Millions of Americans have already made the move. The country at the top of the list might completely surprise you.
Every year, the world’s largest expat community surveys nearly 8,000 people from 162 nationalities about what it’s actually like to live abroad. Cost of living, ease of settling in, job satisfaction, housing, healthcare, bureaucracy. The works. And in 2026, the results are in.
InterNations, an online expat community with 6.1 million members worldwide, has just released its 13th annual Expat Insider survey, naming the 10 best countries in the world for living abroad.
There are somewhere between 4 and 9 million Americans living outside the United States right now. An increase in digital nomad programs and the flexibility to work remotely have made it easier than ever to put down roots somewhere new.
The list spans three continents, covers everything from beach-town affordability to tax-friendly city-states, and has some genuine surprises. Here is the full breakdown.
Panama Is the Best Country in the World for Expats
For the third consecutive year, Panama has been voted the best country in the world to live and work abroad. Eighty-seven percent of expats living there report being happy with life in the country, citing its natural environment, affordable cost of living, and how easy it is to settle in.
Ninety percent of expats in Panama say their disposable income is enough for a comfortable life, compared to 71 percent globally. Seventy-six percent are satisfied with their financial situation, against a global average of 55 percent.
Housing is another major draw. Ninety percent of expats say it is easy to find a place to live in Panama, compared to just 34 percent globally.
The pensionado visa is a key reason retirees in particular are drawn here. The program requires a minimum of $1,000 per month in income and involves relatively little paperwork.
Panama also uses the U.S. dollar, which removes a major financial headache for Americans making the move.
Panama City has modern infrastructure and widespread high-speed internet.
Add reliable sunshine, incredible biodiversity, and easy access to both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and it becomes clear why 34 percent of expats in Panama say they plan to stay forever, compared to 27 percent globally.
Mexico and Brazil: The Americas Round Out the Top Five
Mexico has been a fixture on this list since the survey launched in 2014, and this year it climbs to second place overall.
Mexico ranked number one for ease of settling in. Seventy-three percent of expats say making local friends is easy, compared to just 39 percent globally. Eighty-one percent say their financial situation affords them a comfortable life, and 69 percent feel fairly compensated for their work.
Brazil made the most dramatic jump on the list this year. It rose from 15th place in 2025 to fifth in 2026, with expats praising ease of settling in, solid job satisfaction, excellent leisure options, friendly locals, and the ability to build genuine friendships with people from the country.
Europe Still Delivers: Spain, Portugal, and Luxembourg
Spain has ranked number one for quality of life for the fifth year in a row. One in five expats say they moved there specifically for a better quality of life, compared to just 9 percent globally.
Spain ranks highly for leisure options, culture, nightlife, and food, with 87 percent of expats happy with the culinary variety and dining options available to them.
Both Madrid and Barcelona were ranked among the top 10 cities in Europe to visit or live in by Resonance, a real estate and tourism consulting group, in 2026.
Portugal, long a favourite for American retirees and remote workers, sits at number eight. It climbed from 17th place in 2025, with expats pointing to a moderate cost of living, ease of settling in, and good weather.
Luxembourg rounds out the list at number ten. It ranks first for job security, overall job satisfaction, straightforward bureaucracy, and fully unrestricted online services. It is tiny, efficient, and multilingual, and sits at the centre of Europe with easy access to France, Germany, and Belgium.
Asia and the Middle East: Four Countries Worth Serious Consideration
Thailand holds third place. Eighty-six percent of expats there are happy, citing friendly locals, easy access to housing, plentiful leisure options, an affordable cost of living, and quality medical care.
Singapore comes in at seventh. It ranks first in the world for online administrative services and high-speed internet. It is one of the most efficiently run cities on earth, and while the cost of living is high, salaries reflect that.
Malaysia sits at ninth. It scores well for affordability and the ease of finding housing, and English is widely spoken.
The United Arab Emirates made one of the bigger moves on the list. It jumped from seventh in 2025 to fourth in 2026, with high ratings for quality of life, leisure options, ease of dealing with local bureaucracy, career prospects, and quality healthcare.
The cost of living is steep, but salaries in the UAE tend to compensate.
The Full 2026 Expat Insider Rankings
| Rank | Country |
| 1 | Panama |
| 2 | Mexico |
| 3 | Thailand |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates |
| 5 | Brazil |
| 6 | Spain |
| 7 | Singapore |
| 8 | Portugal |
| 9 | Malaysia |
| 10 | Luxembourg |
The full InterNations Expat Insider survey covers 31 countries in total and is worth reading in full for anyone seriously considering a move abroad.
The data goes deep on individual categories, so it is possible to narrow down a destination based on what matters most, whether that is career progression, cost of living, or simply how welcoming the locals are.