We’ve all daydreamed about packing up our lives and jetting off to somewhere completely new, but most of us never get around to actually doing it. A determined few, however, really do pack up everything and head off in search of a better – or at least different – life.
People leave home for a variety of reasons, whether it be their career, family, or because they’re sick of the rain. For anyone undecided, the annual Expat Insider survey gives key insights as to which countries are actually worth uprooting your life for, and where definitely isn’t. The study asks people in 46 different countries how satisfied they are with their new homes, and the UK – despite its sizeable immigrant population – rarely fares well.
Last year, Britain was named the 10th worst place for expats to move to, but this year, we’ve moved down to 6th worst – 41 out of 46. The only European nations which ranked lower than us were Germany and Finland. The latter may come as a surprise, as Finnish natives are often named amongst the happiest in the world. Immigrants, however, reportedly struggle with fitting into the local community.
The UK performed poorly in several categories, coming 45th out of 46 when it came to personal finances and costs, 41st in housing, and 44th in medical costs. All residents in the UK are entitled to use the NHS, but some may require specialised care from private providers.
Basically, those moving over to the UK are facing the same struggles as the rest of the nation: a lack of housing and a cost of living crisis. What we do well is administrative issues like getting paperwork returned and visas processed. Additionally, we ranked 14th in career prospects and 19th in work satisfaction. At least it’s not all bad.
Only one European nation – Spain – made it into the top 10. It was Panama that led the way in first, with 94 percent of expats and immigrants there saying they were happy with their quality of life.
You can have a look at the full 2025 Expat Insider study, or the more detailed report on Britain.
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