Data report
Vol. 2026 / 04Last verified MethodologyHigh confidence
Best Countries to Live in 2026: 95 Ranked by Data (Free Index)
The Global Relocation Index for people planning a move in 2026. Seven decision dimensions, 27 data sources, zero paywall.
Scope: 95 countries · 7 dimensions · 27 sources
Press headline · permalink
Singapore ranks #1 of 95 in the WhereNext 2026 Global Relocation Index, ahead of New Zealand and Malta — 5 European countries make the top 10
Copy with attribution: “Singapore ranks #1 of 95 in the WhereNext 2026 Global Relocation Index, ahead of New Zealand and Malta — 5 European countries make the top 10” — WhereNext, as of 2026-08-21
This report includes a quality-of-life dimension of the GRI alongside cost, education, and career factors. For the canonical quality-of-life question, see the 2026 Quality of Life Index derived from the same verified scoring modules.
This is the 2026 edition of the Global Relocation Index. Browse the permanent annual-edition archive.
At a glance — 2026 Global Relocation Index
- Countries scored
- 95
- Top of the index
- Singapore · 72/100
- Global average
- 49/100
- Europe average
- 60/100
- Updated
- 2026-08-28
- License
- CC BY 4.0 (free re-use)
The WhereNext Global Relocation Index 2026 measures which countries offer the strongest overall relocation fit. We score 95 countries on cost of living, safety, healthcare quality, education, career opportunity, lifestyle appeal, and infrastructure. Quality of life is one dimension of the GRI; the dedicated Quality of Life Index is the canonical source for that narrower question.
Compute your own weighted country ranking with the free Relocation Quiz.
Quick answer
The 2026 Global Relocation Index ranks Singapore #1 (72/100), New Zealand #2 (70), and Malta #3 (70). The composite score weights 7 dimensions: cost of living, safety, healthcare, education, career, lifestyle, and infrastructure — derived from World Bank ICP, UNDP HDI, IEP Global Peace Index, OECD PISA, and EF EPI public-domain data. European countries average 60/100; the global average is 49/100.
What is the Global Relocation Index?
Quick answer
The Global Relocation Index is a live, comparable ranking of 95 countries across cost, safety, healthcare, education, career, lifestyle, and infrastructure. Its composite is calculated by the WhereNext scoring engine from named public sources including World Bank ICP, UNDP HDI, IEP Global Peace Index, OECD PISA, and EF EPI; download the source data to inspect the current rows.
How is the Global Relocation Index computed?
Quick answer
Each country's score is a seven-dimension composite, not a single survey result: the engine normalizes source metrics and applies the published relocation weights. A country can therefore rank highly overall while still having a lower individual dimension, so compare the component scores when one condition—such as cost or career—dominates your move.
Which country ranks #1 and why?
Quick answer
Singapore ranks #1 in the current index at 72/100 because its weighted seven-dimension composite is the highest of all 95 scored countries. That is a general relocation verdict, not a visa-eligibility result; use the live WhereNext relocation-index dataset to compare the dimensions that matter to you.
Which countries moved the most in the ranking?
Quick answer
This edition is a current-score snapshot, so it does not calculate year-over-year movers from a prior edition. Use the current rank and component scores for a lookup answer; a movement claim needs a like-for-like historical release rather than an inferred change.
Get notified when relocation rules change
Email me only when a rule changes — dated, sourced, one-click unsubscribe.
Key facts
- #1: Singapore 72/100 composite — top of the global ranking across 7 dimensions.
- #2: New Zealand 70/100 composite, with strengths typically in healthcare and infrastructure.
- #3: Malta 70/100 — close to the top tier on most dimensions.
- Europe avg: 60/100 the highest-scoring continent in the 2026 index.
- Global avg: 49/100 across all 95 countries in the dataset; CC BY 4.0 open data.
Retirement readiness — Singapore
Seven dimensions scored 0-10 from primary-source data. Composite = weighted mean (visa 20% · healthcare 20% · tax 15% · safety 15% · climate 10% · language 10% · cost 10%).
Verified · WhereNext corridor registry (visa pathway + claim confidence) · WHO 2024 UHC service-coverage index + JCI accreditation directory · US Treasury bilateral income-tax treaties index · IEP Global Peace Index 2025 · Köppen-Geiger climate classification + WHO air-quality database · EF English Proficiency Index 2025 · Numbeo Cost of Living Index 2026-Q1
- Visa ease(?)🇸🇬Singapore4.0
- Healthcare access(?)🇸🇬Singapore9.0
- Tax complexity(?)🇸🇬Singapore8.0
- Safety(?)🇸🇬Singapore9.0
- Climate(?)🇸🇬Singapore6.0
- Language(?)🇸🇬Singapore9.0
- Cost of living(?)🇸🇬Singapore2.0
Composite (weighted mean)
🇸🇬Singapore6.9
| Dimension | Weight | Singapore | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa ease | 20% | 4.0 | WhereNext corridor registry (visa pathway + claim confidence) |
| Healthcare access | 20% | 9.0 | WHO 2024 UHC service-coverage index + JCI accreditation directory |
| Tax complexity | 15% | 8.0 | US Treasury bilateral income-tax treaties index |
| Safety | 15% | 9.0 | IEP Global Peace Index 2025 |
| Climate | 10% | 6.0 | Köppen-Geiger climate classification + WHO air-quality database |
| Language | 10% | 9.0 | EF English Proficiency Index 2025 |
| Cost of living | 10% | 2.0 | Numbeo Cost of Living Index 2026-Q1 |
| Composite | 1.00 | 6.9 | Weighted mean (see weights column) |
Key Findings
The WhereNext 2026 Global Relocation Index ranks 95 countries across 7 dimensions using institutional public-domain datasets. Singapore leads at 72/100, followed by New Zealand (70) and Malta (70). The global average composite score is 49/100, with European countries averaging 60/100.
Countries Analyzed
95
Across 6 regions
#1 Overall
Singapore
Score: 72/100
Data Sources
27
Institutional sources
Global Average
49/100
Median: 51/100
Top 10 Countries to Move to in 2026
The top 10 countries to move to in 2026 are Singapore, New Zealand, Malta, Ireland, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Slovenia — ranked by WhereNext's composite score across cost of living, safety, healthcare, education, career, lifestyle, and infrastructure from institutional public-domain datasets.
Ranked by composite score across all 7 dimensions. Higher = better overall relocation fit.
Asia · ~$2,250/mo · Strength: Education
Singapore stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. At ~$2,250/month, it ranks #1 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Asia: 🇭🇰 Hong Kong (68), 🇰🇷 South Korea (67)
Oceania · ~$2,950/mo · Strength: Safety
New Zealand stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$2,950/month, it ranks #2 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Oceania: 🇦🇺 Australia (68), 🇫🇯 Fiji (26)
Europe · ~$2,050/mo · Strength: Healthcare
Malta stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. At ~$2,050/month, it ranks #3 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Europe: 🇮🇪 Ireland (69), 🇨🇭 Switzerland (69)
Europe · ~$3,350/mo · Strength: Safety
Ireland stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$3,350/month, it ranks #4 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Europe: 🇲🇹 Malta (70), 🇨🇭 Switzerland (69)
Europe · ~$4,000/mo · Strength: Safety
Switzerland stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$4,000/month, it ranks #5 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Europe: 🇲🇹 Malta (70), 🇮🇪 Ireland (69)
Asia · ~$2,350/mo · Strength: Healthcare
Hong Kong stands out for being safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. At ~$2,350/month, it ranks #6 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Asia: 🇸🇬 Singapore (72), 🇰🇷 South Korea (67)
Oceania · ~$3,350/mo · Strength: Healthcare
Australia stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$3,350/month, it ranks #7 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Oceania: 🇳🇿 New Zealand (70), 🇫🇯 Fiji (26)
Europe · ~$2,750/mo · Strength: Infrastructure
Netherlands stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$2,750/month, it ranks #8 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Europe: 🇲🇹 Malta (70), 🇮🇪 Ireland (69)
Americas · ~$2,850/mo · Strength: Infrastructure
Canada stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. Watch out for higher cost of living. At ~$2,850/month, it ranks #9 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Americas: 🇨🇱 Chile (53), 🇺🇾 Uruguay (53)
Europe · ~$2,000/mo · Strength: Safety
Slovenia stands out for being exceptionally safe, world-class healthcare, excellent digital infrastructure. At ~$2,000/month, it ranks #10 overall for relocation in 2026.
Also in Europe: 🇲🇹 Malta (70), 🇮🇪 Ireland (69)
Best Countries by Category
WhereNext's 2026 index scores each country across 7 dimensions: cost of living, safety, healthcare, education, career opportunity, lifestyle, and infrastructure. The category leaders are Iceland for safety, Japan for healthcare, and Egypt for affordability — each using different institutional data sources.
Top 5 countries in each dimension. Different priorities produce different winners.
💰 Best for Cost of Living
Lower cost = higher score. Based on World Bank PPP and national statistical data.
- 1.🇪🇬 Egypt100
- 2.🇲🇲 Myanmar100
- 3.🇮🇳 India100
- 4.🇱🇰 Sri Lanka100
- 5.🇳🇵 Nepal100
🛡️ Best for Safety
Global Peace Index, governance indicators, and homicide rates.
- 1.🇮🇸 Iceland100
- 2.🇳🇿 New Zealand100
- 3.🇨🇭 Switzerland100
- 4.🇸🇮 Slovenia100
- 5.🇮🇪 Ireland100
🏥 Best for Healthcare
UHC coverage, physician density, and life expectancy.
- 1.🇯🇵 Japan100
- 2.🇭🇰 Hong Kong100
- 3.🇨🇭 Switzerland100
- 4.🇦🇺 Australia100
- 5.🇪🇸 Spain100
🎓 Best for Education
PISA scores, school life expectancy, and tertiary enrollment.
- 1.🇸🇬 Singapore100
- 2.🇯🇵 Japan100
- 3.🇹🇼 Taiwan100
- 4.🇰🇷 South Korea100
- 5.🇭🇰 Hong Kong100
💼 Best for Career
Labor force participation, purchasing power, and business environment.
- 1.🇶🇦 Qatar100
- 2.🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates100
- 3.🇰🇼 Kuwait100
- 4.🇮🇸 Iceland100
- 5.🇧🇭 Bahrain100
🌴 Best for Lifestyle
Climate comfort, English proficiency, and visa friendliness.
- 1.🇲🇹 Malta94
- 2.🇨🇾 Cyprus91
- 3.🇦🇺 Australia87
- 4.🇳🇿 New Zealand86
- 5.🇵🇹 Portugal84
🌐 Best for Infrastructure
Transport quality, internet connectivity, and urban development.
- 1.🇩🇰 Denmark100
- 2.🇰🇷 South Korea100
- 3.🇳🇴 Norway100
- 4.🇨🇭 Switzerland100
- 5.🇳🇱 Netherlands100
Regional Comparison
Europe leads the 2026 Global Relocation Index with an average composite score of 60/100 across 37 countries. Europe has the highest regional average at 60/100, led by Malta (70/100). Asia covers 19 countries with an average of 43/100.
| Region | Countries | Avg Score | Top Country | Top Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 37 | 60 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 70 |
| Middle East | 8 | 51 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 66 |
| Oceania | 4 | 45 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 70 |
| Americas | 16 | 44 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 68 |
| Asia | 19 | 43 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 72 |
| Other | 2 | 43 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 44 |
| Africa | 9 | 27 | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 49 |
What This Means For You
Your ideal relocation destination depends on your priorities: budget-conscious expats should look at Sri Lanka (~$750/month), safety-focused families at New Zealand (safety score 100/100), and career-driven professionals at Iceland (career score 100/100).
Different goals call for different regions. Here's how each region stacks up based on common relocation priorities.
Europe
37 countries analyzed, average score 60/100. 🇲🇹 Malta leads the region at 70/100.
Most affordable: 🇲🇩 Moldova (~$950/mo)
Safest: 🇮🇪 Ireland (safety: 100/100)
Best healthcare: 🇨🇭 Switzerland (healthcare: 100/100)
Middle East
8 countries analyzed, average score 51/100. 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates leads the region at 66/100.
Oceania
4 countries analyzed, average score 45/100. 🇳🇿 New Zealand leads the region at 70/100.
Most affordable: 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea (~$1,550/mo)
Best healthcare: 🇦🇺 Australia (healthcare: 100/100)
Americas
16 countries analyzed, average score 44/100. 🇨🇦 Canada leads the region at 68/100.
Most affordable: 🇨🇴 Colombia (~$1,000/mo)
Asia
19 countries analyzed, average score 43/100. 🇸🇬 Singapore leads the region at 72/100.
Most affordable: 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka (~$750/mo)
Best healthcare: 🇭🇰 Hong Kong (healthcare: 100/100)
Other
2 countries analyzed, average score 43/100. 🇹🇷 Turkey leads the region at 44/100.
Safest: 🇬🇪 Georgia (safety: 43/100)
Africa
9 countries analyzed, average score 27/100. 🇲🇺 Mauritius leads the region at 49/100.
Most affordable: 🇪🇬 Egypt (~$700/mo)
Best healthcare: 🇹🇳 Tunisia (healthcare: 61/100)
Full Ranking: All 95 Countries
The complete 2026 Global Relocation Index ranks all 95 countries from Singapore (#1, score 72/100) to Myanmar (#95, score 12/100). The median country scores 51/100. Free CSV and JSON downloads are available via the WhereNext open API.
Composite score is a weighted average across all 7 dimensions, adjusted by data confidence. Cost is inverted (higher = cheaper). All scores 0-100.
| # | Country | Score | Cost | Safety | Health | Edu | Career | Life | Infra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 72 | 47 | 96 | 98 | 100 | 95 | 75 | 81 |
| 2 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 70 | 21 | 100 | 93 | 87 | 92 | 86 | 89 |
| 3 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 70 | 53 | 90 | 95 | 68 | 86 | 94 | 95 |
| 4 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 69 | 5 | 100 | 97 | 91 | 89 | 83 | 87 |
| 5 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 69 | 0 | 100 | 100 | 88 | 91 | 66 | 100 |
| 6 | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 68 | 42 | 76 | 100 | 100 | 77 | 76 | 95 |
| 7 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 68 | 5 | 82 | 100 | 88 | 91 | 87 | 92 |
| 8 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 68 | 27 | 84 | 92 | 78 | 92 | 82 | 100 |
| 9 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 68 | 23 | 88 | 88 | 93 | 84 | 78 | 96 |
| 10 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 67 | 56 | 100 | 90 | 81 | 73 | 74 | 82 |
| 11 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 67 | 10 | 90 | 90 | 84 | 83 | 78 | 100 |
| 12 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 67 | 45 | 61 | 98 | 100 | 88 | 62 | 100 |
| 13 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 67 | 56 | 96 | 92 | 78 | 61 | 84 | 89 |
| 14 | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 66 | 0 | 100 | 95 | 61 | 100 | 70 | 94 |
| 15 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 66 | 29 | 90 | 100 | 100 | 83 | 49 | 82 |
| 16 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 66 | 49 | 94 | 85 | 51 | 100 | 72 | 94 |
| 17 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 66 | 32 | 96 | 90 | 83 | 78 | 73 | 83 |
| 18 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 65 | 21 | 92 | 90 | 87 | 73 | 74 | 87 |
| 19 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 65 | 37 | 78 | 86 | 80 | 83 | 72 | 96 |
| 20 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 65 | 15 | 71 | 100 | 83 | 80 | 76 | 95 |
| 21 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 64 | 71 | 69 | 81 | 100 | 84 | 59 | 84 |
| 22 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 64 | 32 | 82 | 92 | 83 | 67 | 74 | 98 |
| 23 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 64 | 0 | 73 | 97 | 75 | 89 | 75 | 100 |
| 24 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 64 | 22 | 71 | 88 | 87 | 81 | 76 | 96 |
| 25 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 64 | 70 | 88 | 76 | 84 | 78 | 64 | 83 |
Show all 95 countries (70 more) ↓
| # | Country | Score | Cost | Safety | Health | Edu | Career | Life | Infra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 64 | 58 | 80 | 69 | 99 | 72 | 70 | 93 |
| 27 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 63 | 48 | 78 | 100 | 77 | 53 | 73 | 90 |
| 28 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 62 | 0 | 94 | 98 | 77 | 80 | 72 | 95 |
| 29 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 60 | 77 | 86 | 59 | 77 | 67 | 64 | 87 |
| 30 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 60 | 82 | 80 | 66 | 86 | 69 | 67 | 69 |
| 31 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 60 | 44 | 73 | 98 | 77 | 55 | 69 | 77 |
| 32 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 59 | 48 | 76 | 93 | 48 | 100 | 55 | 67 |
| 33 | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 58 | 73 | 80 | 58 | 77 | 70 | 66 | 76 |
| 34 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 58 | 74 | 80 | 69 | 75 | 52 | 78 | 70 |
| 35 | 🇫🇷 France | 57 | 38 | 43 | 95 | 78 | 66 | 65 | 92 |
| 36 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 57 | 51 | 51 | 85 | 38 | 81 | 91 | 87 |
| 37 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 57 | 64 | 78 | 66 | 67 | 63 | 65 | 81 |
| 38 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 56 | 66 | 82 | 51 | 81 | 59 | 65 | 77 |
| 39 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 55 | 59 | 63 | 86 | 55 | 34 | 78 | 88 |
| 40 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 53 | 90 | 88 | 56 | 39 | 67 | 60 | 67 |
| 41 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 53 | 68 | 63 | 78 | 55 | 45 | 73 | 76 |
| 42 | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 53 | 59 | 69 | 63 | 49 | 52 | 75 | 83 |
| 43 | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 52 | 73 | 39 | 88 | 36 | 100 | 56 | 73 |
| 44 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 52 | 88 | 65 | 56 | 52 | 50 | 65 | 82 |
| 45 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 51 | 86 | 80 | 49 | 43 | 53 | 65 | 76 |
| 46 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 51 | 97 | 69 | 51 | 72 | 64 | 44 | 59 |
| 47 | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 51 | 85 | 76 | 61 | 39 | 33 | 73 | 80 |
| 48 | 🇺🇸 United States | 51 | 18 | 6 | 68 | 84 | 83 | 72 | 90 |
| 49 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 50 | 71 | 43 | 68 | 30 | 88 | 38 | 99 |
| 50 | 🇮🇱 Israel | 50 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 71 | 84 | 76 | 75 |
| 51 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 50 | 58 | 63 | 86 | 30 | 100 | 40 | 55 |
| 52 | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 49 | 85 | 84 | 46 | 36 | 50 | 81 | 65 |
| 53 | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 49 | 85 | 55 | 56 | 59 | 39 | 65 | 73 |
| 54 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 48 | 86 | 55 | 59 | 35 | 50 | 69 | 72 |
| 55 | 🇦🇱 Albania | 48 | 84 | 71 | 76 | 19 | 39 | 68 | 63 |
| 56 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 47 | 67 | 61 | 78 | 39 | 34 | 63 | 66 |
| 57 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 47 | 73 | 61 | 71 | 28 | 75 | 48 | 64 |
| 58 | 🇨🇳 China | 46 | 62 | 31 | 73 | 81 | 55 | 35 | 92 |
| 59 | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 45 | 95 | 63 | 34 | 43 | 63 | 53 | 63 |
| 60 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 45 | 92 | 41 | 56 | 33 | 63 | 60 | 65 |
| 61 | 🇵🇦 Panama | 44 | 71 | 51 | 78 | 26 | 61 | 53 | 45 |
| 62 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 44 | 99 | 0 | 69 | 70 | 42 | 60 | 66 |
| 63 | 🇵🇪 Peru | 43 | 79 | 39 | 64 | 38 | 58 | 63 | 47 |
| 64 | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 43 | 70 | 55 | 34 | 35 | 53 | 72 | 63 |
| 65 | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 42 | 99 | 43 | 49 | 28 | 36 | 66 | 70 |
| 66 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 42 | 78 | 39 | 49 | 41 | 53 | 58 | 60 |
| 67 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 41 | 86 | 65 | 64 | 19 | 16 | 58 | 70 |
| 68 | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 40 | 75 | 65 | 51 | 25 | 14 | 62 | 76 |
| 69 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 39 | 82 | 22 | 54 | 35 | 39 | 57 | 64 |
| 70 | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 38 | 78 | 73 | 37 | 39 | 39 | 35 | 55 |
| 71 | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 38 | 89 | 45 | 49 | 10 | 50 | 54 | 54 |
| 72 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 36 | 81 | 55 | 66 | 14 | 0 | 52 | 57 |
| 73 | 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | 36 | 55 | 53 | 44 | 28 | 58 | 75 | 67 |
| 74 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 36 | 92 | 0 | 63 | 38 | 38 | 53 | 53 |
| 75 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 35 | 82 | 59 | 56 | 13 | 0 | 56 | 54 |
| 76 | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 35 | 100 | 57 | 68 | 16 | 17 | 55 | 22 |
| 77 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 35 | 92 | 55 | 31 | 20 | 53 | 41 | 33 |
| 78 | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 33 | 79 | 4 | 63 | 23 | 47 | 53 | 47 |
| 79 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 33 | 86 | 41 | 24 | 12 | 42 | 60 | 43 |
| 80 | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 32 | 90 | 43 | 29 | 3 | 61 | 42 | 30 |
| 81 | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 31 | 84 | 47 | 32 | 17 | 41 | 47 | 22 |
| 82 | 🇱🇦 Laos | 29 | 97 | 61 | 19 | 0 | 47 | 31 | 25 |
| 83 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 28 | 81 | 53 | 61 | 14 | 0 | 57 | 42 |
| 84 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 27 | 100 | 35 | 32 | 9 | 13 | 44 | 43 |
| 85 | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 26 | 67 | 63 | 10 | 19 | 30 | 65 | 35 |
| 86 | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 26 | 88 | 53 | 0 | 6 | 33 | 51 | 30 |
| 87 | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 26 | 95 | 31 | 51 | 0 | 36 | 31 | 12 |
| 88 | 🇮🇳 India | 25 | 100 | 16 | 36 | 20 | 25 | 47 | 22 |
| 89 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 23 | 75 | 24 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 75 | 40 |
| 90 | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 21 | 100 | 37 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 14 |
| 91 | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 21 | 100 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 20 | 58 | 0 |
| 92 | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 20 | 89 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 41 | 64 | 0 |
| 93 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 17 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 58 | 41 | 0 |
| 94 | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 15 | 73 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 36 | 0 |
| 95 | 🇲🇲 Myanmar | 12 | 100 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 22 | 0 |
Methodology
The WhereNext Global Relocation Index methodology scores 95 countries across 7 weighted dimensions — cost (weight 25), safety (60), healthcare (60), education (50), career (55), lifestyle (50), and infrastructure (55) — using institutional public-domain datasets including the World Bank, WHO, OECD PISA, and Global Peace Index, with confidence-adjusted normalization.
The WhereNext Global Relocation Index is a multi-dimensional scoring system designed specifically for people considering international relocation. Unlike single-metric rankings (cost-only or safety-only), this index evaluates each country across 7 dimensions that matter most to expats, remote workers, retirees, and families planning a move abroad.
Scoring Dimensions
- Cost of Living (weight: 25): Inverted cost index + World Bank PPP. Lower cost = higher score. Intentionally lower-weighted because “cheapest” rarely means “best.”
- Safety (weight: 60): Global Peace Index, World Governance Indicators (political stability, rule of law), and UNODC homicide rates.
- Healthcare (weight: 60): WHO Universal Health Coverage index, physician density per 10,000, and national life expectancy.
- Education (weight: 50): OECD PISA scores (reading, math, science), UNESCO school life expectancy, and tertiary enrollment rates.
- Career (weight: 55): World Bank labour-force participation and unemployment (ILO-modelled series), GNI per-capita purchasing power (PPP, capped), and Worldwide Governance regulatory quality.
- Lifestyle (weight: 50): Composite of climate comfort (35%), EF English Proficiency Index (30%), and visa friendliness (35%).
- Infrastructure (weight: 55): World Bank internet-use (IT.NET.USER.ZS) and fixed-broadband (IT.NET.BBND.P2) adoption indicators.
Confidence Scoring
Each country receives a data-confidence score (0.50–0.92) based on source coverage and freshness. Countries with fewer data points receive a confidence penalty, pushing uncertain scores toward the middle of the distribution rather than artificially inflating or deflating them.
Limitations
No index captures the full complexity of relocation decisions. This ranking does not account for: personal language skills beyond English, specific profession demand by country, individual health conditions, family composition, political/cultural affinity, or the subjective “feel” of a place. Use our interactive explorer to customize weights for your priorities.
Data Sources
The WhereNext 2026 Global Relocation Index aggregates data from institutional public-domain datasets including the World Bank PPP Conversion Factors, WHO Universal Health Coverage index, OECD PISA scores, Global Peace Index (IEP), EF English Proficiency Index, World Bank internet-use and broadband indicators, ILO Labour Statistics, and national statistics agencies from 95 countries.
All scores are derived from institutional data — no surveys, no opinions. Each source is publicly verifiable.
Use This Data
Embed our relocation data on your website, access it via API, or cite it in your research. WhereNext's composite scores are free to cite with attribution.
API Endpoints
/api/data/relocation-index/api/data/relocation-index/csvCite As
WhereNext Global Relocation Index 2026, getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026
Free to cite with attribution
Cite This Report
Free with attribution to WhereNext. You are free to share, adapt, and build upon for any purpose with appropriate credit.
Suggested Citation
WhereNext. "Global Relocation Index 2026: 95 Countries Ranked Across Seven Dimensions." getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026. Published 2026-04-02.API Access
Access this dataset programmatically via our free, public API. No authentication required. CORS-enabled for browser use.
JSON (default)
GET https://getwherenext.com/api/data/relocation-indexCSV
GET https://getwherenext.com/api/data/relocation-index/csvRate limit: 100 requests/hour. Response cached for 24 hours.
Use this data interactively
How to cite this data:
WhereNext. "Global Relocation Index 2026." getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026. Accessed 2026-04-02.
Licensed under CC BY 4.0. This covers WhereNext’s composite scores and original compilation; the underlying third-party sources (World Bank, UNDP HDI, IEP GPI, OECD PISA, EF EPI) retain their own copyright and terms.
Explore Further
Country Explorer
Customize weights and filter by your priorities
Cost of Living Report
Detailed cost breakdown for all 95 countries
Cost Comparison Tool
Compare 3 countries side by side
Climate Finder
Find countries matching your ideal weather
Tax Comparison
Compare tax burden across countries
Best Countries from the US
In-depth guide for Americans
Suggested citation
CC BY 4.0This dataset is free to redistribute, quote, and embed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The composite form below preserves source lineage so AI assistants can cite both WhereNext and the underlying institutional publishers.
WhereNext composite — Global Relocation Index 2026 (2026-04-16). Derived from: World Bank ICP (cost of living); WHO Global Health Observatory (healthcare quality); OECD PISA + UNESCO UIS (education); Yale EPI (environment); IEP Global Peace Index (safety); EF English Proficiency Index (language access); World Bank internet penetration + fixed broadband (digital infrastructure); WGI (governance). Available at https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). Global Relocation Index 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "Global Relocation Index 2026." WhereNext, 16 Apr 2026, https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
@misc{wherenext_getwherenext_com_data_global_relocation_index_2026,
author = {{WhereNext}},
title = {Global Relocation Index 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation},
note = {CC BY 4.0}
}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/data/global-relocation-index-2026?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — Global Relocation Index 2026</a>
Related open datasets
Every WhereNext dataset is free to download, embed, and cite (CC BY 4.0).