats planning an early exit.
Kuwait ranked at the bottom of the list, having been named the worst country for expats for the seventh time in a row. Expats are unhappy with several aspects, including the quality of life, the climate, and the ease of settling in, while around two thirds of respondents moved there purely for work. When nearly everyone moved somewhere only for money and still isn’t happy, that tells you something important.
⚠️ Germany: The Paperwork Nightmare With a Closed-Door Culture
Germany has a globally respected reputation. Strong economy, solid infrastructure, excellent public services. So why does it rank 42nd out of 46 countries in the 2025 InterNations survey? That gap between reputation and lived expat experience is jarring.
About two thirds of expats find it difficult to make friends in Germany, compared to roughly four in ten worldwide, reinforcing Germany’s position as one of the least welcoming countries for foreigners. The social barrier is real. Germans are famously reserved, and breaking into local social circles can take years, not months.
In the Expat Essentials Index, expats in Germany have a particularly difficult time with digital life, ranking dead last at 46th place, and administration topics at 42nd. Think endless forms, outdated bureaucratic systems, and offices that still operate on fax machines in certain cases. I know it sounds crazy, but the paperwork culture alone drives many expats to quiet frustration. Germany rewards those who stick it out, but the settling-in curve is genuinely steep.
⚠️ Norway: Beautiful Country, Brutal Loneliness
Norway has fjords. Norway has pristine nature. Norway has some of the world’s highest living standards. Norway also has a reputation among expats for being one of the hardest places on earth to actually feel at home in.
Once in Norway, fewer than half of expats feel at home, and four in ten find the locals unfriendly. The country ranks near the very bottom for cultural integration. There’s a Scandinavian social concept sometimes called the “Jante Law,” a cultural tendency not to stand out or push for closeness that makes the social environment feel like a wall of polite distance.
Around three in five expats in Norway feel the cost of living is not great, while more than a third believe their disposable household earnings do not allow them to live comfortably. Norway is also a tough place for expats to settle down and be sociable, with nearly a third of expats stating that locals are not friendly to foreigners, and only about a third feeling at home. Stunning to look at. Quietly exhausting to live in, if you’re an outsider trying to belong.
⚠️ Türkiye: The Charmer With an Unstable Foundation
Türkiye has always been seductive on paper. Istanbul is one of the most atmospheric cities on the planet. The food is exceptional. The cost of living used to be a genuine bargain. Used to be.
Expats mostly lament the economic downturn of recent years. This, combined with poor job prospects and low comparative wages, means Türkiye ranks last in the Working Abroad Index across all surveyed countries. That’s a damning verdict for any country trying to attract international talent.
Türkiye places 45th overall, with many expats unhappy and considering leaving within a year. While the climate and public transportation are highlights, language barriers significantly complicate daily life, bureaucracy, and housing, while weak job prospects, long working hours, and concerns around political stability and freedom of expression weigh heavily on quality of life. There’s genuine beauty in Türkiye, and some expats love it there. But the combination of economic instability and political uncertainty has made it a much riskier bet than it was even five years ago.
The Bigger Picture: What the Data Is Really Telling Us
The InterNations Expat Insider 2025 survey, one of the most comprehensive of its kind, surveyed more than 10,000 expats and ranked 46 destinations globally based on five key categories: working abroad, personal finance, quality of life, expat essentials, and ease of settling in. The findings consistently point to one truth: the countries that make expats happiest are not necessarily the richest or most famous.
The ranking of the best and worst places for living as an expat is predominantly based on culture of acceptance and ease of navigating the new environment, not so much with the economic power or standard of living in the countries ranked. In other words, warmth beats wealth. Belonging beats prestige.
Being homesick, difficulty finding work, and struggling with the cost of living are the top three reasons people end up moving back home after relocating abroad. None of these are surprises, exactly. Yet so many people still move without seriously accounting for all three. The lesson is simple but easy to overlook: matching your personality, budget, and social needs to the right destination matters far more than chasing a postcard.
So which category do you fall into? The adventurer who thrives in heat and chaos, or the homebody who needs community to feel sane? The answer to that question probably matters more than any ranking ever will. What do you think – does your dream destination make the list? Drop your thoughts in the comments.