The Best Places to Live and Work Abroad in 2019

Thailand ranks as the 21st best place to live and work in 2019. Since Thailand is still one of the cheapest countries to visit, your money will go further: it ranks third for disposable income. The balmy weather, beaches and plenty of opportunities for enjoying the great outdoors means that Thailand ranks high in terms of health too. If you want to stay longer, you’ll love hearing that Thailand tops the ranking for buying property.

Russia came in 20th in the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey. It’s expensive to live here, but if you can negotiate a salary package that includes healthcare, education and housing allowances, it will leave you with more money for the fun stuff. Russia ranks second in terms of school quality, but it’s worth remembering that the best schools are also the more expensive private schools. Russia’s harsh winters can be off-putting, but won’t be a problem if you come from one of the Canadian cities with the worst winters.

Ranked 19th overall in the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey, Vietnam may give you a bit of culture shock at first. However, take time to get to know the culture and learn a bit of the language and you’ll see why Vietnam ranks third for the ease of making friends. The cost of living is low, so Vietnam ranks first for disposable income and the ability to save money. There are plenty of jobs for expats in this rapidly growing economy too. If the chaos and pollution in the cities get to you, you can head to the gorgeous countryside for a serene getaway.

Ireland ranks 18th, up ten places from the 2017 survey. The Emerald Isle also ranks third for school quality, fourth for the ease of integration and seventh for families. The best jobs for expats are in healthcare, IT and finance and as one of the richest countries in the world, Ireland offers a high standard of living.

Technically it isn’t a country, but Hong Kong is a world away from Mainland China, so the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey ranks it separately: in 17th place. There’s a huge expat community and the quality of life is high, but so is the cost of living. However, Hong Kong ranks first for career progression, so it’s a good place to spend a few years and move up the corporate ranks.

Earning your wages in Mexican pesos probably won’t make you rich, but there are many other reasons why this country is ranked 16th in the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey. It tops the rankings for making friends and integrating, comes in second for culture and tolerance and third for health and social life. Some things are harder to come by, though, so it’s good to check our Mexico packing list to know what to take.

Multicultural Malaysia ranks 15th overall for the best countries to live and work abroad. It scores second for property, fifth for healthcare and social life and sixth for making friends. Generally the quality of life is pretty good and the cost of living is low enough for you to build up some savings.

Spain’s economy isn’t as strong as it used to be, but let’s face it: it’s not the economy that you’d want to live here for anyway. Ranked 14th overall, Spain tops the rankings for quality of life and health. With its many festivals and other events, Spain is home to several of the best places to attend Carnival. It’s no wonder that the country is also ranked second for social life. You’ll make friends and integrate easily, especially if you learn the language. While your work/life balance will be great, Spain scores much lower in the career-related categories.

Ranked 13th overall, Indonesia's thousands of islands has so much more to offer expats than the beaches and spas of Bali. In fact, it ranks first for entrepreneurship, culture, integration and social life, and second for making friends and being close to your partner. You’ll also find the people very welcoming and tolerant.

India can be an assault on the senses, but it ranks 12th in the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey of the best countries to live and work in. As one of the countries with the most billionaires, India scores highly in most economic categories. Plus, the cost of living is low, so you can make your money go further and build up some savings. It’s not the safest or healthiest country to live in, but India is ranked second for closeness to your partner, fourth for social life and fifth for integration.

Ranked 11th overall, France is a good option for expat living, especially if you speak French. It's expensive to live here and wages aren’t what you’d expect, but in terms of job security and work/life balance, France scores third. It’s also third for quality of life. With high scores for school quality, overall cost of children and the quality of childcare, France is a good option for young families.

The United Arab Emirates came in 10th overall for in HSBC’s Expat Explorer Survey. More than 80% of the population here are expats who came for the economic opportunities: the country is third for wage growth and savings, for instance, and third for disposable income. The quality of life is high overall, but you may find it difficult to integrate and make friends. Social life isn’t everything, though: Dubai offers some of the world’s most beautiful sunsets and excellent shopping.

HSBC ranks Taiwan as the ninth best country for expats overall and third in terms of the experience. There are plenty of jobs, especially for English teachers; and wages are high enough to live comfortably while building up a nest egg. Taiwan scores highly in most of the categories related to integration and social life and is ranked second for healthcare.

Ranked eighth overall, Switzerland is one of the best countries for expats if economics are at the top of your list of important things to consider. It tops the rankings for economic confidence and politics; wages and disposable income are high and you can enjoy a very good quality of life in one of the world’s safest countries. Integration and making friends is more difficult and you might not have the best social life, but Switzerland is home to some excellent schools for your children.

Its capital is one of the best places to visit in July, but Sweden is also a great country for staying longer. In fact, it’s ranked seventh overall for expats in the HSBC survey. It tops the ranking for family life overall with its generous social security programs, making it the top country for overall cost of children and for the quality of childcare. The reserved Swedes make integration more difficult, but you’ll be living in the country with the best work/life balance and the second best job security.

The weather, outdoor lifestyle and fascinating hidden gems to visit in Australia are just some of the reasons why so many expats from all over the world move here. Ranked sixth overall, Australia offers the second best quality of life and scores highly in most categories, although it’s not very easy to build up savings here. You’ll integrate easily, but may find it expensive to raise your children in Australia.

An archipelago in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain is more liberal than most states in the Middle East. It ranks fifth overall for expats and comes out on top in terms of wage growth. You can do well financially and career-wise in Bahrain and with quality schools and childcare, it’s a good place for families too. However, Bahrain scores on the lower end of the scale for the cost of children, for integration and for culture.

The first country to rank higher than Canada in the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey, Germany comes in third place overall. It’s a fantastic country to work in, ranking first for job security, second for economic confidence and within the top ten for most other career and finance-related categories. The quality of life is high and it’s easy to raise your children here. However, making friends is more difficult and Germany scores low in terms of property.

New Zealand came in second in the list of best places to live abroad in 2018 and is in second place again for 2019. With its high quality of life, fascinating culture, spectacular scenery, safety and the ease of integration, New Zealand is ranked first for overall experience. It also comes out on top for finances, health and healthcare and scores highly in most other categories. It’s a great country for bringing up children, but with its high cost of living, New Zealand isn’t the best place for building up savings or having a disposable income.

Like last year, Singapore is once again the world’s best country for expats to live and work in. The tiny city state has a booming economy and a stable political landscape. Jobs are aplenty, wages are high and you can build up a good nest egg while also furthering your career here. It’s safe and clean and Singapore offers the best school quality. However, it’s consistently ranked as one of the world’s most expensive cities and the cost of raising children in Singapore is very high.