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These are the best (and worst) countries for expats in 2024

An Expat Insider survey has revealed the destinations where expats are happiest with their living situation

Liv Kelly
Written by
Liv Kelly
Contributing Writer
Bridge of the Americas, Panama
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Plenty of us will have considered moving abroad at one point in our lives, but only a brave, organised and committed few will end up actually doing it. If you’re deciding whether to make the big move, some insight from people who have actually done it could help. 

InterNations, an online expat platform, has just published its 2024 Expat Insider Survey which aims to find out where expats are happiest, and the results might surprise you. 

Moving up two spots from its 2023 position is Panama, which now sits in first place. 82 percent of expats said they are happy with their life there (14 percent higher than the global average), almost three quarters reported being happy with their financial situation, and it ranked as the fourth easiest place to get a visa. 

At the other end of the scale, ranking as the worst country surveyed for life as an expat, was Kuwait. It ranks poorly for its climate and weather (in the summer, temperatures can reach above 50C) as well as its healthcare, and only 22 percent of expats are happy with their social life here. 

The 10 best countries for expats in 2024

  1. Panama
  2. Mexico
  3. Indonesia
  4. Spain
  5. Colombia
  6. Thailand
  7. Brazil
  8. Vietnam
  9. Philippines
  10. UAE

The 10 worst countries for expats in 2024

        1. Kuwait 
        2. Türkiye
        3. Finland
        4. Germany
        5. Canada
        6. Norway
        7. Italy
        8. Malta
        9. Ireland 
        10. UK

There’s a lot to think about, right? You can have a read of the rest of the study here, or if you’re a remote worker, check out our ranking and roundup of all the places offering digital nomad visas. 

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