What Factors into the Ranking?

Munich, 21 March 2023 — The Expat Essentials Index reveals the 52 destinations that make life abroad easiest and those that make life most challenging for foreign residents. The index is based on data from the Expat Insider 2022 survey by InterNations, the world’s largest expat community with over 4.5 million members. All top three destinations, Bahrain (1st), the UAE (2nd), and Singapore (3rd), offer easy communication with the lack of a language barrier, while also posing minimal bureaucratic issues. On the other hand, expats struggle the most with getting started in Germany (52nd), Japan (51st), and China (50th). Expats in all three countries struggle with the local language and a lack of modern digitalization.

The Top & Bottom Destinations Worldwide for Dealing with Administration, Digital Life, Housing, and Language

The Best Destinations for Getting Started Abroad

1 | Bahrain: The Ideal Place for Easy Beginnings

Luckily for expats in Bahrain, finding your feet in this island country appears to be a breeze — it secures the 1st place out of 52 in the ranking of the best and worst destinations to get started in. The Admin Topics Subcategory (2nd) is a particular highlight for expats in Bahrain. About two in three (67%) report that it is easy to deal with the local authorities, an impressive 27 percentage points more than the global average (40%). Visa issues also pose very few problems: 70% say it is easy to get a visa to move there (vs. 56% globally). When it comes to Digital Life, Bahrain ranks below the global average for unrestricted access to online services, such as social media (34th) but lands in a top 10 spot for the availability of government services online (8th).

The majority of expats in Bahrain (82%) says that it is easy for them to find housing, while only about half of expats globally (54%) can say the same. However, only 39% find housing in Bahrain affordable, the same share as the worldwide average (39%). But expats in Bahrain are at least not held back by language barriers; 82% say it is easy to live there without speaking the local language(s) (vs. 51% globally).

2 | The UAE Offers Expats Worry-Free Bureaucracy

The UAE offers expats a smooth transition to life abroad, claiming second place in the ranking. Just like in no. 1 Bahrain, the Language Subcategory (2nd) is also a major highlight for the UAE. While only 40% of expats say that learning the local language is easy (vs. 41% globally), this doesn’t seem to be a major issue, since the majority (85%) also says that it is easy to live there without speaking the local language(s) (vs. 51% globally). Expats are also very pleased with the way Admin Topics (3rd) are handled in the UAE, voting the country 1st worldwide for the ease of obtaining a visa to move there. Additionally, 61% say that it is easy to deal with the local bureaucracy in the UAE, compared to 40% globally.

The UAE receives mixed results in the Digital Life Subcategory (14th). On the positive side, expats vote the country 3rd out of 52 for the availability of administrative services online, as well as 10th for the ease of getting high-speed internet access at home. However, the UAE ranks 49th for unrestricted access to online services, such as social media. In fact, 19% of expats do not feel that they have unrestricted access there, almost triple the global average (7%). When it comes to the Housing Subcategory (14th), 75% consider it easy to find housing in the UAE (vs. 54% globally), but only 38% say that it is affordable (vs. 39% globally).

3 | Singapore Offers Expats a Well-Organized & Highly Digitalized Life

Ranking 3rd out of 52 destinations, Singapore makes it especially easy for expats to get started. With English as one of its official languages, it is hardly surprising that the city-state lands in 1st place in the Language Subcategory.

In addition to the lack of a language barrier, expats appreciate its great infrastructure for Digital Life (4th). In no other place is it as simple to get high-speed internet access at home (1st). An impressive 97% are happy with this factor (vs. 79% globally). Another 91% are satisfied with the availability of administrative services online (vs. 61% globally). An Indonesian respondent points out the “fast and organized online services for many administrative purposes” as a major benefit of life in Singapore. Nearly all expats (97%) also agree that cashless payment options are easily available (vs. 84% globally).

Singapore also performs strongly in the Admin Topics Subcategory (5th). About two in three expats (63%) find it easy to deal with the city-state’s authorities (vs. 40% globally), and the majority doesn’t have any difficulties opening a local bank account (81% vs. 64% globally). Lastly, Singapore gets mixed results in the Housing Subcategory (34th). On the one hand, housing is easy to find (15th), but on the other hand it is difficult to afford (47th). In fact, 71% are unhappy with the affordability of housing (vs. 43% globally).

4| Estonia: The No. 1 Expat Destination for Admin Topics & Digital Life

Estonia owes its outstanding 4th place mainly to its strong performance in both the Admin Topics and the Digital Life Subcategories (1st for both). Sorting out the basics of expat life in this Baltic state is easy in many ways. For example, 80% of expats in Estonia found it easy to obtain their visa for moving there, compared to a worldwide average of 56%. About eight in ten (81%) have no issues dealing with the local authorities, either (vs. 40% globally).

When it comes to the availability of government services online, Estonia even ranks 1st out of 52 destinations. “I really like how easy it is to live here,” says a British expat. “Services are usually (though not always) free of bureaucratic difficulties and demand less paperwork than in the UK.” Expats in Estonia also love the unrestricted access to online services (1st), the cashless payment options (5th), and the ease of setting up high-speed internet access at home (6th).

However, the country only gets average results in the Language and Housing Subcategories (27th for both). It is still easy enough to get by in Estonia without speaking the local language (77% happy vs. 51% globally). But expats who would like to immerse themselves deeper in the local culture might face certain challenges: 61% describe the local language as hard to learn (vs. 38% globally).

5 | Oman: A Smooth Start for Expats but Limited Online Services

Expats find it very easy to find their footing in Oman — the Arab country excels in the Expat Essentials Index (5th), ranking among the top 10 in both the Housing (8th) and the Language (7th) Subcategories. Expats report that housing is both easy to find (79% vs. 54% globally) and to afford (57% vs. 39% globally). It is also easy to live in Oman without speaking the local language (75% vs. 51% globally). In fact, only 33% speak it fairly or very well, 20 percentage points less than the global average of 53%.

However, expat life in the sultanate has its restrictions: Oman (50th) joins China (52nd) and Kuwait (51st) among the bottom 3 destinations for unrestricted access to online services (e.g., social media). In fact, 13% of expats feel that their online access is limited, nearly twice the global average (7%). This leads to a below-average 38th place in the Digital Life Subcategory. As far as Admin Topics (12th) are concerned, though, Oman makes life for expats relatively easy again.

6| Indonesia: Affordable Housing Market, Not Much of a Language Barrier for Expats

In some ways, Indonesia (6th) makes it very easy for expats to start their new life abroad. It is even voted the country where it is easiest for expats to find housing (1st). An impressive 84% rate this factor positively, 30 percentage points more than the global average of 54%.

On top of that, the “great saving opportunities with low living expenses” that a South Korean expat describes also seem to apply to Indonesia’s housing market. The country claims 2nd place for affordable housing: nearly three in four (74%) consider local housing to be affordable, compared to 39% worldwide. And it ranks 6th out of 52 destinations for the ease of learning the local language.

While Indonesia’s general performance in the Admin Topics Subcategory (30th) is fairly average, expats have particular issues when it comes to dealing with the local bureaucracy. In fact, 57% say this can be challenging, compared to 39% globally. In the Digital Life Subcategory (42nd), there is also some room for improvement, according to expats. For example, only 43% rate the availability of government services online favorably (vs. 61% globally).

7 | Housing Is a Highlight in Saudi Arabia but Online Access Not So Much

Saudi Arabia facilitates a smooth transition to local life for expats, ranking 7th in the Expat Essentials Index. Like its fellow Gulf States Bahrain (1st), the UAE (2nd), Oman (5th), and Qatar (8th), it offers expats relatively worry-free bureaucracy, easily available housing, and not much of a language barrier.

Not only do 62% say that housing in Saudi Arabia is easy for expats to find (vs. 54% globally), another 42% say it is affordable as well (vs. 39% globally). “What I particularly like about Saudi Arabia are the cheap houses and the good road network,” says an expat from Uganda.

Admin topics (11th) offer little frustration for expats in Saudi Arabia, and 73% say it is easy to open a local bank account (vs. 64% globally). Only 19% speak the local language very well, compared to 33% of expats globally. But Language (11th) still does not seem to pose a problem: only 18% say it is difficult to live there without speaking the local language (vs. 32% globally). Although 77% are happy with the availability of government services online (vs. 61% globally), just 51% feel they have unrestricted access to online services (e.g., social media), compared to 82% globally. This results in a mediocre rank for Saudi Arabia in the Digital Life Subcategory (25th).

8 | It Is Easy for Expats to Get By in Qatar with Stress-Free Administration

Qatar ranks 8th in the Expat Essentials Index overall. It claims a place among the top 10 in the Language (5th) and Admin Topics (10th) Subcategories. Close to four in five (79%) find it easy to live in the Gulf State without speaking Arabic (vs. 51% globally). Worldwide, the share of expats who struggle abroad due to not speaking the local language(s) is 32%. In Qatar, this percentage is four times lower (8%). In fact, 16% of expats in Qatar do not speak the local language at all (vs. 10% globally), but that is not actually a problem. As an Indian expat explains, “everyone converses in English”.

Half the expats (50%) also find it easy to deal with the local authorities in Qatar (vs. 40% globally), and in terms of housing, the country does quite well on a global scale: 64% say it is easy for expats to find housing there (vs. 54% globally).

Qatar gets mixed results in the Digital Life Subcategory (17th). On the one hand, 91% say it is easy to pay without cash (vs. 84% globally), and another 81% like the availability of government services online (vs. 61% globally). However, the country only ranks 46th out of 52 when it comes to unrestricted access to online services, for example, social media. “I am bothered by the lack of ability to search for things locally online,” says an expat from Canada. The bottom ranking for this factor is similar in other Gulf States, such as Oman (50th), the UAE (49th), and Saudi Arabia (47th).

9| Kenya: Expats Get a Smooth Start regarding Language & Housing 

Like Indonesia (6th), Kenya (9th) provides expats with an easy transition in two areas in particular: Language (3rd) and Housing (12th). The great result in the former subcategory is most likely due to the fact that English still serves as one of the country’s two official languages and is widely used in business, education, and government offices. Many expats also have few or no difficulties in finding housing, ranking Kenya 9th out of 52 destinations in this regard. And 43% consider the available housing to be affordable, slightly more than the worldwide average of 39%.

However, Kenya does not do nearly as well in the other two subcategories. It only comes in a below-average 35th place for Admin Topics. The local bureaucracy seems to be a particular source of frustration for many expats: 57% find it difficult to deal with, nearly 20 percentage points more than the average of 39% globally. “I dislike the inefficiency of many government agencies. Everything is very time-consuming. They do have online platforms, but these often don’t work properly,” explains an expat from the Netherlands. Kenya ranks 42nd for the availability of government services online.

10| Canada: Easy Enough for Expats to Get Started, with One Notable Exception

Canada rounds out the top 10, offering expats a smooth start abroad in many respects. First of all, 64% find it easy to deal with the local authorities (vs. 40% globally). “Once you are here, it is so easy to contact the government with questions,” an expat from Spain states. The country even ranks in 2nd place for the ease of opening a local bank account ― a factor 90% of expats rate positively (vs. 64% globally).

Canada also makes it into the top 10 of the Digital Life Subcategory (8th). For example, 92% appreciate the ease of paying without cash (vs. 84% globally). Another 91% are happy with the unrestricted access to online services (vs. 82% globally), and 88% consider it easy to set up high-speed internet access at home (vs. 79% globally).

Canada being a predominantly English-speaking country likely makes life abroad less complicated for many expats. Accordingly, it comes 9th out of 52 in the Language Subcategory. However, good English (or French) skills seem to be a must ― 38% of expats explain that it is hard to live there without speaking the official language(s) (vs. 32% globally). However, Canada ends up among the bottom 10 for Housing (43rd): 30% say that housing for expats is hard to find (vs. 27% globally), and 62% find it hard to afford (vs. 43% globally).

Where Expats Struggle Most with Starting Life Abroad

52 | Germany Is the Hardest Place to Get Started as an Expat

When starting out in Germany, expats face many frustrating barriers. They rank the country last in the Expat Essentials Index (52nd). It ends up among the bottom 10 in three out of four subcategories: Housing (47th), Digital Life (48th), and Language (49th).

Expats report that housing in Germany is both hard to afford (59% unhappy vs. 43% globally) and to find (56% unhappy vs. 27% globally). “It may take up to three months to find even a temporary accommodation,” says an expat from Poland.

Expats do not fare much better when it comes to Language (49th); 46% say it is difficult to live in Germany without speaking the local language (vs. 32% globally). Although 60% speak German fairly or very well (vs. 53% globally), the language is still a struggle, with another 55% describing it as hard to learn (vs. 38% globally). Germany’s lack of digitalization is another major issue: 24% of expats find it hard to get high-speed internet access at home (vs. 11% globally), while 27% are bothered by the lack of cashless payment options (vs. 8% globally).

The missing digital infrastructure also impacts the availability of government services online (43rd): about one in three expats (33%) rate this factor negatively (vs. 21% globally). The country does a bit better regarding Admin Topics (36th) in general, but not by much. For example, 52% of expats find it difficult to deal with the local authorities (vs. 39% globally). “I really hate German bureaucracy,” an expat from the UK says. “Especially the fact that nothing is digitized! It takes forever to get in touch with any of the local government offices to discuss residence permits and the like.” 

51 | Expats Struggle with the Language Barrier in Japan

Japan comes second to last in the Expat Essentials Index (51st), even ending up in last place in the Language Subcategory (52nd). In fact, 70% of expats in Japan find it difficult to learn the local language, compared to 38% globally. And unfortunately, learning the language does not seem to be something they can do without. Over half the expats in Japan (53%) describe it as hard to live there without local language skills (vs. 32% globally). Housing poses further problems; 45% say that it is difficult for expats to find housing in Japan, compared to 27% globally.

The country barely escapes a bottom 10 ranking in the Admin Topics Subcategory (41st); 38% of expats report difficulties in opening a local bank account, nearly double the global average (21%). Japan also performs poorly in the Digital Life Subcategory (44th). Over one in three expats (35%) are dissatisfied with the availability of administrative services online (vs. 21% globally), and 20% report that it is difficult to pay without cash (vs. 8% globally). “The bureaucracy and inflexibility [in Japan] disrupt the smooth flow of things,” shares an expat from Trinidad.

50 | Internet Restrictions in China Frustrate Expats

Setting up the basics of life abroad in China can pose many difficulties for expats. The country lands in 50th place out of 52 in the ranking. China’s weakest point is the Digital Life Subcategory, where it ranks last worldwide (52nd). Expats vote the country last (52nd) when it comes to unrestricted access to online services, such as social media. In fact, 69% feel that their access to these kinds of services is restricted, almost ten times the global average (7%). Additionally, 28% of expats in China report that it is difficult to get high-speed internet access at home, compared to only 11% globally. On the more positive side, over nine in ten (91%) find it easy to pay without cash (vs. 84% globally).

The Admin Topics Subcategory (48th) is another lowlight. China ranks 49th for both the ease of opening a local bank account and the ease of obtaining a visa to move there. The country does not fare much better in the Language Subcategory (46th). Over two in three expats (68%) report that it is difficult to learn the local language, twenty percentage points more than the global average (38%). China ranks midfield in the Housing Subcategory (20th), placing 29th for affordable housing and 16th for the ease of finding housing as an expat.

49 | Expats Encounter Visa & Other Admin Issues in Kuwait

Expats rank Kuwait (49th out of 52) among the worst destinations worldwide for setting up the basics of expat life. Kuwait places 50th in the Admin Topics Subcategory, even coming last globally (52nd) for the ease of obtaining a visa. Nearly two in three expats (66%) also say that it is difficult to deal with the local bureaucracy, compared to 39% globally.

Expats seem to be overall disappointed in the lack of digitalization in Kuwait — the country ends up in 47th place in the Digital Life Subcategory. In fact, 24% of expats in Kuwait feel that they do not have unrestricted access to online services, such as social media, compared to only 7% globally. About one in five (19%) also report that it is difficult to get high-speed internet access at home, nearly double the global average (11%). The country ranks below average in the Housing Subcategory (37th), even landing among the bottom 10 for the affordability of housing (44th). Kuwait performs best (though still fairly average) in the Language Subcategory (29th), where it ranks 19th for the ease of living there without speaking the local language.

48 | Bureaucracy in Italy Is a Headache for Expats

When it comes to getting an easy start abroad, expats consider Italy one of the worst destinations. The country ranks 48th out of 52 overall and performs worst in the Admin Topics Subcategory (49th). Over two in three expats (68%) say that it is difficult to deal with the local bureaucracy, 29 percentage points more than the global average (39%). The country also ranks in the bottom 10 for the ease of opening a local bank account (44th) and the ease of obtaining a visa (44th). “The bureaucracy here is extremely burdensome to the point of ridiculous, in almost all aspects of life from getting a visa to getting a driver’s license and beyond,” shares a US American expat.

While over half the expats (55%) report that it is difficult to live there without speaking the local language (vs. 32% globally), this may not be such a big issue, as 53% also describe it as easy to learn (vs. 38% globally). However, expats in Italy are very frustrated with the topics covered in the Digital Life Subcategory (45th). About two in five (38%) are unhappy with the availability of administrative services online (vs. 21% globally). Another 16% struggle with obtaining high-speed internet access at home (vs. 11% globally), and 11% are unhappy with the lack of cashless payment options (vs. 8% globally). Italy ranks midfield in the Housing Subcategory (32nd), but it barely avoids a bottom 10 spot when it comes to the ease of finding housing (42nd).

47 | Expats Struggle with Poor Digitalization in Greece

Greece performs rather poorly in the Expat Essentials Index (47th). Expats in Greece report some of the biggest difficulties in the Digital Life Subcategory (46th out of 52 destinations). About one in three expats (32%) are unhappy with the availability of government services online (vs. 21% globally). The country also ranks in the bottom 3 (50th) for the ease of getting high-speed internet access at home. A Dutch expat says that “the bureaucracy and the low availability of online services in government and banking” are among the things she struggles with most in Greece.

The country has an equally poor performance in the Admin Topics Subcategory (47th). About two in five expats (39%) report that it is difficult to open a local bank account, about double the global average (21%). And 71% say it is a pain to deal with local authorities, compared to 39% globally. The country ranks below average in the Language Subcategory (39th), as well as midfield when it comes to Housing (26th).

46 | Dealing with Administration in Vietnam Is a Nightmare for Expats

With a poor performance in the overall index (46th), Vietnam narrowly misses out on landing in last place in the Admin Topics Subcategory (51st out of 52 destinations). About half of expats (48%) report that they had difficulties obtaining a visa to move there, double the global average of 24%. Almost two in three (66%) also say it is challenging to deal with the local bureaucracy (vs. 39% globally), and 41% find it difficult to open a local bank account (vs. 21% globally). “The bureaucracy makes simple tasks quite difficult,” explains a British expat living in Vietnam. It is perhaps unsurprising then that the country ranks last for the availability of government services online (52nd) in the Digital Life Subcategory (49th). About one in four expats (23%) also describe it as difficult to pay without cash, compared to only 8% globally.

The country also falls in the bottom 10 of the Language Subcategory (47th), ranking last worldwide for the ease of learning the local language (52nd). But this may not be such a big problem, as 65% report that it is easy to live there without speaking the local language(s) (vs. 51% globally). On the positive side, the country excels in the Housing Subcategory (5th). Nearly seven in ten expats (69%) consider housing in Vietnam affordable (vs. 39% globally), and 76% say that it is easy to find (vs. 54% globally).

45 | Communication Challenges for Expats in Czechia

Czechia ranks 45th out of 52 in the Expat Essentials Index. Upon arrival, expats face a number of challenges. The language barrier is one of the biggest issues. The country ranks second to last in the Language Subcategory (51st). Three in four expats (75%) report that learning the local language is difficult, nearly double the global average (38%). A Dutch expat shares that “learning the language remains my biggest obstacle”. And this seems to be a key skill, as about one in three expats (35%) agree that it is difficult to live there without speaking the local language(s) (vs. 32% globally).

The country also shows below-average performances across the index’s other subcategories: Digital Life (33rd), Housing (38th), and Admin Topics (31st). For example, expats struggle when it comes to dealing with the local authorities; 62% of expats in Czechia report having difficulties in this area, compared to 39% globally.

44 | France: Challenging Language & Admin Issues Make for a Rocky Start for Expats

France ranks among the bottom 10 out of 52 countries in the Expat Essentials Index (44th). Expats starting off in France face many initial obstacles, one of the first being Language (45th). Accordingly, 60% find it difficult to live in France without speaking the local language, almost double the global average (32%). This explains why France ranks last (52nd) for this factor. And although an impressive 72% say they speak French fairly or even very well (vs. 53% globally), they still struggle with learning it. “French is REALLY difficult, even after all these years, and without it you are lost!” says a Greek expat.

Some other major challenges for expats arise in the Admin Topics Subcategory, where France ranks among the bottom 10 (43rd). More than half (55%) say it is not easy to deal with the local authorities (vs. 39% globally), and 32% find it hard to open a local bank account (vs. 21% globally). A British expat explains: “What bothers me most is the bureaucracy, particularly the time it is taking to get full access to healthcare services. In general, France still has work to do to make such official processes easier and fully possible online.”

The country only performs slightly better in the Housing Subcategory (36th). While 39% find local housing in France to be affordable, the same share as the global average, 40% do not consider it easy to find (vs. 27% globally). On the positive side, Digital Life (24th) is a highlight for expats in France. Around nine in ten expats rate the cashless payment options positively (89% vs. 84% globally) and agree they have unrestricted access to online services, such as social media (90% vs. 82% globally). 

43| Malta: Expats Run Into Issues with Digital Infrastructure & Administration

In Malta (43rd out of 52 destinations), expats often seem to struggle with finding their feet abroad. Bureaucracy probably poses the biggest challenge, with the country placing last worldwide in the Admin Topics Subcategory (52nd). Nearly three in five expats (58%) find it difficult to deal with Malta’s local authorities (vs. 39% globally). “I dislike the red tape; for example, the difficulties in getting a driver’s license,” says a British expat. “Also, the never-ending paperwork to obtain a bank account!” Malta actually ends up in last place (52nd) for the ease of opening a local bank account.

The country’s results in the Digital Life Subcategory (40th) are somewhat better but still below the global average. For instance, Malta narrowly escapes another bottom 10 ranking when it comes to setting up high-speed internet access at home (42nd). Malta’s 33rd place in the Housing Subcategory is also a rather mediocre result. More than half the expats in Malta (52%) think that local housing is not affordable enough (vs. 43% globally).

On the positive side, probably due to the prevalence of English as one of Malta’s official languages, it seems to be quite easy to live there without speaking the local language (i.e., Maltese): 72% of expats agree that you can get by without local language skills (vs. 51% globally).

About the Expat Essentials Index

The Expat Essentials Index is part of the annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations. In the 2022 edition, InterNations asked 11,970 expats representing 177 nationalities and living in 181 countries or territories to provide information on various aspects of expat life, as well as their gender, age, and nationality. Participants were asked to rate up to 56 different factors regarding life abroad on a scale of one to seven.

The survey is made up of five indices, including the Expat Essentials Index. This index includes four subcategories and eleven factors that cover the areas of Digital Life, Admin Topics, Housing, and Language. To be featured in the Expat Essentials Index, each destination needed a sample size of at least 50 survey participants. In total, 52 countries and territories met this requirement in the 2022 survey.