Panama has secured the top position in InterNations' Expat Insider Report for 2026, which assesses countries based on factors such as quality of life, cost of living, and work-life balance. The Central American nation ranks second for ease of settling in and leads in working abroad and personal finance indices.
Mexico follows in second place, noted for its friendly locals and ease of making new friends, with roughly four in five expats feeling their disposable income is sufficient. Thailand is ranked third, with 86 per cent of expats there reporting happiness with their lives abroad, compared to a global average of 70 per cent.
Conversely, the report indicates that predominantly European countries are the worst places for expats in 2026. Norway is ranked 31st, with Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom closely behind.