Expat Insider 2025: The World Through Expat Eyes

The Biggest Winners & Loser in 2025

All but one of the biggest winners in the 2025 overall expat ranking can be found in Europe, with only China beating the trend. And another Asian destination is the biggest loser by a wide margin.

Island Life Delights in Cyprus & Malta
An Improved Quality of Life in Czechia
Work a Continued Highlight in Ireland
Better Careers in China
The Biggest Loser: South Korea
Further Reading
External Resources

Island Life Delights in Cyprus & Malta

The two biggest winners in the 2025 Expat Insider survey are both island states in the Mediterranean Sea: Cyprus (+22 in the overall ranking) and Malta (+20).

Both have made noticeable gains when it comes to Working Abroad. Cyprus finally left the bottom 10 to rank 31st in the index, while Malta rose 18 spots to place 16th in 2025.

The reasons for this development are many. The share of expats dissatisfied with their work–life balance in Malta, for example, has more than halved (29% in 2024 vs. 13% in 2025), and two-thirds (67%) now agree they’re paid fairly for their work, compared to just around half (52%) the previous year. In Cyprus, meanwhile, its strong economic growth in 2024¹ might be behind expats’ improved opinions on job security (from 40% positive ratings in 2024 to 52% in 2025), the local job market (from 30% to 42%), and their personal career opportunities (from 27% to 52%).

Malta, too, has seen economic growth and a slowing inflation rate that’s further helped by governmental measures to keep energy prices stable.² It now ranks 21st in the Personal Finance Index (vs. 36th place in 2024).

In Cyprus, the share of respondents who find their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life has dropped from 39% to 26%. In fact, Cyprus made its biggest improvements in the Personal Finance Index, ranking 16th in 2025 after placing 38th a year earlier.

I like the climate, food, and wine, the work–life balance, the cost of living — more or less everything. (British expat in Larnaca, Cyprus)

Opinion

While these two indices are where Cyprus and Malta made the most gains, their results also improved — to a lesser degree — across other areas of the survey. For example, Cyprus rises 14 places in the Quality of Life Index to rank 19th in 2025, thanks in large part to better Leisure Options (+26). And in Malta, an easier housing search (+24), among other things, means the country leaves the bottom 10 of the Expat Essentials Index behind to rank 32nd (vs. 48th in 2024).

An Improved Quality of Life in Czechia

With Czechia, a third European destination is among the three biggest winners in 2025. Up 18 ranks, the country places 21st in 2025.

After years of getting close, Czechia finally makes it into the top 10 of the Quality of Life Index, ranking 8th. This isn’t down to major changes for one or two of the underlying factors of the index. Rather, Czechia has made small to moderate gains for most, which add up to this improved result.

Czechia offers a good quality of life, career prospects, and safety. (Italian expat in Prague)

Opinion

In the Expat Essentials Index (+10), Czechia’s jump in the Digital Life Subcategory stands out (from 37th in 2024 to 21st in 2025). Expats are more likely to approve of the availability of online government/admin services and agree it’s easy to get high-speed internet set up at home — both factors see a 10-percentage-point increase in positive ratings.

Over a third of respondents continue to regard the local population to be somewhat unfriendly (35% both years), and Czechia’s 37th place in the Ease of Settling In Index isn’t something to write home about. Still, results have improved when it comes to expats’ social life (from 50% positive ratings in 2024 to 59%) and how easy they find it to make local friends (from 22% to 30%).

Work a Continued Highlight in Ireland

There are some bad results that Ireland just can’t seem to shake: a bottom 3 result for Healthcare (45th out of 46 in 2025), last place for Housing (46th), and expats’ dissatisfaction with the climate & weather (42nd). Still, the country managed to climb 17 spots to place 28th overall.

Up 11 places, Ireland’s Ease of Settling In Index (18th) is firmly above average. Expats consider the Irish to be friendly (from 71% to 81% in 2025) and are less likely to say they don’t feel at home in the country (from 30% negative responses in 2024 to 19%).

Working Abroad has long been an area where Ireland received its best results. And indeed, following a dip in 2024 (11th), the country makes it back into the top 3 in 2025 to rank 2nd. Find out more in Top Prospects, Good Hours & More: Countries for Your Career.

What stands out: In 2024, over a third of working expats (35%) disagreed that their pay was fair, based on their industry, qualifications, and such. In 2025, this share is down to 16%. And while an average 61% of expats already appreciated their work–life balance in 2024, this share has gone up to an above-average 72%. This development might be related to the introduction of a new code of practice in March 2024, which gives employees the legal right to request remote working arrangements — even if employers can still say no.³

Ireland offers a much better work–life balance compared to my country of origin. (Polish expat in Cork)

Opinion

Better Careers in China

China, the only non-European country among the biggest winners, jumped from 19th place into the top 10 of 2025, ranking 6th.

Like Ireland, China made gains in the Working Abroad Index, where it’s up 21 places to rank 9th in 2025. Expats continue to appreciate the fair pay (2nd) and their personal career opportunities (5th). Plus, general job satisfaction has grown (from 68% to 76%).

One possible explanation for this: expats in China are much more satisfied with their working hours (65% positive ratings in 2025 vs. 54% in 2024), which interestingly have also gone down. Respondents working full time in China report an average 41.4-hour week in 2025. In 2024, this number was much higher at 43.7 hours — while the global average hasn’t changed (42.5 h per week).

China also cinched a top 10 place in the Quality of Life Index: it ranks 6th in 2025, following 19th place in 2024. Results have improved for nearly every single factor of the index and most noticeably when it comes to the Safety & Security (from 35th to 17th in 2025) and Leisure Options (25th to 5th) Subcategories.

China’s gains in the Personal Finance Index were not as drastic but still worth mentioning: it further improves on its 10th place of 2024 to rank 4th in 2025. Only 6% of expats find their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life. In 2024, this share was three times as high (18%).

Life has gotten better and better ever since I got here. Wages went up, but cost of living is the same. (US American in Dalian, China)

Opinion

The Biggest Loser: South Korea

Ranking 44th out of 46 countries, South Korea sees a major fall in the 2025 Expat Insider survey: a year earlier, it still placed 23rd out of 53 destinations. With this 21-spot drop, it’s by far the biggest loser in the survey. Runner-up Brazil “only” fell 8 places.

The reasons for South Korea’s worsened results can’t be pinned down to just one area of the survey. Even in indices like the Ease of Settling In, where the change in rank may not seem like much (from 36th in 2024 to 38th in 2025), expats’ regard for some of the underlying factors has worsened. For instance, the share of respondents who feel welcome there has dropped by 15 percentage points (2024: 58%; 2025: 43%). And while close to two-thirds (64%) rated the general friendliness of the South Korean population positively in 2024, this is down to 48% in 2025.

The most drastic change, however, occurred in the Personal Finance Index: following a good 15th place in 2024, South Korea finds itself in the bottom 10 a year later, ranking 40th. Especially expats’ satisfaction with their personal finances took a hit (from 11th to 45th). Find out more in The Best (& Worst) Places for Your Finances in 2025.

Usually one of South Korea’s strong points, the Quality of Life Index worsened as well, with the country going from 10th to 32nd place within one year. Expats still appreciate the availability (9th) and affordability (12th) of public transportation, but the recent political crisis⁴ and upheavals in the healthcare system⁵ have clearly left their mark (see Where Expats Can Find the Best Quality of Life (& Where Not)).

I don’t like the culture of overwork, with lots of pressure and authority. (Canadian expat in Gwangju, South Korea)

Opinion

The Working Abroad and Expat Essentials Indices were hardly a highlight of life in South Korea lately. But results slipped even further in 2025, with the country now in the bottom 3 for both, ranking 46th and 44th, respectively. That means it’s the worst-performing country for working abroad! More details can be found in the dedicated articles: Top Prospects, Good Hours & More: Countries for Your Career and Where It’s (Not So) Easy to Manage the Basics of Life Abroad.