Skip to main content

This Central American country is the world’s best expat spot for 2025

Expats should head to Panama for a well-rounded experience

By Amanda Teague Published September 27, 2025

Panama City — salocin1 / Pixabay

Panama has once again claimed the crown as the world’s top destination for expats, according to the newly released 2025 Expat Insider survey. The annual study ranks 46 destinations based on quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finances, and expat essentials such as housing, language, and digital life, and Panama came out on top for the second year in a row.

It’s easy to see why. Panama is especially popular with retirees: 35% of respondents are already retired (compared to just 11% globally), and 18% say their primary motivation for moving was to retire there (vs. 3% worldwide). The country also shines in the Quality of Life index, where it ranks third overall, thanks to affordable public transportation (5th), excellent travel opportunities (3rd), and a beautiful natural environment (2nd). Dining (8th) and recreational sports (4th) also scored high, making it a well-rounded destination for those seeking adventure and comfort.

Recommended Videos

Colombia jumps to second place this year, climbing from fifth in 2024. Expats rave about the low cost of living (3rd) and strong personal finance score (2nd), with 81% satisfied with their financial situation (far above the 54% global average). Interestingly, financial reasons weren’t the main motivation for moving; expats were just as likely to cite love, a better quality of life, or job opportunities.

Rounding out the top three is Mexico, a long-time expat favorite. It ranks first in Ease of Settling In, where expats find it remarkably easy to make local friends (1st) and feel welcome (2nd).

The top 20 best countries for expats in 2025

Panama
Colombia
Mexico
Thailand
Vietnam
China
UAE
Indonesia
Spain
Malaysia
Oman
Saudi Arabia
Philippines
Cyprus
Brazil
Kenya
Portugal
Luxembourg
Australia
Qatar

Contributor

Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word…

Topics

Destinations

Culture

SailGP: The World’s Most Glamorous Sports League?

Formula 1 thrills, glamorous destinations, and plenty of Champagne.

Art, Water, Person

My dad is a diehard New England sports fan, and as a kid, I often worried I'd have to perform CPR on him whenever the Bruins, Patriots, or Red Sox were on television. As livid as a Viking berserker, the old man would leap off the sofa to coach Tom Brady from the living room or rain down curses upon the Yankees. Our cocker spaniel, Fenway, instinctively fled the room whenever my father reached for the remote. The stress of it all, plus the fact that I was missing episodes of South Park, soured me on professional sports.

I finally came around in my thirties, less for the sports themselves than for the spectacle and revelry. I can't name more than two Knicks players, but I had a blast watching the NBA Finals with my buddies at bars across New York. The nuances of Formula 1 are about as intelligible to me as multivariable calculus, but that didn't stop me from partying my face off on a press trip to the Miami Grand Prix. I also write about luxury watches, spirits, and travel—all of which dovetail rather nicely with grand athletic extravaganzas.

Travel

Savannah Beyond the Postcard

Take a look at one of the greatest southern cities from a different perspective.

Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Travel

I spent 72 hours in London with only a carry-on. Here’s how I did it in style

Luxury travel doesn't require a checked bag

London

Somewhere between the baggage claim carousel and the Elizabeth Line, I realized I'd already won. As passengers from my Norwegian flight to London crowded around the conveyor belt waiting for checked luggage to appear, I was already on my way into the city. Twenty minutes later, I was headed toward central London with nothing more than a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I've become a bit of a carry-on evangelist over the past few years. Not because I'm trying to prove some minimalist point or because I enjoy seeing how few shirts I can survive with. I just genuinely think it's the better way to travel, especially for a long weekend in Europe.

My recent 72-hour trip from Copenhagen to London wasn't exactly a backpacker's itinerary. It included a stay at one of London's nicest luxury hotels, rooftop cocktails, dinners worth dressing up for, and plenty of walking through Soho, Covent Garden, and the rest of central London. Somehow, everything I needed fit inside my Travelpro Platinum Elite Slim Cabin Hardshell Spinner V2, with a backpack holding my flight essentials.