Expats living in Europe ranked among the unhappiest in InterNations’ 2025 Expat Insider index, with only Spain making the top 10 and six European countries appearing in the survey’s bottom 10.
Research by InterNations, a global community for people who live and work abroad, placed Spain ninth out of 46 destinations surveyed, while Italy, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany and Finland occupied lower positions. Italy was 37th, Sweden 38th, Norway 39th, the United Kingdom 41st, Germany 42nd and Finland 43rd.
The index highlighted differing sources of dissatisfaction across the continent. Respondents in Nordic countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland rated the local environment and climate highly, but reported difficulties with the ease of settling in. Expats in Italy and Germany flagged problems with digital life and administrative procedures. Those living in the United Kingdom reported struggles with personal finances, housing and medical costs.
Spain’s placement near the top of the ranking was attributed to high scores for overall quality of life. InterNations found that many expats praised Spain’s weather, cultural life and recreational opportunities, and more than four in five respondents agreed that healthcare there was affordable, readily available and of high quality.
Globally, Panama topped the 2025 index, followed by Colombia, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam. China, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Spain and Malaysia completed the top 10. The broader list also placed countries such as Portugal, Luxembourg and Australia in the middle ranks while South Korea, Türkiye and Kuwait were among the lower-ranked destinations.
Long-standing European expat destinations have shown downward movement in recent years, the report noted, with several popular tourist and relocation hotspots slipping in overall satisfaction. The study assessed multiple aspects of expat life, including quality of life, ease of settling in, digital infrastructure and administration, healthcare, and financial concerns.
InterNations’ findings reflect a diversity of experiences for foreign residents: some countries scored highly on specific aspects such as environment or healthcare but poorly on practical matters that affect daily life. The report underscores that positive perceptions of climate and culture do not always translate into high overall expat satisfaction when bureaucratic hurdles, digital services and living costs weigh on residents.
The research was reported by media outlets following the InterNations release. The organization’s annual ranking is widely cited by prospective movers, employers and policy analysts as an indicator of comparative expat sentiment across destination countries.