Five of di best kontris wey foreigner fit live and work for 2023

One new survey on living and working abroad don show di best kontris for expatriate to live. From Malaysia to Mexico, residents explain why dem love dia new home.

Whether na to understand di new culture, or to find out di best places or na to establish new friendships, living abroad get im own joy and challenges. But depending on di kind of lifestyle you dey look for, some places dey easier for expatriate to live pass odas.

Internations, wey be di world largest expat network, recently put together dia annual Expat Insider report, wia dem rank di top kontris based on 56 aspects of expatriate life from cost of living to housing to high-speed internet availability. More than 12,000 expatriate from 171 nationalities wey dey live for 172 kontris or territories respond, dia result cover di globe.

We bin speak to residents wey dey live for a few of di top-ranked kontris to understand which aspects of life dey help expatriate feel at home pass and also di one wey go allow dem to build a new life for dia.

Mexico

Dem rank dem number one for dis year survey, Mexico no be stranger to dis kain recognition, onto say dem dey within di top five every year since 2014. Di kontri rank first for Ease of Settling In index and dia local friendliness subcategory, wey also result for high scores for finding friends. In fact, 75% of expatriate wey do di survey say e dey easy to make local friends here, compared to just 43% globally.

"Dis pipo na some of di friendliest pipo you go ever meet," na so Dutch expatriate Aemilius Dost, wey don dey live for Mexico for a year and a half now and dey blog for Road to di Unknown tok. "I really enjoy di vibe I get while I bin dey shop for fresh fruits and vegetables for my local market. Dia simple lifestyle dey easy for many pipo to copy."

Although for Mexico goment fit dey challenging to navigate, e also dey easy to maintain residency if you qualify, and dem no get minimum amount of time wey you fit stay for di kontri to keep your visa status. Even though English na wetin most of di touristy areas dey speak, expatriate go find life easier if dem work on dia Spanish before dem arrive. Even if you no be expert by di time you move, a little practice fit go a long way. "Poco a poco (little by little), your Spanish knowledge go start to grow," na so Julien Casanova, founder of Oaxaca Travel Tips wey don live for Mexico for five years wey originally come from America.

Expatriate also appreciate Mexico well-well' sake of dia culture and history, wey see dem rise for di top ranking for culture and welcome subcategory. "Close connection to family and tradition dey part of Mexican culture," na so Casanova tok. "I love Oaxaca City for dis reason. Na ogbonge festive city wit deep roots for dia pre-Hispanic past."

Mexico get plenty unique cities wey expatriate fit call home. "Mexico get all di landscapes, different climates, all di gastronomy and culture. And di best of all dem na, di warmth and service of di pipo, di good humour always, di permanent party atmosphere wherever you go. Na just a matter of connecting with eviritin," na so Elizabeth Lemos, wey originally come from Uruguay, wey don live for Mexico since 2022 and dey serve as an Internations ambassador (one position wey dey work to organise local expatratie gatherings). "for Mexico, you fit find your place for di world."

Spain

Spain don dey di top ranking 10 for di survey Quality of Life index since 2014, sake of dia culture and nightlife, opportunities for recreation and leisure, and dia correct climate and weather na big factor.

"Even though tins dey very different from di south to di north of di kontri, di temperatures generally dey mild and pleasant," na so resident Patricia Palacios tok, she be di co-founder of España Guide, she don live for Spain for di past decade. She say di weather na one of di main benefits of living here. "For example, cities like Valencia and Malaga get more dan 300 sunny days per year and e get an average temperature of 18C (65F)." She also like di food options, she add say she like di Mediterranean climate, e dey provides, dat landscape and architecture wey don dey influenced by so many cultures ova di years.

Cost of living continues to drop here more than for oda European kontris, wey either be a blessing or a curse depending on your career status, since local salaries dey lower. "E go even make more sense if you fit work remotely and earn a higher foreign income so you fit get better standard of living," na wetin Palacios advise. And while di kontri get better digital programme, she also say to be freelancer fit come with di administrative headaches and "freelancing fee" on top of your normal taxes.

According to Palacios, locals dey easy-going, friendly and welcoming, especially to those wey dey try to learn di language. Dem dey very patient wit foreigners wey get limited Spanish skills, wey dey very important wen starting out for a new kontri," she tok. According to Internations survey, 80% of expatriate dey feel at home here, 18% higher than di global average.

She advise, anybody wey dey move here to take dedicated Spanish classes. "Only wen you speak di language you go fit enjoy your new life for Spain," she tok. "Na also a way of showing respect and appreciation for di local culture."

Panama

Di Central American kontri rank third for di index thanks to high scores for di ease of settling in, ease of finding friends and di culture and welcome categories. Like Spain, di kontri don introduce a digital nomad visa, wey be one of di lowest fees for di world– in fact, expatriate for di index rank am as one of the top-five kontris wey be di easiest to get visa. Di climate and weather also dey help di kontri to place dey high, overall dem rank 11th for dat subindex.

"Panama get correct weather per my personal preference – 75F-85F [24-29C] all year, and a good mix of rain and sun," na so expatrate Sarah Bajc, owner of di local Camaroncito EcoResort & Beach tok. Di kontri also dey closer geographically to America, wey make am easy for her to make phone calls and visit family and friends afta 10 years of living forAsia.

Di US-dollar-based economy also make easy to handle finances, Bajc tok, and add say e dey allow her to buy real estate relatively straightforwardly. Similarly, di Internations survey also find out say most expatriate say housing here dey both easy to find and affordable. For di overall ranking di kontri rank eighth for di Personal Finance index, wit 80% of expatriate say dem dey happy wit dia financial situation.

Prioritising economic and personal safety along wit di opportunity to purchase beach-front real estate, Bajc take decision on wia e go dey easy for her to retire. "Na Panama win," she tok. "Especially wen you considerdi economy, weather and a welcoming, diverse culture wey love to dance!"

Bahrain

Di only Middle Eastern kontri for di top 10, Bahrain dey ranked ninth and na di most improved kontri for di list from 2022 to 2023, dem move up 19 places. Na dem move up di most for di Personal Finance index, as nearly half of expatriate wey do di survey, bin rate di cost of living more dan for 2022, and report say dem very satisfied wit dia financial situation.

Di kontri also score well across multiple types of indexes, ranking number one for di Expatraite Essentials category, wey include topics like administration (like opening bank account), housing, digital access and language. Na also one of di easiest places to get visa and deal wit local authorities, and 78% of those wey take part for di survey say e dey easy to live here without speaking Arabic.

During expatriate gatherings and events, oda expatriate also tok how beautiful di kontri be and how dia Bahraini friends and colleagues dey welcome dem.

Residents also say di kontri go grows on you, wit time you go begin appreciate all di benefits. "During expatriate gatherings and events, oda expatriate hail how beautiful di kontri be and how dia Bahraini friends and colleagues welcome dem," na so Internations ambassador Sharmila Vadi tok, wey from India and don stay 23-years for Bahraincapital, Manama. "Almost everybody wey you talk to go agree wit you about how warm and culturally friendly di kontri and dia pipo be."

Vadi tok about di work environment wey dey welcoming but competitive enough to grow a successful career. "Na brilliant mix of well-educated Bahraini workforce wey dey work side by side wit skilled expatriates to make di work environment very exciting and conducive towards knowledge exchange, wey in di end go lead to fantastic career growth for all," she tok. She add say many expatriates don succeed hia for dia career and dem dey end up to stay longer than dia originally plan, dem dey even buy property.

Vadi also don see a rise for di availability of entertainment options over recent years, especially few months to di Bahrain Grand Prix (wey bin take place for March), dat period di kontri dey see top musical artists wey dey perform for shows along wit art exhibitions and oda creative activities. Di annual Spring of Culture Festival dey bring together talent from across diworld (like Turkish poetry and di Japan Film Festival), while dem dey also highlight di kontri own rich culture and historical sites. "Activities boku to look forward way gatz do wit entertainment, e dey allow us to enjoy a good work-and-personal-life balance," Vadi tok. "E dey both exciting at times, and sometimes slow enough wey dey make make living here an enjoyable experience."

Malaysia

Na number four for di overall index, Malaysia jump up for di Quality of Life subindex dis year, pipo wey dey live dia rank di kontri third for dia availability of travel opportunities. Di Southeast Asian kontri also scores well for local friendliness and personal finance.

Na two regions di kontri get (Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia for di island of Borneo), Malaysia na correct place for homebase for those wey like to travel well-well. "Di ability to reach di whole of Southeast Asia within two hours of flight time make di kontri di centre for di region, e allow easy access to regional markets," na so resident and Internations ambassador Shawn Bhushan, wey dem born hia but also don live for Singapore, London, Hong Kong and Miami. Im also love to travel round di kontri to know di place in a new way. "Di kontri size go allow you to discover foods, travel to vintage cities, Unesco heritage sites, islands, history, geography and religions."

Bhushan say di cost of living hia dey very manageable, income and overheads dey easy to balance. Many pipo dey understand English, and di local language dem write am for Romanised script, wey make am easier for English speakers to read. As a teacher wey don live for Malaysia for two years before, Bajc tok say di kontri pipo dey respect education. "Di Malay culture dey prize education, and my students (and dia parents) treated me wit great affection and respect," she add put.

From dia warm and welcoming culture, Bajc bin make many friends within di traditional Malay community as well as Indians and Chinese communities too, but she say difference dey between social friendship and genuine acceptance wey expatriates fit find challenging for di long run. Aside dat one, expatriates say e dey easy to relate wit pipo hia. "Generally di vibe good, and pipo response dey sincere," Bhushan tok.

Top 10 kontris for expatriates for di world