Deciding to pack up your entire life and move across the globe usually starts with a romantic idea. You picture yourself sipping morning coffee in a sunlit plaza or walking down crisp, snowy streets. Then reality hits. Bureaucracy, high rent, and local isolation make you wonder why you ever left home. If you want to avoid that specific brand of regret, looking at hard data from global relocation studies helps cut through the noise.
The InterNations Expat Insider survey for 2026 evaluated how foreigners actually live, work, and settle down across 31 countries. Panama took the top spot for the third consecutive year. Meanwhile, Norway landed dead last. The reasons behind these rankings reveal a lot about what makes living abroad genuinely sustainable versus what just looks good on paper.
Why Panama Keeps the Top Spot
Moving to Central America sounds intimidating until you look at the numbers. Eighty-seven percent of expats in Panama report being happy with their life abroad, well above the global average of seventy percent.
People often think weather is the main driver here, but personal finance plays a much larger role. Ninety percent of respondents state their disposable household income is enough to live comfortably. Sixty-nine percent give the cost of living a positive rating. That combination of financial breathing room and low stress explains why thirty-seven percent of expats surveyed in Panama are already retired.
Working professionals aren't left out either. Panama ranks first worldwide for work-life balance among foreign workers. Visa acquisition is straightforward, with eighty-two percent calling the process manageable. Finding an apartment is remarkably easy too. Ninety percent of expats say securing housing is stress-free.
Of course, it is not paradise in every single category. Panama ranks poorly for road infrastructure and urban environments. Potholes are real, and traffic can test your patience. Yet, the overall ease of everyday life easily outweighs the bad roads for most newcomers.
The Problem With Norway
Norway frequently tops standard lists for quality of life, happiness indexes, and economic stability. So why did it rank thirty-first out of thirty-one countries in the 2026 expat ranking?
Fewer than half of foreign residents in Norway are content with their life there. The Scandinavian lifestyle is famously introverted, which translates to extreme loneliness for outsiders. Only thirty-one percent of expats feel genuinely at home in local communities. Making friends with locals requires cracking a social code that many foreigners find nearly impossible to navigate.
Add a brutal cost of living and mediocre marks in personal finance categories, and the Scandinavian dream quickly turns exhausting. High taxes and expensive housing drain savings accounts faster than expected. When you combine high expenses with a cold social climate, the appeal fades quickly. High salaries don't matter much when your daily life feels isolated and unaffordable.
What Other Countries Got Right
Mexico secured the second spot globally, driven largely by local friendliness. It ranks first in the Ease of Settling In index. Expats in Mexico report that neighbors welcome them immediately, though safety and infrastructure concerns keep it from matching Panama's overall score.
Thailand rounds out the top three. Forty-two percent of expats living there say they want to stay forever. Affordable healthcare and low day-to-day expenses make it a massive draw for remote workers and retirees alike.
On the flip side, Germany and Türkiye joined Norway at the bottom of the table. Germany struggles with rigid bureaucracy, a tough language barrier, and a notoriously difficult housing market. Türkiye deals with persistent financial strain affecting foreign residents.
Choosing Your Next Move Wisely
Relocating successfully requires matching your personality to the right environment. If you value financial breathing room, warm weather, and a welcoming culture where bureaucracy won't suffocate you, Latin America offers a proven path. If you prefer structured public services and don't mind fighting hard to build a social circle from scratch, traditional high-cost European destinations might still appeal despite their low rankings. Look past the tourist brochures and focus on how daily friction will affect your mental health. Pick the environment that solves your specific problems instead of chasing someone else's ideal destination.
