The 53 cheapest and priciest countries to be an expat in 2024 (and it’s not good news for foreigners living in the UK and ‘crazy expensive’ Canada)

The 53 most expensive and cheapest countries to be an expat have been revealed – with an Asian country coming top and a ‘crazy expensive’ nation on the North American continent ranked bottom.

The table has been drawn up by Swiss-based expat guide InterNations, based on an expat survey in which respondents were asked about satisfaction with their financial situation and whether a disposable household income is enough to lead a comfortable life.

Read on for the full results. Where would you most like to move to? Head to the comments section.

The most affordable countries 

1. Vietnam

Vietnam comes top for the third time in a row, with one American expat telling InterNations: ‘The people are very friendly and the cost of living is very low.’ 

More than four in five expats (86 per cent) living in Vietnam are happy with the country’s cost of living while 68 per cent say that their disposable household income is more than enough to lead a comfortable life. 

Overall 65 per cent of expats say they are satisfied with their financial situation in Vietnam and this isn’t just due to the low cost of living. Just under one in five expats in Vietnam say they earn $150,000 (£118,000) a year.

An expat living in second-place Colombia says they enjoy the country’s ‘affordable cost of living’. Pictured is Bogota

Indonesia places third on the list, with just under three-quarters of expats happy with their financial situation. Pictured is Jakarta

2. Colombia  

On the other side of the globe, Colombia ranks second-best for affordability, with one expat from Malta telling InterNations: ‘I’m enjoying the relaxed way of life and the affordable cost of living.’ 

Nearly nine in ten expats in Colombia (85 per cent) are satisfied with the South American country’s low cost of living, while 91 per cent say their disposable income is more than enough to lead a comfortable life. 

Just under 90 per cent of expats (89 per cent) say they are satisfied with their financial situation in Colombia. 

3. Indonesia

Indonesia places third on the list, with a Canadian expat revealing to InterNations: ‘What do I like about Indonesia? The climate, the safety and peacefulness, the friendliness, the clean air and nature and the low cost of living!’

More than two thirds of expats (69 per cent) living in Indonesia are happy with the country’s cost of living while 86 per cent said their disposable income was enough to lead a comfortable life. 

Just under three-quarters (72 per cent) of expats in Indonesia are satisfied with their financial situation. 

The least affordable countries 

Canada is the world’s least affordable country to be an expat, with one foreign resident describing the country as ‘crazy expensive’. Pictured is Toronto

Finland places second from last on the list, with one in five expats unsatisfied with their financial situation. Pictured is Helsinki

The UK lands in the bottom three for priciness, with one expat saying they were ‘unable’ to live on their own on their current pay. Pictured is London

53. Canada

Placing last out of the 53 countries is Canada, where a Spanish expat reveals to InterNations: ‘The cost of living is crazy expensive. Going out for a meal or drinks feels like a luxury.’ 

More than half of expats (53 per cent) say their disposable income isn’t enough to lead a comfortable life in Canada. 

And the country is rated expensive by 66 per cent of expats who live there, while more than a quarter of foreign residents (26 per cent) say their financial situation is ‘very bad’.

52. Finland 

In second from last place for affordability is Finland, where one in five expats (20 per cent) say they aren’t at all satisfied with their financial situation.

Just over half (51 per cent) are unhappy with the Nordic country’s high cost of living and, making the country’s high prices painful, just under seven in ten (69 per cent) expats say their annual income in Finland is less than $50,000 (£39,500). 

51. UK   

The UK lands in the bottom three, with one U.S expat telling InterNations: ‘I wish our salaries matched the cost of living. I’m able to get by, but ideally, I’d like to be able to live on my own and I’m unable to do so on my current pay.’ 

More than half of expats (58 per cent) aren’t happy with the high cost of living in the UK, while two in five (43 per cent) say their disposable household income isn’t enough to lead a comfortable life. 

Overall, 37 per cent of expats living in the UK are unhappy with their financial situation.