In the 2025 Expat Insider survey, Panama holds the top spot for the second consecutive year, with an impressive 94% of expats reporting happiness with their life abroad. Conversely, Kuwait remains at the bottom of the rankings, placing last in both the Quality of Life and Ease of Settling In indices
The Expat Insider 2025 survey by InterNations ranks 46 destinations based on quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finance, and expat essentials.
The Top Performers
- Panama (1st): Retains the top spot for the second year, boasting high marks in all categories; 94% of expats report being happy with their life there.
- Colombia (2nd): Climbed from 5th place in 2024, driven by high satisfaction with personal finance and affordable housing.
- Mexico (3rd): Consistently ranks high for its welcoming local culture and ease of making friends.
The Bottom Performers
- Kuwait (46th): Frequently at the bottom, Kuwait suffers from poor ratings in quality of life, ease of settling in, and a difficult climate.
- Türkiye (45th): Expats struggle with a significant language barrier, high inflation, and poor career prospects.
- South Korea (44th): Experienced the largest drop in the rankings (from 23rd in 2024) due to a tough work culture and a difficult language barrier
Global Trends
- Asian Dominance: Half of the top 10 consists of Asian countries, including Thailand (4th), Vietnam, China (6th), Indonesia, and Malaysia, which all score well in personal finance.
- European Struggles: More than half of the bottom 10 are European nations, such as Germany (42nd) and Finland, where expats often find it difficult to settle in and manage digital or administrative tasks.
- North American Issues: Canada (40th) remains in the bottom 10 for a second year, largely due to high costs for housing, transportation, and general living.
