Official figures have revealed something that Spain’s expat population has known for a long time: There’s nowhere better in Europe to live as an expat than Spain.
Spain was selected as the 4th best country in the world to live as an expat and it was the only European nation to break the top 10 list.
These facts come from the ‘Expat Insider 2024’ rankings which are released annually by InterNations. Countries are ranked by expats and experts on factors including quality of life, personal finance, working abroad and ease of settling in.
Spain Is The Most Popular European Country For Expats
Spain stands head and shoulders above every other country in Europe when it comes to the quality of life and ease of moving that it offers to expats. As we’ve already mentioned above, Spain came 4th globally and number 1 in Europe. Its next closest European competitor was Portugal, which may have been the second-best place in Europe for expats, but only came in 15th position on the global charts.
It is no coincidence that Portugal came second place in Europe, as Portugal and Spain are close numbers and both countries welcome huge numbers of expats each year.
The Complete Top 10 List
So, who pipped Spain to the post as the best country in the world to live as an expat? According to InterNations the complete top 10 list is: Panama, Mexico, Indonesia, Spain, Colombia, Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines, and UEA.
It’s worth noting that not every country was evaluated for this list. Although there are over 200 countries in the world, only the 53 countries with the highest numbers of expats were evaluated in the standings.
Why Is Spain So Popular With Expats?
There are so many reasons why Spain ranks so highly as a destination for expats. First, we need to mention the obvious. Spain is a holiday hot spot with year-round sun, sea, and sand which many people find incredibly appealing. Other factors that contributed to Spain’s high ranking were its world-class public health system, the relaxed pace of life and affordable cost of living.
We know that Spaniards have an excellent quality of life. Spain consistently ranks among the top countries in the Quality-of-Life Index, as well as topping the subcategory for leisure options for its culture and nightlife offerings and outdoor sports.
Now that we’ve made Spain sounds like an idyllic paradise, it’s worth noting that there are some areas where Spain doesn’t rank highly. Employment opportunities and the job market are the main drawback of life in Spain. In the subsection of employment, Spain came in a miserable 27th place, its worst position in any of the category rankings.
Are Expats Still Welcome In Spain?
It’s ironic that Spain is being hailed as the best place in Europe for expats at a time when there are more anti-tourism protests in Spain than there have ever been before.
There is a growing unease among Spaniards about the socioeconomic impact of mass tourism, and this is being exacerbated by frustration at digital nomads and wealthy expats moving to the country too. These protests verge on the xenophobic and certainly don’t inspire foreign nationals to move to the country!
For this reason, many Spaniards' dislike seeing Spain appear on international ranking such as these and would prefer to fly under the radar without attracting more expats.
But on the whole, expats are still very welcome in Spain. Expats are treated like any other immigrant in the country and welcomed to build a new life in Spain. And there’s still a lot to attract expats to Spain too.
In the 2023 rankings, for the first time Spanish cities took all three top spots. Málaga was first when it came to the world's best city for foreign residents, closely followed by Alicante in second and Valencia in third. Which shows what an incredible country Spain is if you’re looking to relocate.
Is moving to Spain to live and work in the sunshine still you’re dream? Then we can help you to turn that dream into a reality! If you’re looking for estate agents in Southern Spain then why not get in touch? Our locally based property experts are a font of local knowledge and are perfectly placed to help you find the home of your dreams.