5 of the world’s best countries for expats are in Asia, but Singapore isn’t one of them

SINGAPORE: It should come as no surprise that the recently published 2025 International Expat Insider Survey showed that five out of the top 10 countries chosen by expatriates are in Asia, where the cost of living is generally lower than in Western countries. The biggest takeaway from this year’s survey of 10,000 expats representing 172 nationalities, after all, is that personal finance can’t be separated from overall satisfaction.

Panama stayed in first place for the second year in a row, and Thailand (4), Vietnam (5), China (6), Indonesia (8), and Malaysia (10) all made it to the top 10.

Singapore, however, which regularly makes it to top 10 lists, is in 32nd place this year, out of 46 countries. As the survey results put it: “High Quality Comes at a Cost.”

The survey takes a number of categories into account: quality of life, work, ease of settling in, expat essentials, and personal finance. Panama ranked in the top three for all five categories and is especially popular with retirees and freelancers. A sizable 94% of the expats in Panama who were surveyed said they were happy with their lives in a place where finding housing is easy and there are numerous opportunities for outdoor sports.

Singapore, meanwhile, scored relatively well when it comes to quality of life (14th) and expat essentials (16th), but for the category of personal finance, ranked 41st out of 46. In terms of work, leisure, and housing, the city-state also got poor marks from the expats surveyed.

In comparison, Malaysia ranked 9th overall in the category of personal finance. The expatriates who were surveyed specifically gave the country high marks for language, housing, and leisure options.

The survey notes that one thing that expats find in common about Thailand, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia is “their satisfaction with Personal Finance, with the countries ranking in the top 10 of the index (from Vietnam’s 1st place to Malaysia’s 9th). Another great aspect is housing: expats find it both affordable and easy to find.

In fact, China’s 11th place in the Housing Subcategory is the ‘worst’ result here. What varies the most, however, is the Quality of Life Index, from China’s 6th place to Indonesia’s 40th, but one thing’s for sure, expats won’t run out of culinary and dining options, as all five countries rank in the top 10 for this factor.”  /TISG

Read also: Expat says he’s leaving Singapore to work elsewhere if lack of work-life balance is the norm in SG