Top 10 countries for expatriates: best and worst living conditions in 2023

Annual Expats Insider Survey 2023

In 2023, the annual Expats Insider survey was conducted, analyzing the living and working conditions for foreigners in various countries. The results highlighted both the best and worst destinations for expatriates, including several unexpected findings.

The top ten countries for relocation

• Mexico
• Spain
• Panama
• Malaysia
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Costa Rica
• Philippines
• Bahrain
• Portugal

The least favorable countries for emigration in 2023

• Kuwait
• Norway
• Turkey
• South Korea
• Germany
• Republic of South Africa
• Italy
• Malta
• New Zealand
• Japan

A detailed review of the best countries for immigration

Mexico

Mexico has consistently ranked among the top 5 countries for quality of life for expatriates since the survey began in 2014. It holds the first place in 2023 for the ease of adaptation index. Expatriates particularly highlight the friendliness of the local population.91%they consider Mexicans to be friendly, and89%They note a positive attitude towards foreigners.

When it comes to renting housing, Mexico ranks 6th in this criterion. Foreigners assure that finding accommodation here is not only convenient but also affordable, which allows the country to take 7th place in the affordability category. The cost of living in Mexico is quite low:71%Local residents are satisfied with their expenses, which is significantly higher than the global average.44%In total,80%Emigrants are satisfied with their financial situation, while around the world this figure is only58%.

Nevertheless, Mexico has its drawbacks: it ranks 45th in political stability, and18%emigrants express concerns about their safety, which is twice the global average. Despite this,90%People living in Mexico are satisfied with their lives, while the global average is72%.

Spain

Spain has also been a permanent member of the top 10 for quality of life for migrants since 2014. The country maintains its position in the leisure accessibility category, once again taking first place in 2023. Most emigrants (88%It is noted that the cultural and nightlife in Spain significantly exceeds the global level.68%More90%Emigrants are satisfied with the sports and entertainment offerings (unlike75%In other countries). The pleasant climate of Spain (3rd place) encourages emigrants to spend more time outdoors.

About80%Emigrants feel at home in Spain, which is noticeably higher than the global average.62%However, in terms of employment, the country ranks only 34th. Less than half of the emigrants49%They claim that the move has positively impacted their career opportunities, while in a global context, this figure is equal to59%Also36%dissatisfied with the local labor market conditions (unlike26%in the world).

On a positive note, it should be noted that Spain ranked 10th in the "work and leisure" subcategory due to the high level of satisfaction with the work-life balance among expatriates.73%satisfied, against63%Spain ranks 13th in the world in terms of housing affordability.87%Emigrants are satisfied with their standard of living.

Panama

According to the survey results, Panama ranks third among 53 countries that were analyzed. Emigrants highly value the level of integration (4th place) and touch on friendship (1st place) and cultural acceptance (2nd place). More80%Migrants indicate the presence of a significant social network, and many do not experience difficulties in finding new friends.74%). The feeling of home in Panama81%Emigrants feel comfortable, while the global figure is62%.

Despite Panama's average results in quality of life (28th place), emigrants highly rate the climate (11th place) and air quality (10th place). In the category of employment opportunities, Panama ranks 30th, significantly lagging behind others.

However, Panama demonstrates its strong position in personal finance (8th place), where80%emigrants are satisfied with their financial situation (unlike58%Overall in the world). The index of the cost of essential goods is also at a high level (7th place). In general81%Emigrants express satisfaction with life in Panama, which is higher than the global average.72%.

Conclusion

Thus, the conducted research has shown that some countries offer significantly more favorable conditions for emigrants, while others still have much to learn in order to achieve high living standards.

Expats in Malaysia

Expats living in Malaysia note that their incomes allow them to lead a fairly comfortable and convenient lifestyle, which enables the country to rank 9th in this rating.

According to statistical data, about 69% of workers in the local labor market are satisfied with their financial situation, which is much higher than the global average of 58%.

However, when it comes to the quality of life, Malaysia ranks lower at 29th place. This is interesting, as most expats have a positive view of the travel opportunities within the country, placing it 3rd in this aspect, as well as the diversity of the local cuisine, which earns Malaysia 7th place among countries.

Nevertheless, there are some security issues, and in this regard, the country ranks 46th. Additionally, the living conditions for expatriates also raise certain complaints: in terms of working hours, they rate their situation at 37th place, but they feel that their salaries are fair, which leads to a more optimistic 3rd place in this category.

The housing issue is being resolved quite effectively — 82% of expats are satisfied with their living conditions, 79% believe that finding housing here is not difficult, which significantly exceeds the global average of 49%, and 69% are happy with housing prices, while the global statistic shows only 38%.

The simplicity of life in this country is also highlighted by the fact that knowledge of the local language is not required, which earns Malaysia the 3rd place. Overall, 82% of expats have positive feedback about their quality of life in Malaysia compared to 72% worldwide.

The situation in Taiwan

Since 2016, Taiwan has consistently ranked highly in various expat rankings, especially in the healthcare sector.

About 91% of people are satisfied with the availability of medical services, while the quality of these services receives a rating of 86%, which places the country at the top of the subcategory of healthcare.

Almost all expats report a sense of safety, which stands at 98%. Additionally, Taiwan shows good results in the ease of adaptation index, ranking 17th, and 9th in terms of employment conditions for foreign specialists.

Expats also highlight the favorable conditions for the business environment, which places the country in 8th place in this regard.

• 31% of foreign workers believe that the local business culture is not flexible enough.
• 40% experience difficulties in a rigid hierarchy.
• 63% of expats are satisfied with their living expenses, which is higher than the global average of 44%.

As a result, 78% of expats rate their life in Taiwan positively, which is higher than the overall figure of 72%.

Life in Thailand

In Thailand, about 76% of expats express a positive impression of the cost of living. Approximately 86% of respondents confirm that their disposable income is sufficient for a comfortable existence, which significantly exceeds the average level of 73% in other countries.

This explains why Thailand ranks 4th in the personal finance index. Additionally, the high level of housing affordability is confirmed by the large number of people—76% consider the cost of living acceptable, which is twice the global average.

Nevertheless, there are concerns about the state of the environment, where the country ranks 48th. Only 35% of survey participants are satisfied with air quality, which is strikingly lower than the global average of 66%, and 43% express the opinion that government authorities ignore environmental issues, which also contrasts with the 17% at the global level.

More than 28% of respondents express concerns about political stability. However, the majority of expats (82%) describe the locals as friendly, and 78% feel at home in Thailand.

Costa Rica: a greeting for expats

Costa Rica warmly welcomes foreign workers, as indicated by 82% of respondents, while the global average is only 67%.

The ease of adapting to the local culture helps Costa Rica rank 3rd in this aspect, while the feeling of hospitality and a homely atmosphere ranks 7th and 9th, respectively.

Nevertheless, the country did not achieve high positions in the expat life index, ranking 38th. Negative feedback was related to career opportunities, where Costa Rica placed 48th, and experts claim that relocating did not improve their professional conditions (49th place).

Despite this, expats are satisfied with the work-life balance, ranking 13th in this category.

While the state of the automotive infrastructure in Costa Rica is considered unsatisfactory (50th place), the country's environmental indicators are quite good, ranking 3rd.

Overall, 88% of expats rate their life in Costa Rica highly, which exceeds the global average of 72%.

Philippines

The Philippines shows positive results in the personal finance index, ranking 3rd and 5th in cost of living. Expats claim that their disposable income is sufficient for a comfortable life (2nd place).

75% of respondents are satisfied with their financial situation, which is also above the global average of 58%. 79% of residents in the Philippines feel at home, while this percentage is only 62% at the global level.

Quality of life index in the Philippines

The quality of life index in the Philippines, which ranks 48th, shows the lowest achievements among other indicators. Particularly negative results are observed in the subcategories related to ecology and climate, where the country ranks 46th, as well as in the areas of leisure and healthcare, ranking 49th and 47th respectively.

The employment index for workers also leaves much to be desired, as the Philippines ranks 45th. Only 27% of foreigners have a positive view of the labor market in the country, which is significantly lower than the global average of 47%. Additionally, 25% of respondents are dissatisfied with career opportunities, compared to 18% worldwide.

At the same time, housing in the Philippines is considered quite affordable, ranking 3rd among countries, while the ease of finding it places the country in 9th position. Overall, 85% of expats are satisfied with life in the Philippines, which significantly exceeds the global average of 72%.

Living conditions in Bahrain

Speaking of Bahrain, it is worth noting that the issue of finding housing does not pose significant difficulties for most people: 75% of expats find it without much effort, while the global average is only 49%. However, over 43% of respondents express dissatisfaction with their income levels, considering them insufficient for a comfortable life, whereas the global average for this indicator is 27%.

64% of foreign specialists in Bahrain acknowledge that it is easier for them to make friends among the locals compared to 43% worldwide, and 82% believe that the local population is friendly towards foreigners, while the global figure reaches 65%.

Bahrain ranks in the middle in terms of quality of life (20th place) and employment (19th place). 71% of respondents notice an improvement in career opportunities after moving to the country, however, 24% report dissatisfaction with working hours — this is also higher than the global average of 16%. As a result, 71% of foreigners are satisfied with their time spent in Bahrain, which is very close to the global average of 72%.

Portugal as a place for expats to live

When it comes to Portugal, many foreigners feel almost at home here — 78% of respondents, which is significantly higher than the global average of 62%. 81% note the friendliness of the local population, while the global figure is 67%.

• Almost 80% of those surveyed claim that locals are friendly towards foreigners, which is 15% higher than the global average.
• Since the first Expat Insider survey in 2014, Portugal has shown strong results in the quality of life index, reaching 7th place in 2023.

However, in the employment index, it ranked slightly lower, taking the 43rd place, while in the career prospects subcategory, the country is in 49th position.

Personal Finance Index in Turkey

In the personal finance index, Turkey consistently ranks 34th, with 44% of foreign residents satisfied with their living expenses, which aligns with the global average in this aspect. However, only 48% of expats are satisfied with their financial situation, which is significantly lower than the global figure of 58%.

In general, 60% of people arriving in Turkey rate their lives as satisfactory, while the global average is 72%.

Emigrants in South Korea

When it comes to South Korea, immigrants feel a lack of warmth and friendliness, as evidenced by its 51st place in the ranking. Almost half of those surveyed (52nd place) claim that they do not feel at home. In the index for working abroad, South Korea also does not perform well, ranking 46th.

According to expatriates, working conditions rank 49th, and business culture ranks 52nd, which does not foster creativity, flexibility, or independent work. Korea's personal finance index is also below average, sitting at 37th place, which is similar to the rankings in the expatriate basic needs index (39th place).

However, as a positive point, it is worth noting South Korea's high ranking in the quality of life index (17th place). 91% of foreigners rate the level of healthcare positively, while the global average is significantly lower at 70%.

This allows Korea to take 3rd place in the health subcategory. Ultimately, 61% of expats are satisfied with life in this country, which is significantly lower than the global average of 72%.

Germany's problems

Germany, in turn, has issues with the ease of adaptation index, ranking 50th — this is one of the most serious problems for immigrants. Data shows that the country scores low on all three criteria of this index:

• the atmosphere of friendliness (50th place),
• the opportunity for communication and friendship (49th place),
• communication culture (49th place).

Interestingly, 30% of expats consider locals to be unfriendly towards foreigners, while this figure in a global context is only 18%. Additionally, 55% of emigrants find it difficult to form friendships with locals (compared to 36% worldwide). Given this, it's not surprising that around 32% of people do not feel at home in Germany, while the global average is 20%.

Difficulties of adapting in Germany

Emigrants also find it difficult to adapt due to the lack of quality digital infrastructure (51st place) and language barriers (51st place), which creates additional challenges in their new environment. More than half of the respondents (58%) face difficulties in finding housing, which is 27% higher than international averages (31%).

However, it is worth noting positively Germany's high positions in the labor market (4th place) and the level of job security (5th place). Nevertheless, in the area of personal finances, Germany only achieves mediocre results (28th place).

As a result, 64% of expats claim to be satisfied with life in the country, while the global average is 72%. In 2023, there is a noticeable decline in real estate prices in Germany, marking the worst growth rate in the last 23 years.

The situation in South Africa

South Africa, on the contrary, ranks among the countries with the lowest scores on the expat work index, coming in at 50th place. The database shows the worst quality of the labor market (53rd place) in the world. More than 54% of expats view the local conditions negatively (compared to 26% globally).

But these are not the only problematic areas — the republic also ranks low in salaries and labor safety (53rd place), as well as in travel and security criteria (53rd). In the quality of life index, South Africa is in 48th place.

Here, 52% of expats express dissatisfaction with the level of personal safety, which is more than six times higher than the international average (8%). Despite this, the country stands out with the second-best ranking for climate and weather conditions. Overall, 67% of foreigners are satisfied with life in South Africa, although this is still below the global average of 72%.

Challenges in Italy

Emigrants perceive Italy as a country full of challenges, especially in terms of the foreign work index, where it ranks 52nd out of 53 countries. Almost half of the entrepreneurs face dissatisfaction with the local labor market (47% compared to 26% globally).

In terms of general trust in working conditions, Italy ranks the lowest in the world (53rd place).

Personal finances are also a concern, as 33% of emigrants are dissatisfied with their financial situation (the global figure is 22%). 34% still claim that their disposable income is insufficient for a comfortable existence (27% in the global context).

However, among the positive aspects, the majority of respondents (80%) highlight the diversity of the local cuisine (77% among all countries). 72% of emigrants appreciate cultural events and nightlife (the global average is 68%).

As a result, 71% of respondents are satisfied with life in Italy, which is almost on par with the global average of 72%.

The situation in Malta

In Malta, immigrants are seeing less than favorable results in the overseas work index, where the 40th place indicates that 24% of respondents consider their salary unfair (compared to 19% globally), and 17% express disagreement with the goals of their work (compared to 8% in the rest of the world).

On the other hand, just over half of the emigrants (58%) are satisfied with their financial situation, which is in line with the global average. Almost half of the respondents (49%) do not find it difficult to make friends with locals (compared to 43% worldwide), and 64% of the study participants feel at home in this country, while the global figure is 62%.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the results of the annual Expat Insider 2023 survey conducted by InterNations reveal a wealth of interesting data about the lives and work of expats in different countries. I was surprised to see how some countries appeared on both the best and worst lists for migration. For example,The Mexican expat community maintains its leading position.and continues to be in demand due to the low cost of living and friendly locals. Spain, despite challenges with job prospects, offers excellent conditions for relaxation and leisure, making it popular among expatriates.

The best countries for expatriates

Panama and Malaysia also show high scores for overall life satisfaction, despite mixed results in quality of life and working conditions. Interestingly, Taiwan and Thailand emphasize the importance of harmony between personal and professional life, although they face certain challenges in business culture and ecology.

The worst countries for expatriates

On the other hand, I found it concerning that among the countries with the worst conditions for expatriates were such countries as:

• Kuwait
• Germany
• South Korea

These results raise important questions about political stability, working conditions, and social relationships that may influence migrants' decisions on choosing a country to live and work in.

Main findings

Overall, the Expat Insider 2023 survey not only confirms the trends of recent years but also serves as an important indicator for those planning to emigrate. I hope that everyone considering the possibility of moving to another country takes the presented data into account to make an informed choice and find a place that aligns with their expectations and goals.