Insights Into the Expat Experience

What's it like being an expat, learning to settle in and build a life abroad? What places offer the best experience? 

Well, we have some insights into those questions from this year's InterNations Expat Insider survey. The data includes responses from more than 12,500 expats based in 174 countries and territories! The survey looks at the following areas: 

1. Quality of Life (e.g. travel, transit, environment, climate, leisure options, healthcare, safety and security);
2. Ease of Settling In (e.g. local friendliness, finding friends, culture);
3. Working Abroad (e.g. career prospects, salary, job security, work-life balance, work culture, work satisfaction);
4. Personal Finance (e.g. general cost of living, financial satisfaction, disposable income, lifestyle); 
5. Expat Essentials (e.g. digital life, admin topics, housing, language)

For a country to be listed in any of the indices and in the overall ranking, a sample size of at least 50 survey participants per destination is required. In 2024, 53 destinations met this requirement.

Let's take a look at the lists, starting with the Best and Worst Places for Expats Overall: 

According to this Relocate Magazine article, the survey found that in Panama, 82% of expat respondents were happy with life, compared to the global average of 68%. Panama ranked third in last year's survey, and it's also relevant to note that almost a third of expats in Panama are retirees. Almost three-quarters of respondents expressed satisfaction with their financial situation, too. 

Mexico reached second place in this year's table. Almost nine in ten expats - even more than in Panama - expressed contentment with their lives, even though only two-thirds said they felt safe there. 

Indonesia jumped ten places from last year, coming third in the rankings. Low costs, work-life balance, and friendly people were all cited by the 84% of expats who are happy with life there. 

Now for the individual category rankings:

Some other notable callouts from the survey:

• Australia came in overall at #16
• China ranked 19th
• Singapore was at #30, 
• The US ranked 35th
• The UK ranked 44th, 
• Germany is now #50!
• The biggest drop this year was Finland, which dropped 35 spots from 16th to 51st. 
• Canada also saw a drop of 32 places, ending up at #49. 
• The biggest climbers on the rankings were South Korea (now at #23), and Belgium (up 20 spots to hit #18)