10 best countries for foreigners

A recent international export insider survey ranks the best country for foreigners in 2025.

The international survey looked at 10,085 foreigners with a sample size of at least 50 participants per country to determine the final ranking. A total of 46 destinations around the world were ranked based on five topic categories: job abroad, personal finances, quality of life, foreign essentials and calmness.

Study participants were asked to assess up to 53 factors on a scale of 1-7.

Kathrin Chudoba, Chief Marketing Officer at Internationals, told CNBC that the biggest point from this year’s rankings is that people who live and want to work abroad have positive experiences in Asia and Latin American countries.

Spain is the only European country that lands spots in the top 10 best countries on the Expats list.

“This supports trends observed over the past three years or so, and that’s the importance of personal funding among foreigners,” Chudoba says. “It clearly shows that foreigners are not touched on the effects of economic uncertainty and high inflation.”

The US did not score in the top 10, but ranked 36th on the list, moving from 35th last year to #1.

Chudoba says the US has received low ratings on all indexes covered in the survey.

“In our respondents’ eyes, the US suffered from a lack of affordability, availability and equal access, and the quality of healthcare was perceived as slightly subpar,” she says.

“In the category of political stability and personal freedom, the United States has been rated the worst over the years, with only 58% of American foreigners feeling they can express themselves and their opinions openly. That’s worse than the global average of 63%.”

For the second year in a row, Panama has been ranked as the best country for foreigners. Surveys revealed that 94% of foreigners are happy with their lives abroad and that Panama is a place for retirees.

Thirty-five percent of respondents have already retired, and 18% say the main motivation for moving was to retire there. In the quality of life ranking, Panama ranked third and 35% plans for staying forever.

“There’s a perfect combination of decent infrastructure at an affordable price paired with a pleasant climate, and most importantly, there’s an open, friendly and easy to integrate culture,” Chudoba says.

Panama has long been known as an affordable destination for foreigners. For around $800 to $1,500 a month, you can live comfortably in small towns, villages and farming communities, according to Global Citizen Solutions. Those considering living in Panama City, the capital of Panama, will need a monthly budget of up to $2,500. Total cost of living for one person in Panama is 36.3% lower than in the US

Panama offers several different visa options, including Friendly Nations visas, the Pension (English “Pension Beneficiary”) program, and a remote worker visa.

Colombia has climbed from fifth place in 2024 to second place this year, ranking second best country for foreigners. The survey found that 81% of respondents were satisfied with Colombia’s financial situation.

Colombia is also ranked highly in the Quality of Life Index, with 92% of respondents saying their disposable household income is sufficient to lead a comfortable life in the South American country.

“Like what makes Panama a great place, Colombia shines east of settling in the index. That means foreigners appreciate the familiarity of their population. They are welcome.

Chudoba also points out that for Colombia, 36% of foreigners want to stay in Colombia forever, while another 47% said they have no clear plans to leave the country.

Costs of living in Colombia are 62.2% lower than in the US, including rent. If that wasn’t low enough, rent prices in Columbia would be 76.2% lower than in the US.

Like Panama, Colombia offers several visa options for foreigners looking to reside in a South American country. Some of the most common types of visas are immigrant type M and visitor type V. Both visas come in subcategories such as investment, work, retirement, students, and digital nomads.

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