What is the best country
to move abroad?
Panama, according to 10,000 expats surveyed. Switzerland, according to the French consular registry. Two answers, two logics, and a choice that depends above all on your profile.
Key takeaways
- ✔ Panama is voted the best country to move abroad in 2026 by the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 survey: 94% of expats are satisfied with life there.
- ✔ A telling paradox: French expats move first to Switzerland (171,884 registered), the United States and the United Kingdom, yet the UK ranks 41st and Canada 40th in that same survey. Career moves and happiness rankings rarely match.
- ✔ Southeast Asia grabs 3 spots in the top 10 (Thailand 4th, Vietnam 5th, Indonesia 8th). Malaysia, 10th, is the only one combining widespread English, a digital nomad visa and a long-term residence program.
- ✔ There is no universal \"best country\": career, budget, retirement or family each lead to a different podium.
Sources: InterNations Expat Insider 2025 (10,000+ expats, 172 nationalities, 46 countries ranked); French register of citizens abroad, MEAE, Dec 31, 2025.
Where are expats happiest in 2026?
In 2025, InterNations ran its Expat Insider survey, the largest of its kind, polling more than 10,000 expats from 172 nationalities and ranking 46 countries. The verdict: Panama takes first place for the second year in a row, with 94% of expats saying they are happy with their life there.
The rest of the podium upends conventional wisdom. None of the classic Western career destinations make the list. In their place? Latin America and Asia.
| Rank | Country | Key strength |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panama | Top 3 across every category, 94% satisfaction |
| 2 | Colombia | 2nd for personal finances |
| 3 | Mexico | Ease of settling in and friendliness |
| 4 | Thailand | #1 in the ranking for cost of living |
| 5 | Vietnam | 3rd for cost of living |
| 6 | China | Career opportunities |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | Salaries and taxation |
| 8 | Indonesia | Low budget and easygoing lifestyle |
| 9 | Spain | Quality of life, gateway to Europe |
| 10 | Malaysia | Widespread English, low cost of living, Asian hub |
Source: InterNations, Expat Insider 2025, 46 destinations ranked. At the back of the pack: Italy 37th, Norway 39th, Canada 40th (housing deemed unaffordable), the United Kingdom 41st, South Korea 44th and Kuwait dead last at 46th. France? 27th: excellent for healthcare (16th) and culture (7th), dragged down by its administrative complexity.
Case study: where do French expats actually move?
Happiness surveys tell you where expats feel best; registry data tells you where people actually go. France keeps one of the world's most detailed registers of its citizens abroad, which makes it a revealing case study. As of December 31, 2025, the French register of citizens living abroad counted 1,784,975 people, for a real community estimated at around 2.5 million (registration is optional), according to the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. And their destinations are anything but exotic.
See the gap? The United Kingdom hosts 141,065 registered French citizens, yet ranks 41st out of 46 in the expat satisfaction survey. Canada, the 5th most popular French destination, sits at 40th; expats there cite housing costs that have become prohibitive. Not a single country in the French top 5 appears in the global top 10 for expat well-being.
The reason is simple: people move for different reasons. Switzerland, the United States and Belgium are career moves: salary, head office, language or proximity. Panama, Thailand or Malaysia are lifestyle moves: purchasing power, climate, freedom. Rankings only measure the second category. And whatever your home country, the odds are its favorite destinations show the very same gap.
Which country should you choose for your profile?
Rather than chasing an improbable universal champion, start from your own situation. Four profiles cover most plans to move abroad.
| Your priority | Destinations that fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Salary & career | Switzerland, UAE (7th), United States | High pay; the flip side: cost of living and housing |
| Purchasing power & sunshine | Thailand (4th), Vietnam (5th), Malaysia (10th) | Among the lowest costs of living in the ranking, tropical climate |
| Retirement | Panama (1st), Spain (9th), Malaysia | Dedicated residence programs, affordable private healthcare |
| Remote work / nomad | Mexico (3rd), Indonesia (8th), Malaysia (DE Rantau) | Official nomad visas, fiber internet, coworking spaces, manageable time zones |
Rankings: InterNations Expat Insider 2025. The final choice also depends on which visas you can actually get; our guides break down the official fees for Malaysian visas.
Why is Malaysia the rational choice for Western expats?
Tenth worldwide in the 2025 ranking, Malaysia is the only Asian country in the top 10 to combine three decisive advantages: English spoken everywhere (a British legacy, unlike Thailand or Vietnam), structured long-term visas, namely the DE Rantau nomad pass and the MM2H residence program, and a position as an air hub at the heart of Southeast Asia.
Our experience on the ground confirms it: what makes the difference day to day is the combination of modern infrastructure and a contained cost of living, more than a country's exact rank in any survey. A monthly budget of €1,600-2,000 (about USD 1,750-2,200) buys a level of comfort that none of the career destinations in the case study above can come close to matching.
To dig deeper: our complete guide to moving to Malaysia, the detailed cost of living and the MM2H program.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best country to move abroad in 2026?
According to the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 survey (10,000+ expats polled), Panama is the best country to move abroad, with 94% of expats satisfied. The \"best\" still depends on your plan: Switzerland or the UAE for salary, Spain to stay close to Europe, Thailand or Malaysia for purchasing power.
Where do French expats actually move?
Switzerland comes first, with 171,884 French citizens registered with consulates at the end of 2025, ahead of the United States (159,357) and the United Kingdom (141,065). These are career moves: none of these countries appear in the top 10 destinations where expats report being happiest.
How many French citizens live abroad?
1,784,975 French citizens were registered in the official register of French residents abroad as of December 31, 2025 (MEAE). Since registration is optional, the real community is estimated at around 2.5 million people.
What is the best country in Asia for expats?
The 2025 ranking puts Thailand 4th worldwide (#1 for cost of living), ahead of Vietnam 5th, China 6th, Indonesia 8th and Malaysia 10th. Malaysia stands out for its widespread English and long-term visas (MM2H, DE Rantau), a decisive advantage for settling in for the long haul.
What is the best country to retire abroad?
Panama (#1 in the 2025 ranking) and Malaysia are among the strongest retirement destinations: dedicated residence programs, quality private healthcare and a low cost of living. Spain (9th) remains the close-to-home option for Europeans who want to stay a short flight away.
How does France rank as a destination for foreign expats?
France ranks 27th out of 46 in the Expat Insider 2025. It shines for healthcare (16th) and culture (7th), but its administrative complexity and rigid labor market hold it back with foreign expats.
Sources & updates
Data verified in June 2026: InterNations, Expat Insider 2025 (10,000+ respondents, 172 nationalities, 46 destinations); MEAE, the French community abroad in figures (register as of Dec 31, 2025); data.gouv.fr, registrations in the consular register. Rankings reflect expats' self-reported satisfaction and change every year: this article is for information only and does not constitute immigration or tax advice.