Want low taxes, decent healthcare and year-round warmth in retirement? These destinations rank highest on Expat Focus data for that mix.
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#1 Saudi Arabia
Strongest on tax friendliness and property affordability. Weaker on English-friendliness and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: Zero personal income tax for everyone
- Visa: Iqama or fee-based Premium Residency, no dual
- Climate: Warm (~26°C)
- English: Moderate
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Saudi Arabia guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#2 United Arab Emirates
Strongest on tax friendliness and expat community. Weaker on cost of living and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Safe
- Tax: No personal income tax
- Visa: Golden Visa; no citizenship path
- Climate: Warm (~28°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full United Arab Emirates guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#3 Qatar
Strongest on safety and tax friendliness. Weaker on property affordability and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: No personal income tax
- Visa: Employer-sponsored; PR rare
- Climate: Warm (~27°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
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#4 Kuwait
Strongest on tax friendliness and expat community. Weaker on healthcare and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: No personal income tax, expats exempt from social
- Visa: Employer-sponsored Iqama only, no PR path
- Climate: Warm (~26°C)
- English: Widely spoken
- Expat community: Very large
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#5 Malta
Strongest on English-friendliness and expat community. Weaker on tax friendliness and cost of living.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: Remittance basis; 15% flat regimes
- Visa: Residence/retirement programmes
- Climate: Warm (~19°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Very large
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#6 Bahamas
Strongest on English-friendliness and tax friendliness. Weaker on cost of living and safety.
- Cost of living: Very high
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Higher risk
- Tax: Zero income tax, no CGT or wealth tax
- Visa: USD 1m property buys permanent residency, English
- Climate: Warm (~25°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Established
Read the full Bahamas guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#7 Antigua and Barbuda
Strongest on English-friendliness and tax friendliness. Weaker on healthcare and safety.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Affordable
- Healthcare: Moderate
- Safety: Some concerns
- Tax: No personal income tax at all
- Visa: Citizenship by investment or nomad visa, English
- Climate: Warm (~27°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Antigua and Barbuda guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#8 Singapore
Strongest on safety and expat community. Weaker on cost of living and residency ease.
- Cost of living: Moderate
- Property: Moderate
- Healthcare: Strong
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: Territorial; no foreign-income or CGT
- Visa: Employment Pass; no retiree visa; no dual citizenship
- Climate: Warm (~27°C)
- English: Native / official
- Expat community: Very large
Read the full Singapore guide · Compare expat health insurance
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#9 Oman
Strongest on safety and tax friendliness. Weaker on residency ease and healthcare.
- Cost of living: Low
- Property: Very affordable
- Healthcare: Basic
- Safety: Very safe
- Tax: No income tax now, 5% flat from 2028
- Visa: Golden Visa invest or OMR 4k/mo retiree income
- Climate: Warm (~28°C)
- English: 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
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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.