Inside Asia's best countries for expats

Affordable living, vibrant cultures and career opportunities are drawing expats to Asia – and many say they've never been happier.

In the 2025 International Expat Insider Survey, which asked more than 10,000 expats across 172 nationalities about their life abroad, personal finance was tightly tied to overall happiness. This priority gave one region a major boost: five of the world's top 10 expat destinations were in Asia – Thailand, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Malaysia.

China made one of the index's largest gains this year, jumping from 19th place in 2024 to sixth overall, thanks to high scores for working life and overall quality of living. Malaysia cracked the top 10 for the first time, while Vietnam ranked fifth with top results in personal finance.

We spoke to expats in these three high-ranked counties to find out what makes life there so appealing and what challenges new arrivals should expect.

China

China's sixth place on the list came from high scores in personal finance and overall happiness, with particularly strong results in career prospects, salary and job security. Yet the expat experience varies widely by city. 

"Shanghai is an amazing spot for expats," said Dutch expat and travel blogger Chris Oberman. "There are lots of international groups, bars, companies and spots where expats hang out. Beijing has a typical Chinese cultural charm, but the expat community in Beijing is much smaller." 

Belgian expat Wouter Mayeur has lived in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, with very different experiences in each. "Hong Kong is vibrant and busy and has many areas where you can shop until you drop, eat amazing food and find plenty of activities for young and old," he said. "Despite the political changes in the past few years, the city is still very convenient and is comfortable for expats," he said.

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Located in south-eastern China, Shenzhen, meanwhile, is China's fast-growing "tech capital", known for its modern infrastructure and clean streets. Mayeur says there are plenty of work opportunities, and the transportation network makes it easy to get around. "If you prefer to commute by yourself, you can get an e-bike. Most major roads have separate spaces to ride on." 

Convenience is a recurring theme, with expats across China raving about fast public transportation to efficient online shopping. "If you bought something that you want to return, just leave it at your doorstep outside and they will pick it up," said Oberman. "All these conveniences are huge time savers."

Even still, being flexible remains the key to happiness here. "Things move fast in China, whether it is at work (like the boss has changed his mind) or you've made an appointment with a plumber to fix your sink. He might just come the next day with a one-minute notice," said Oberman. Restaurants here come and go quickly as well, so it helps not to get overly attached. 

Learning Mandarin also makes daily life easier. "If you can say in a restaurant, 'It tastes good', or to someone in your company, 'good job', you'll notice the wall between Chinese and foreigners will come down much more easily, and you can connect so much faster," said Oberman. "I started learning Chinese after about eight months and wish I had begun much earlier."

Malaysia

Malaysia ranked at number 10 this year, scoring highly in personal finance, housing and language. English is widely spoken, making it especially attractive to newcomers. "Moving there and fitting in is relatively easy," said Australian expat Christine Reynolds, who works as a Malaysian expert for relocation firm Expatsi. 

Many expats live in Penang on the north-west coast or Kuala Lumpur, the capital, but the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo is also drawing interest. American expat Kirsten Raccuia particularly likes Malaysia's diversity. "With religious or cultural festivals nearly every week, you could be standing in a Hindu temple, smelling the incense from the Buddhist temple down the street and hearing the call to prayer from the mosque at the same time," said Raccuia, who writes about her experiences at her blog Sand in My Curls. "There is nowhere else in the world that offers that mashup of cultures." 

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The country's affordability is also something that expats appreciate, with the lower costs boosting quality of life across housing, healthcare and transport. "Accommodation costs are low for dreamy apartments with gyms and pools, and at weekends you can head to beaches, jungles, see orangutans in the Borneo side or fly to Thailand for just £50 [$67]," said Reynolds.

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Expats also praised a healthy work-life balance. "Malaysia is serious when it comes to business, yet it also allows you the time and space to enjoy leisure and personal pursuits," said Farah Jaber, who moved here from Bangkok and is general manager for Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. "It's a place where you can work hard but still immerse yourself in a lifestyle that's rich with culture, nature and a continuous stream of new discoveries."

For digital nomads, the county offers one of the region's easiest visas, and quality wi-fi and an abundance of co-working spaces make it easy to work remotely. Those who want to consider living in Malaysia long-term can pursue the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, which comes with significant tax benefits for those who earn income from outside the country. 

Vietnam

Sliding into the top five best places for expats, Vietnam ranked first in the personal finance index, a metric that contributes directly to quality of life. 

"It's $360 [£267] a month for a studio apartment three blocks from the ocean," said American Norman Bour, who lived in Da Nang for three months last year and is planning on returning due to the affordable cost of living. "Plus, it has affordable food and transportation. It's as cheap as anywhere we've lived in the world."

Expats also find it easy to build community here, both with locals and other international residents. "You quickly find that neighbours, local shopkeepers and even street vendors become part of your support system, which creates a sense of community that many expats do not expect when they first arrive," said Ayushi Tandon, who lived in Ho Chi Minh City for a year and a half and blogs at Laptops & Landscapes.

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She says the city can feel busy and chaotic on the surface, but once you understand the underlying rhythm, life starts to feel lighter. Flexibility and patience go a long way, however, especially when it comes to the paperwork often needed for simple tasks. "Setting up a phone plan or extending a visa involve multiple steps, stamps and visits," she said. "The process can feel old-fashioned, but once you accept it, it becomes manageable."

Tandon warns that the tropical climate takes adjustment. "Books, clothes and electronics need extra care to keep mould and rust away," she noted.

Vietnam's coffee culture is a particular highlight. Tandon recalls ferry rides across the Saigon River to neighbourhoods that tourists rarely visit. "Walking through small streets full of hidden coffee shops and local food stalls gave me the most authentic connection to the city," she said. 

In Hoi An, South African expat Michelle Ford begins her day with coffee in Tra Que vegetable village on the edge of Hoi An. "Café Slow overlooks the herb gardens and has cold brews, flat whites and a hole-in-the-wall little bakery," said Ford, who is the general manager of the local Namia River Retreat. "Espresso Station in Hoi An is an artsy spot – try the charcoal coffee latte or coconut coffee."

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