Happy Days & Affordable Living for Expats in Thailand in 2026

The world’s happiest expats live in Thailand, where the cost of living is the lowest anywhere and the locals rank as the friendliest on Earth.

➡️You’re welcome to use these 2026 Expat Insider results. Please remember to credit InterNations as the source, and where possible, include a link to www.internations.org.

In this article:

In Brief
The Best Deal & a Warm Welcome
Easy Housing vs. Tricky Paperwork
Safety & Scenery, but Hazy Skies
Not a Place for Your Career
The Typical Expat in Thailand
Further Reading

In Brief

Thailand takes 3rd place out of 31 destinations in the Expat Insider 2026 survey, and it’s home to the happiest expats in the world. As many as 86% say they’re content with their life there — well above the global average of 70% — and over two in five (42%) want to stay forever (vs. 27%).

The country’s biggest strengths are Personal Finance (2nd) and Ease of Settling In (3rd), backed by a solid Expat Essentials Index (8th). The Quality of Life Index (21st) and the Working Abroad Index (20th) are the soft spots, but they do little to dampen the overall mood.

The Best Deal & a Warm Welcome

Nowhere else is more affordable. Thailand ranks 1st for the general cost of living, with 85% of expats rating it positively — more than double the 39% global average. Roughly four in five (78%) feel their disposable household income is enough for a comfortable life (vs. 71% globally), with half (50%) going so far as to say it’s more than enough. Overall, Thailand lands in 2nd place in the Personal Finance Index.

Settling in is just as easy: the country ranks 1st for the friendliness of its local population (89% agree vs. 63% globally) and 1st for feeling at home (84% vs. 61%).

Opinion

I love the open-minded and open-hearted Thai people. (Danish expat in Thai Mueang)

Opinion

About half the expats (49%) find it easy to make local friends, compared to 39% worldwide, and expats are happy with their social lives, too (3rd). Thailand consequently ranks 3rd in the Ease of Settling In Index.

Easy Housing vs. Tricky Paperwork

Thailand sits at a respectable 8th place in the Expat Essentials Index, carried almost entirely by its excellent result regarding housing. Expats appreciate how easy it is to find a place (2nd) and rank Thailand 1st for housing affordability. Close to four in five expats (79%) are happy with the cost — a remarkable lead over the 32% global average.

However, Admin Topics are another story. The country places last for opening a local bank account, with fewer than half (43%) agreeing it’s easy (vs. 63% globally), and getting other paperwork done is not a walk in the park, either.

Just one in five (20%) view dealing with the local bureaucracy positively (vs. 38% globally) and only a third (33%) rate the online availability of admin services favorably. Worldwide, as many as 61% of respondents had something positive to say here. Getting a visa, by contrast, is comparatively painless, ranking 12th.

Safety & Scenery, but Hazy Skies

The Quality of Life Index (21st) is a study in contrasts. Thailand shines for the availability (5th) and quality (4th) of healthcare as well as personal safety (6th), where about nine in ten expats feel safe (91% vs. 81% globally). However, only a third of expats (33%) feel able to speak freely (vs. 64% globally).

Expats appreciate Thailand for its food (4th) and culture and nightlife (5th). The drag comes from the environment: the country places last for air quality, with just one in three (33%) rating it positively (vs. 65% globally). The urban environment (28th) also doesn’t delight.

Opinion

I don’t like the bad road conditions, congestion, poor air quality, and flooding during rainy seasons. (Philippine expat in Bangkok)

Opinion

Getting around is a mixed bag — Thailand ranks 4th for the opportunity to travel but is well down the table for the availability of public transport (28th) and its road infrastructure (25th).

Not a Place for Your Career

Thailand draws a distinctly settled crowd: about one in five expats (22%) moved there to retire, compared to just 4% globally — and two in five (40%) are now indeed retired. Its comparatively low 20th place in the Working Abroad Index at least doesn’t affect everyone then.

Expats rank the local job market 29th, with only about one in five (21%) viewing it positively (vs. 38% globally). Opinions about the state of the Thai economy (26th) and expats’ personal career opportunities (23rd) are similarly muted.

The upside is balance: Thailand ranks 3rd for work-life balance, with about seven in ten (72%) satisfied.