Panama to Luxembourg: 10 best countries for expats moving abroad in 2026

A new global survey (by InterNations' Expat Insider 2026) of over 31 destinations has ranked the best places in the world to build a life abroad, based on quality of life, affordability, ease of settling in, and how easy it is to work and bank there. This year, friendliness and cost of living made the biggest difference. Here's who topped the list — and why the people who actually moved there say it was worth it.

This year's winners were heavily influenced by friendliness and affordability ratings. Out of the top 10 destinations, seven were noted as some of the easiest places to call home, and five topped the charts for personal finance.

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Panama has topped this ranking for three years running, scoring first in the world for both career opportunities and personal finance. Ninety percent of expats say finding housing is easy, and many describe a slower, more predictable pace of life. One hotel director who moved from Argentina eight years ago says he sleeps better and feels more present, not because he's on holiday, but because "this place has a rhythm of its own." Others moving from Canada point to low utility bills, easy banking, and a stable, dollarised economy.

Mexico ranks first globally for how easily expats settle in, with 73% saying it's easy to make local friends, almost double the global average. One American blogger who moved to Puerto Vallarta says she's made closer friends there than she ever did back home, helped by street tacos that cost around a dollar and a hospital stay that cost a fraction of US prices. The one catch: Mexico ranks low for safety, with fewer expats rating their personal security positively than the global average.

Eighty-six percent of expats in Thailand say they're satisfied with life abroad, the highest of any country surveyed, and it also scores best in the world for cost of living. A British mother who moved from Devon says she fed her family of four for about a pound, and credits Thailand's schools with transforming her son's attitude to learning. Long-term residents say cities like Bangkok have modernised fast while keeping their culture intact — and newcomers are expected to respect local customs, from removing shoes indoors to standing for the national anthem played twice daily.

The UAE scores top marks worldwide for career prospects and for how easy it is to sort out visas, language, and everyday essentials. Despite regional tensions during the survey period, expats say daily life has stayed largely unchanged. A UK communications professional who moved to Dubai this year says the country has stayed welcoming even as other places tighten immigration rules. Residents recommend riding the Metro at rush hour and eating in Bur Dubai's older neighbourhoods to see the ordinary side of the city, far from its luxury image.

New to the top five this year, Brazil scores highly for happiness, culture, and how welcoming locals are. One expat who moved from Barbados says he met someone on a Thursday and was at their family barbecue by Saturday. Because English isn't widely spoken, several expats say they were pushed to learn Portuguese fast — and loved it. After 12 years in São Paulo, one American says it was never the scenery that made him feel at home, but the people: "Brazilians made me feel like I belonged."

Rounding out this year's list, Spain and Portugal remain firm favourites for their lifestyle and climate, Singapore leads for infrastructure and safety, Malaysia continues to attract expats with its affordability, and Luxembourg offers high earning potential in the heart of Europe. Together with the top five, they show a clear pattern: the countries expats love most tend to combine genuine affordability with a culture that makes newcomers feel like locals, not outsiders.

Across every country on this list, the highest scores didn't come from luxury or glamour — they came from affordability and how quickly a stranger could start to feel like they belonged. As one long-time expat in Brazil put it, it wasn't the sights that kept him there, it was the people. For anyone dreaming of a life abroad in 2026, that may be the most useful filter of all: not where looks the most beautiful, but where you're most likely to feel at home.