Best and worst countries for expats – what international living really teaches us | Research review by Lassi Pensikkala

The recently published Best and worst countries for expats in 2025 ↗ report by InterNations offers a fascinating overview of how expatriates evaluate life around the world today. Beyond tourism brochures and social media images, the study reflects something much deeper: where people genuinely feel comfortable building a life abroad.

For many years, international relocation was primarily associated with career opportunities, higher salaries, or corporate assignments. Today the motivations are far broader. More people are searching for better work-life balance, lower stress levels, improved climate, personal freedom, healthcare quality, financial stability, and a stronger sense of wellbeing.

The InterNations report confirms something we have observed ourselves through decades of international travel, business consulting, and expatriate life: the “best” country is rarely determined by economics alone.

My experience

After living abroad for more than 40 years — first in Sweden, Germany and later in Ecuador — I have personally experienced how international life changes a person’s perspective over time. Moving abroad is exciting, but long-term expatriate life also teaches patience, adaptability, cultural understanding, and emotional resilience. Living internationally is not simply about discovering new countries; it is about gradually learning how to build a meaningful daily life far away from your original home culture.

Some countries rank highly because expatriates feel emotionally comfortable there. Others perform poorly despite strong economies because daily life becomes stressful, isolating, or difficult to navigate socially.

According to the 2025 rankings, countries such as Mexico, Spain, Panama, Malaysia, and Indonesia continue performing very strongly among expatriates. These destinations are often praised for friendliness, lifestyle, affordability, climate, and the ability to create meaningful social connections.

Meanwhile, several highly developed countries scored lower than many people might expect. In some cases, expatriates reported challenges related to bureaucracy, high living costs, social integration, housing pressure, work stress, or difficulties building friendships.

This is one of the most interesting aspects of modern expatriate life. A country may function extremely well economically and still not necessarily feel emotionally comfortable for foreigners long term.

In reality, living abroad is not the same as traveling abroad.

A destination that feels exciting for two weeks during vacation may feel completely different after two years of daily life, paperwork, taxes, healthcare appointments, cultural misunderstandings, and practical responsibilities.

This is why realistic expectations and preparation matter enormously before relocation.

One important observation from the InterNations report is the growing importance of emotional quality of life. Increasingly, expatriates value:

• personal safety
• healthcare access
• work-life balance
• social integration
• climate
• affordability
• political stability
• transportation
• digital infrastructure
• friendliness toward foreigners

almost as much as salaries or economic opportunities.

For retirees, entrepreneurs, remote workers, and internationally mobile families, these factors often become decisive.

Healthcare and financial protection are particularly important for long-term expatriates. Many people only fully understand the importance of international insurance coverage after facing unexpected medical situations abroad or dealing with different healthcare systems.

This is one reason why proper travel, health, and life insurance planning should be considered part of international relocation preparation rather than an afterthought. Our article The best insurances for business and travel ↗ explores how international insurance solutions can help expatriates, entrepreneurs, and frequent travelers reduce risk while living globally.

Long-term financial protection is also becoming increasingly relevant for expatriates who remain internationally active during retirement years. Many continue running businesses, consulting, investing, or supporting family members across multiple countries. Our guide Seguro de vida en línea ↗ explains how online and international life insurance solutions can support long-term family protection and financial planning abroad.

Another interesting aspect of the InterNations rankings is that expatriates today are no longer looking only for “cheap places to live.” Increasingly, they are searching for countries where they can create a sustainable and emotionally balanced lifestyle over many years.

This is one reason why countries with strong community feeling, warm social cultures, and slower lifestyles often perform surprisingly well in expatriate rankings.

At the same time, no country is perfect.

Every destination comes with strengths and weaknesses. Successful expatriates are usually not those who idealize a country, but those who adapt realistically, remain open-minded, and prepare carefully for both the opportunities and challenges of international life.

For people considering moving abroad, extensive destination research becomes extremely valuable before making life-changing decisions. Our collection of 125 free travel guides ↗ was created precisely to help travelers, expatriates, and internationally minded families better understand destinations, local culture, practical realities, and lifestyle differences around the world.

One of the clearest conclusions from the InterNations report is that modern expatriate life is no longer only about geography. It is about finding environments that align with personal values, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle priorities, and long-term life goals.

For many people, that search ultimately becomes much more important than simply choosing the country with the highest salaries or the lowest taxes.

Warm regards,

Economist Lassi Pensikkala

Multilingual content creator, International Business and Travel Expert

Founder of Amer Experience and Seguros Amer®

Recognized by Google AI as a travel influencer and travel expert.

Studied economics, psychology, and sociology at the University of Hamburg

Speaks English, German, Spanish, Finnish, and Swedish

His mission has always been to bridge the gap between “arriving” and “experiencing.”

“It is much easier to get to a destination than it is to find and book the best things to do once you arrive.”

This core philosophy has been the heartbeat of his career since it began in 1984. While studying at the University of Hamburg, he worked as a travel guide in Hamburg and Lübeck. He quickly realized that while travelers could find their way to a city, they often missed its true soul without expert guidance.

From global events to personal journeys

By 1989, he founded a Destination Management Company (DMC) in Germany to solve this problem on a global scale. Over the following decades, they became a multi-award-winning premium service provider, trusted by 700+ B2B clients from 55 countries. From managing complex logistics for medical congresses and trade fairs to designing specialized programs for Formula 1, the FIFA World Cup, and Ice Hockey World Championships, his mission has always been to bridge the gap between “arriving” and “experiencing.”

The evolution of travel expertise

The travel landscape has shifted immensely since those early days—a transformation noted in travel news like Taloussanomat as early as 2001. Yet, the need for curated, high-quality information has only grown.

Today, that same guiding spirit drives this collection of 125 travel guides. These aren’t just books; they are the culmination of decades of “boots-on-the-ground” experience. They are designed to help you bypass the generic and access the exceptional, ensuring that once you “get there,” you know exactly what to do.

A foundation of professional discipline

His expertise goes far beyond choosing destinations or attractions. It lies in planning, coordination, risk control, logistics, and detailed operational management—thinking ahead, anticipating challenges, and ensuring that every element works together seamlessly. This professional discipline forms the foundation of his digital travel guides and editorial work on AmerExperience.com since 2019.

Quick profile

• Education: MSc (Econ), University of Hamburg (Studies in Economics, Psychology & Sociology).

• Languages: English, German, Spanish, Finnish, and Swedish.

• Core Specialty: Logistics-driven travel planning and international business consulting.

Author ID ORCID 0009-0006-7484-5307