There’s a difference between a country that looks good on a spreadsheet and one where people actually build a life they don’t want to leave. Every year, surveys ask thousands of expats not just whether they moved, but whether they’re glad they did. The answers, gathered from tens of thousands of real relocations, tend to surprise people who assumed the usual suspects would win.
What follows isn’t a guess about where life abroad might be nice. It’s a look at the places where expats, in their own words and through hard survey data, keep saying they’ve found something worth staying for.
1. Panama: the quiet frontrunner
Panama has held onto the top spot in the InterNations Expat Insider survey for three years running, and it didn’t get there by accident. The country tops the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 ranking of 31 destinations, leading on working abroad and personal finance.[1] That combination of financial breathing room and career options is rare among small nations, and it shows in how people talk about staying long term.
The numbers back up the sentiment. Thirty four percent of the expats surveyed said they plan to stay forever, compared to 27 percent who say that globally.[2] That’s not a country people pass through. It’s one they settle into.
2. Mexico: friendship comes easy
Mexico’s appeal isn’t really about infrastructure or salaries. It’s about how quickly strangers become friends. Expats love Mexico, which has ranked among the top five best places to live abroad since the InterNations survey was first launched in 2014.[2] That kind of consistency over more than a decade says something about the underlying culture, not just a lucky year.
Cities like Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta draw a steady stream of remote workers and retirees who want warmth, both literal and social. The cost of living helps too, letting a modest income stretch much further than it would back home. For many, the hardest part of moving to Mexico is figuring out why they didn’t do it sooner.
3. Thailand: happiness as a habit
Ask expats around the world where they’re happiest, and Thailand keeps coming up. Thailand ranks third as the home of the survey’s happiest expats.[3] That’s not a small claim in a survey covering 31 countries and thousands of respondents.
Bangkok offers the energy of a major Asian capital, while islands like Koh Samui and cities like Chiang Mai offer something slower. The country’s long relationship with foreign residents, from retirees to digital nomads, means the systems for visas, healthcare, and housing are relatively well worn in. It’s a place that has learned how to welcome outsiders without losing its own character.
4. United Arab Emirates: career first, everything else follows
The UAE has built its expat reputation on opportunity rather than nostalgia. Thailand ranks third, followed by the UAE in fourth place[4] in the 2026 Expat Insider rankings, a position it has held for several consecutive years now. Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain magnets for professionals in finance, tech, and hospitality who want tax advantages and modern infrastructure in the same package.
What keeps people there long term is less about romance and more about practicality. Salaries are often higher than equivalent roles elsewhere, and the logistics of daily life, from banking to schooling, tend to run smoothly once the initial paperwork is done. It’s not a soft landing for everyone, but for career-focused expats, the trade-offs make sense.
5. Brazil: warmth with a learning curve
Brazil’s rise in recent expat rankings has been sharp. Brazil jumped from 15th place in 2025 to its 5th spot in 2026, thanks to ease of settling in, including finding housing, solid job satisfaction, excellent leisure options, and the friendliness of locals toward foreign residents.[2] That’s a significant climb in a single year, and it reflects a country that’s becoming more comfortable hosting long-term foreign residents.
Cities like Florianópolis and Rio de Janeiro offer coastline living without the price tag of comparable spots in Western Europe. Safety concerns persist in certain areas, and newcomers are wise to do their homework on neighborhoods before committing. Still, for those who land well, the social warmth Brazilians are known for tends to translate directly into an easier expat experience.
6. Spain: the European standard bearer
Spain remains the one European country expats consistently rate near the top, and the reasons are specific rather than vague. It managed to claim its spot mainly due to coming in first place out of 46 countries in the quality of life subcategory, an ongoing trend since 2022, with expats citing the weather, the culture and nightlife, and opportunities for recreational sports.[5] That’s five consecutive years of Spain leading the pack on quality of life alone.
Healthcare is a major part of the story too. Over four in five respondents agree that Spain offers healthcare that’s affordable, easily available, and of high quality.[5] Combine that with a relatively low cost of living outside Madrid and Barcelona, and it’s easy to see why Spain keeps pulling northern Europeans southward.
7. Singapore: polished, but not for everyone
Singapore’s story is more complicated than a simple ranking suggests. It offers exceptional safety, world class infrastructure, and a business environment that rewards efficiency. Yet in the 2026 survey, it landed near the bottom on this particular measure, described as polished but pricey.[3]
The disconnect comes down to cost. Housing in Singapore is among the most expensive in Asia, and that financial pressure can undercut an otherwise excellent quality of life. For expats on strong corporate packages, Singapore remains one of the smoothest places in the world to live. For everyone else, the math gets harder.
8. Portugal: slower pace, steady appeal
Portugal has built its reputation on something harder to quantify than salary figures: a genuine sense of ease. Portugal wins for European retirement, valued for its lifestyle, friendliness, and financial comfort.[6] That combination has made it one of the most talked about relocation destinations in Europe over the past several years.
Lisbon and Porto have absorbed large numbers of remote workers and retirees without losing their character, though rising housing costs in both cities have become a real concern for newcomers and locals alike. The countryside and smaller coastal towns still offer a gentler, cheaper alternative. Portugal isn’t flashy, but it rarely disappoints people looking for a calmer version of European life.
9. Malaysia: quiet value in Southeast Asia
Malaysia doesn’t get the same attention as Thailand or Vietnam, but it holds its own for a specific kind of expat. It combines modern infrastructure with a relatively low cost of living, making it especially attractive for retirees.[7] Kuala Lumpur offers a genuinely international feel, with English widely spoken and a diverse mix of cuisines and communities.
Penang has become something of a retiree favorite, known for slower living and a strong healthcare system relative to its cost. The country’s long-running MM2H visa program, aimed at longer-term foreign residents, has helped formalize what was already an informal trend. It’s a country that rewards people who value comfort over spectacle.
10. Luxembourg: small country, outsized order
Luxembourg is an unusual entry on any expat list, not because it’s exciting, but because it works so reliably well. Along with Austria, it delivers order and public services that expats consistently rate highly.[8] For a country of its size, that level of institutional reliability is genuinely rare.
High-skill professionals, particularly in finance and EU-related institutions, find strong job security and generally high satisfaction with their working conditions. It’s an expensive place to live, and it’s not trying to be anything other than what it is. For the right kind of career, that stability is worth the price.
11. Colombia: friendliness with financial upside
Colombia’s rise in recent years has been one of the more dramatic stories in expat surveys. Climbing from fifth place to second place in a single year, Colombia became one of the best rated countries for expats, with respondents pointing to strong satisfaction with their financial situation.[9] That kind of leap doesn’t happen without something real changing on the ground.
What people describe most often is how quickly they feel accepted. Similar to what makes Panama appealing, Colombia shines in ease of settling in, meaning expats appreciate the friendliness of the population, feel welcome, and find it easy to integrate into local culture and make friends.[9] Medellín in particular has become a hub for remote workers drawn by its climate and lower cost of living. Security remains a factor worth researching by neighborhood, but for many, the social payoff outweighs the caution required.
12. Saudi Arabia: an unexpected riser
Saudi Arabia’s appearance in the upper half of global expat rankings would have surprised most people a decade ago. In the 2026 Expat Insider survey, the country ranked twelfth among the 31 destinations covered.[10] That reflects a broader shift as the country opens further to foreign professionals under its economic diversification push.
Salaries, particularly in Riyadh and the new development zones, remain a major draw, often paired with tax-free income arrangements. Social norms are shifting too, though at a different pace than in the Gulf’s more established expat hubs like the UAE. For professionals willing to adapt, the financial upside has proven substantial enough to outweigh the cultural adjustment.
13. South Africa: natural beauty meets practical trade-offs
South Africa rounds out the top tier of 2026’s expat rankings, landing just outside the top ten. The country placed thirteenth overall in the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey.[10] For a nation that faces real infrastructure and safety challenges, that placement says something about how much its natural and cultural appeal still weighs in its favor.
Cape Town remains the primary draw, offering mountains, coastline, and a genuinely international community within a relatively compact area. Cost of living is low by Western standards, which stretches further for expats earning in stronger currencies. It’s not a destination for everyone, and due diligence on safety and services matters more here than in most countries on this list, but for those who find their footing, the quality of daily life can be remarkable.
Thirteen countries, thirteen different reasons people packed up and stayed. Some of these places win on cost, some on career, some simply on how quickly a stranger starts to feel like a neighbor. What they share is evidence, not assumption, that the leap paid off for the people who took it.
