Expat Insider 2017: Looking at the World through Expat Eyes

Now in its fourth year, Expat Insider is one of the largest surveys worldwide offering an in-depth analysis of expat life across the globe. More than 12,500 respondents representing 166 nationalities and living in 188 countries or territories answered our questions, providing unique insights into what it means to be an expat in 2017.

Our ranking of 65 destinations is based on how these countries were rated by their expat residents. For these ratings, we looked at more than 40 individual factors that influence an expat’s experience of living in a foreign country, from family life to finances. The picture that emerges is an interesting one, with some of the results differing noticeably from other country rankings.

Take a look at the world through expat eyes and explore the detailed results below.

Country Rankings & Topical Reports

Are you wondering about how welcome you’d feel in a specific country? Want to know where your money will take you the furthest? Or perhaps you’re curious about which countries are best for your career?

Our country rankings list the best (and worst) among 65 destinations across the globe, focusing on essential topics: quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, family life, personal finance, and cost of living. We also compare results across the years, identifying the biggest winners and losers in 2017.

After 2016’s focus on working abroad, this year we are taking a closer look at the Ease of Settling In Index, from local friendships and expat bubbles to feeling (un)welcome in a country and its culture.

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Best & Worst Places for Expats
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Biggest Winners & Losers
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Quality of Life Index
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Ease of Settling In Index
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Family Life Index
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Working Abroad Index
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Personal Finance & Cost of Living Indices
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Safest Countries for Expats
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Where Expat Lovebirds Roam
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Feeling (Un)Welcome Abroad

City Rankings

In addition, we asked specific questions about the cities our respondents live in: How do they find the local career opportunities? Is it easy to find housing? Do they feel at home in the city?

The Expat Insider 2017 city rankings reveal an in-depth analysis of 51 cities around the world. The rankings focus on the quality of urban living, getting settled, urban work life, as well as finance and housing — resulting in an overview of the best and worst cities for expats to live in.

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Best & Worst Cities for Expats
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Quality of Urban Living Index
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Getting Settled Index
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Urban Work Life Index
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Finance & Housing Index

Country & Regional Reports

We have taken a closer look at various expat destinations, featuring 16 in-depth country profiles, from Austria to the USA. We have also added four regional reports that cover Australia and New Zealand, the Arab Gulf states, four of the Nordic countries, and the Asian Tiger States.

Read on to find out what expat life is like around the world!

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The GCC States
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The Nordic Countries
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Oceania
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The Tiger States
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Austria
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Brazil
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Canada
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China
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Czech Republic
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France

Nationality Reports

As with the profiles on various countries or regions, we also wanted to portray the people who braved the unknown and are now living abroad. From sun-seeking British expats and globe-trotting French to romantic Irish and retired US Americans, our ten nationality reports give a closer look at expats around the world.

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Austrians Abroad
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The British Abroad
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The French Abroad
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Germans Abroad
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The Irish Abroad
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Italians Abroad
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Russians Abroad
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The Spanish Abroad
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The Swiss Abroad
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US Americans Abroad

Infographics

The Expat Insider infographics provide a handy visualization of some of the most interesting results, information on survey respondents, and more details on what factors into the overall ranking.

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Top Expat Destinations
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Safety & Security
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10 Types of Expats
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Feeling Welcome Abroad
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Relationships & Romance
Pictogram
The Expat Bubble and Beyond
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Survey Demographics
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Country Ranking Factors
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Passionate or Reserved Locals?
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Africa & Middle East Through Expat Eyes

Download

Download full report

Contact

Kathrin Chudoba

Kathrin Chudoba

Editor in chief

Expat Insider 2017: Looking at the World through Expat Eyes

Now in its fourth year, Expat Insider is one of the largest surveys worldwide offering an in-depth analysis of expat life across the globe. More than 12,500 respondents representing 166 nationalities and living in 188 countries or territories answered our questions, providing unique insights into what it means to be an expat in 2017.

Our ranking of 65 destinations is based on how these countries were rated by their expat residents. For these ratings, we looked at more than 40 individual factors that influence an expat’s experience of living in a foreign country, from family life to finances. The picture that emerges is an interesting one, with some of the results differing noticeably from other country rankings.

Take a look at the world through expat eyes and explore the detailed results below.

Country Rankings & Topical Reports

Are you wondering about how welcome you’d feel in a specific country? Want to know where your money will take you the furthest? Or perhaps you’re curious about which countries are best for your career?

Our country rankings list the best (and worst) among 65 destinations across the globe, focusing on essential topics: quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, family life, personal finance, and cost of living. We also compare results across the years, identifying the biggest winners and losers in 2017.

After 2016’s focus on working abroad, this year we are taking a closer look at the Ease of Settling In Index, from local friendships and expat bubbles to feeling (un)welcome in a country and its culture.

Pictogram
Best & Worst Places for Expats
Pictogram
Biggest Winners & Losers
Pictogram
Quality of Life Index
Pictogram
Ease of Settling In Index
Pictogram
Family Life Index
Pictogram
Working Abroad Index
Pictogram
Personal Finance & Cost of Living Indices
Pictogram
Safest Countries for Expats
Pictogram
Where Expat Lovebirds Roam
Pictogram
Feeling (Un)Welcome Abroad

City Rankings

In addition, we asked specific questions about the cities our respondents live in: How do they find the local career opportunities? Is it easy to find housing? Do they feel at home in the city?

The Expat Insider 2017 city rankings reveal an in-depth analysis of 51 cities around the world. The rankings focus on the quality of urban living, getting settled, urban work life, as well as finance and housing — resulting in an overview of the best and worst cities for expats to live in.

Pictogram
Best & Worst Cities for Expats
Pictogram
Quality of Urban Living Index
Pictogram
Getting Settled Index
Pictogram
Urban Work Life Index
Pictogram
Finance & Housing Index

Country & Regional Reports

We have taken a closer look at various expat destinations, featuring 16 in-depth country profiles, from Austria to the USA. We have also added four regional reports that cover Australia and New Zealand, the Arab Gulf states, four of the Nordic countries, and the Asian Tiger States.

Read on to find out what expat life is like around the world!

Pictogram
The GCC States
Pictogram
The Nordic Countries
Pictogram
Oceania
Pictogram
The Tiger States
Pictogram
Austria
Pictogram
Brazil
Pictogram
Canada
Pictogram
China
Pictogram
Czech Republic
Pictogram
France

Nationality Reports

As with the profiles on various countries or regions, we also wanted to portray the people who braved the unknown and are now living abroad. From sun-seeking British expats and globe-trotting French to romantic Irish and retired US Americans, our ten nationality reports give a closer look at expats around the world.

Pictogram
Austrians Abroad
Pictogram
The British Abroad
Pictogram
The French Abroad
Pictogram
Germans Abroad
Pictogram
The Irish Abroad
Pictogram
Italians Abroad
Pictogram
Russians Abroad
Pictogram
The Spanish Abroad
Pictogram
The Swiss Abroad
Pictogram
US Americans Abroad

Infographics

The Expat Insider infographics provide a handy visualization of some of the most interesting results, information on survey respondents, and more details on what factors into the overall ranking.

Pictogram
Top Expat Destinations
Pictogram
Safety & Security
Pictogram
10 Types of Expats
Pictogram
Feeling Welcome Abroad
Pictogram
Relationships & Romance
Pictogram
The Expat Bubble and Beyond
Pictogram
Survey Demographics
Pictogram
Country Ranking Factors
Pictogram
Passionate or Reserved Locals?
Pictogram
Africa & Middle East Through Expat Eyes

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Download

Download full report

Contact

Kathrin Chudoba

Kathrin Chudoba

Editor in chief