When you move abroad, good healthcare is the safety net under everything else. These countries rank highest for healthcare provision for expats.
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#1 Monaco
Strongest on healthcare and expat community. Weaker on English-friendliness and residency ease.
- Cost of living: No data
- Property: No data
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: No data
- Tax: No income tax except French nationals
- Visa: ~EUR 500k bank deposit, 3yr to PR-status, no dual
- Climate: Warm (~17°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
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#2 Austria
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on cost of living and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: High
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide income, 55% top
- Visa: Skilled or private-means (quota-limited)
- Climate: Cool (~11°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Austria guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#3 Norway
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on tax friendliness and cost of living.
- Cost of living: High
- Property: Expensive
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide, ~39.8% top, wealth tax
- Visa: No retiree route, skilled work only, 3yr PR
- Climate: Cool (~7°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
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#4 Portugal
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on property affordability and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide income, 48% top rate
- Visa: D7 passive-income visa (~€820/mo)
- Climate: Warm (~17°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Portugal guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#5 Germany
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on cost of living and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: High
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide; high social contributions
- Visa: Blue Card/skilled; no retiree visa
- Climate: Cool (~10°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Germany guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#6 Switzerland
Strongest on healthcare and expat community. Weaker on cost of living and property affordability.
- Cost of living: Very high
- Property: Very expensive
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: Cantonal rates vary, lump-sum regime for wealthy
- Visa: Age 55+ lump-sum route, work quota-capped, 10yr PR
- Climate: Cool (~10°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Switzerland guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#7 Iceland
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on property affordability and cost of living.
- Cost of living: Very high
- Property: Expensive
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide, up to 46%, expert deduction
- Visa: Remote-work visa 6mo only, 4yr PR, dual
- Climate: Cool (~5°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Iceland guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#8 Andorra
Strongest on expat community and healthcare. Weaker on safety and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: No data
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Moderate
- Tax: Worldwide, 10% top rate, no wealth tax
- Visa: Passive residency needs EUR 1m plus ~EUR 55k income
- Climate: Cool (~7°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Andorra guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#9 Sweden
Strongest on healthcare and English-friendliness. Weaker on property affordability and cost of living.
- Cost of living: High
- Property: Expensive
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide, ~52% top combined, expert relief
- Visa: No retiree visa, work permit route, 4yr PR, dual
- Climate: Cool (~8°C)
- English: Very widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
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#10 Greece
Strongest on healthcare and safety. Weaker on cost of living and tax friendliness.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Excellent
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Worldwide; 7% flat pensioner regime
- Visa: Financially-independent visa (~€3,500/mo)
- Climate: Warm (~19°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Established
Would you need private health cover? Check your situation
How these rankings are calculated
Each destination is scored from 0 to 100 on nine factors (cost of living, property, healthcare, safety, tax, visa ease, climate, English-friendliness and expat community), then weighted to the preferences above and ranked. The healthcare score reflects the public system (spending and doctors per head); private care, which many expats use, can differ, and first-hand expat ratings are coming from our own survey. Cost and property are world-comparable price levels. Figures are general information, not personal financial, tax or immigration advice.
Data sources: Expat Focus built dataset · Expat Focus climate reference · Expat Focus reference · World Bank ICP / PPP price level · World Bank ICP 2021 housing Price Level Index · World Bank health expenditure per capita + physicians per 1,000 · World Bank intentional homicide rate · World Bank international migrant stock. See our data and licences page.