The best countries for expats in 2026 include destinations across Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, with Panama taking the top spot for the third consecutive year in the latest Expat Insider survey.
The annual survey by InterNations asked almost 8,000 expats representing 162 nationalities to assess their experiences in their adopted countries. The results were measured across five areas: working abroad, personal finance, quality of life, expat essentials, and ease of settling in.
Panama once again came first overall. The country ranked second for both ease of settling in and expat essentials, two categories that look at issues such as how welcome foreigners feel, how easy it is to adapt to local culture, visa arrangements and dealing with bureaucracy.
The results also point to a high level of satisfaction among people who have moved to Panama. Around 87 percent of respondents living there said they were happy with their life abroad, compared with 70 percent globally. About one in three said they would like to remain in Panama permanently.
Mexico ranked second overall and performed particularly well when it came to helping newcomers settle. It took first place in the ease of settling in category, with expats reporting that they found it relatively easy to make friends and feel welcome.
Thailand ranked third and recorded the highest proportion of happy expats in the survey. About 86 percent of respondents said they were happy with their life there, while 42 percent said they wanted to stay permanently.
Cost was an important part of Thailand’s appeal. Some 85 percent of expats viewed the cost of living positively, while housing was also considered affordable and relatively easy to find.
Europe had a more limited presence near the top of the 2026 ranking. Only three European countries made the top 10, and none reached the top five.
Spain was the highest-ranked European country, placing sixth overall. It also came first in the quality of life index. Expats rated its weather, opportunities to enjoy life outside work, public transport and access to travel positively.
Portugal followed in eighth place. It performed particularly well for personal finance, ranking fourth in that category, while it came seventh for ease of settling in.
Luxembourg completed the top 10. The country ranked fourth for working abroad and came first for salary and job security, helping it secure a place among the leading destinations.
The overall ranking covered 31 countries in 2026. To qualify, each destination needed at least 50 expats to have completed the survey.
At the other end of the table, several European countries received much weaker assessments from their expat communities. The United Kingdom ranked 28th, Türkiye 29th, Germany 30th and Norway 31st.
Norway’s position is notable because the country regularly performs strongly in broader international quality-of-life and happiness comparisons. In the Expat Insider survey, however, it ranked last for ease of settling in and 30th for both quality of life and personal finance.
Germany also struggled with several practical aspects of expat life. It ranked last for expat essentials, with respondents highlighting difficulties involving digital services, administrative matters, housing and the language barrier. Germany also ranked 28th for ease of settling in and 23rd for personal finance.
The survey highlights a difference between the experience of living in a country as a local resident and moving there as a foreigner. Countries that perform well in wider quality-of-life rankings do not necessarily provide the easiest transition for international residents.
For people considering a move abroad, the 2026 results also show that there is no single factor that determines whether expats are satisfied. Affordability, employment, housing, bureaucracy, social connections and everyday quality of life can all shape the experience.
The 10 highest-ranked countries in the Expat Insider 2026 survey are:
Panama
The top-ranked destination for the third consecutive year, with particularly strong results for settling in and expat essentials.
Mexico
Mexico took first place for ease of settling in, with expats reporting positive experiences when making friends and feeling welcome.
Thailand
Thailand recorded the highest level of expat happiness in the survey, with affordability and accessible housing among its strengths.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE secured fourth place overall, putting it among the four highest-ranked destinations in the 2026 survey.
Brazil
Brazil completed the top five, making it the second South American country after Panama to feature among the leading destinations.
Spain
Spain was Europe’s highest-ranked country and came first worldwide for quality of life in the survey.
Singapore
Singapore placed seventh overall, keeping the city-state among the strongest destinations for international residents.
Portugal
Portugal ranked strongly for personal finance and ease of settling in, placing eighth overall.
Malaysia
Malaysia took ninth place, giving Southeast Asia three destinations in the top 10 alongside Thailand and Singapore.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg rounded out the list, ranking particularly well for working abroad, salary and job security.
