Upon entering a new year, it can lead to many of us sitting back and reflecting on what we desire. It may be a new job or a new house, but the turning of the year can lead many of us to want to switch things up or have a fresh start.
Nothing says a fresh start like moving house, but what about moving country? It can be difficult to know the most suitable options available to you with so many unique locations dotted around the globe.
When migrating, there are many aspects we must consider, such as cost and examining the overall state of the country to ensure it’s the correct decision and a suitable location.
That’s why we at ibrinfo.org have done the hard work for you by ranking the top 13 countries for US residents to move to. To do this, we analyzed various factors including the estimated monthly salary, rent, and additional costs.
We also examined the healthcare index score (out of 100), pollution index score (out of 100), and road quality (out of 7).
Methodology
We analyzed various factors to narrow down the best countries around the world for Americans to migrate to. We considered data before scoring each city out of 117. The factors considered were:
We used a seed list from World Population Review looking at the top 13 countries by the number of American expats using the seed list and analyzing each country with the factors above.
We used Numbeo to source information regarding the cost of living such as the estimated monthly costs, salary, and average monthly rent. We also used Numbeo as a source for the pollution and healthcare indexes.
We used The Global Economy to source the road quality score of each location in the ranking.
We used the Speedtest Global Index to record the average internet download speed.
Lastly, we used TripAdvisor to source the number of nature spots and landmarks in each country included in the ranking.
The results
Japan
Ranking first as the best country for American residents to migrate to is Japan, the Asian country scored 93 out of 117 points. The country is known for many cultural exports, such as manga and anime. Famous for its traditions and picturesque architecture, the country is a great destination to live in.
Japan is home to 44,960 landmarks including religious sites such as the Kinkauji Temple and the historic Himeji Castle. There are also 15,108 nature spots, the most in the ranking. Finally, those moving to Japan can rest assured knowing that the country boasts a healthy healthcare index score.
Spain
In second place, Spain scored 81 out of 117 points. The European country is a well-known tourist destination due to its warm summer weather and beautiful beaches. The country is also home to two of the world’s biggest football clubs: FC. Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Spain offers residents 5,666 nature spots around the country and 17,264 landmarks. Furthermore, the estimated monthly salary after tax is $1839 while rent for a 1 bedroom apartment is priced at $811 on average. The country boasts the fastest internet in the ranking with download speeds of 168.63.
France
Next, placing third in the ranking, France scored 79 out of 117 points. The elegant country is known for its contributions to fashion and gourmet cuisine, the famous Paris Fashion Week takes place annually in the capital and draws designers from all over the world.
France offers residents beneficial healthcare with an index score of 79.4, meanwhile, the country has an estimated monthly salary of $2481 while rent costs $798. The country is rich in culture and can be experienced by visiting any of the 28,659 landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum which are both situated in Paris.
United Kingdom
Fourth in the ranking is the United Kingdom, the group of four countries scored 71 out of 117 points. Consisting of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, the United Kingdom is known for its prestigious royal family and historic castles. The UK is home to vibrant cities including London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff.
The United Kingdom has a healthy number of nature spots available with 8,863 including the popular Hyde Park. Landmarks include the ancient Stonehenge and scenic Tower Bridge to name a few. Internet speeds are one of the slowest in the ranking, with average download speeds of 71.14 Mbps.
Germany
Rounding off the top five and the fourth European country to feature so far, Germany scored 70 out of 117 points. The country is famous for its impressive landmarks and its love for beer, hosting the popular Oktoberfest celebrations each year. It’s also estimated that there are more than 20,000 castles in Germany.
People moving to Germany can rest assured that the country has a healthy road quality score (5.3) and one of the best pollution scores in the ranking (28.8). Also, there are nearly four thousand nature spots to take advantage of including the Tiergarten found in central Berlin. The average monthly costs without rent are $916.
Canada
In sixth place ranked America’s neighbors, Canada scored 69 out of 117 points. A popular choice for US residents due to the close proximity of the two countries, Canada is known for its love of ice hockey and maple syrup! The country is home to Toronto (pictured) which is famous for its high-rise buildings.
Canada offers their residents extremely high internet speeds (144.5 Mbps on average) and is also a healthy location in terms of the pollution index with a score of 29.1. The average salary is the second-highest in the ranking at $3093 while monthly costs without rent will set you back by $927.
Italy
Placing seventh in the ranking, Italy scored 64 out of 117 points. The scenic country is the birthplace of some of the most popular foods including pizza, pasta, and lasagna. Italy is also home to historic buildings and artwork dating back to the renaissance era, Florence is a great example of this era’s influence on the country.
Italy has the most landmarks in the ranking with a total of 57,845, some of the most prominent include the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica. There are also 11,694 nature spots to choose from. Furthermore, residents receive a monthly salary of $1680 on average with monthly costs aside from rent costing $687.
South Korea
Next in the ranking, South Korea placed eighth scoring 62 out of 117 points. The country is the second Asian destination to feature and is famous for its global export of K-Pop which has grown in popularity in recent years. South Korea is also home to many historic palaces and temples.
Those wanting to migrate to South Korea should be aware of the average rent costs for a 1 bedroom apartment ($502). The location has a healthcare index score of 83 which is the best out of the thirteen destinations analyzed. However, the country is not blessed when it comes to pollution levels with a pollution index score of 62.3.
Australia
In ninth place in the ranking, Australia scored 57 out of 117 points. Known for its sizzling weather, 90% of its residents live on the coast. Interestingly, animal species such as kangaroos and koalas are native to the area and are often found in the wild. Australia is home to popular cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.
Australia has one of the most healthy pollution index scores in the ranking with 25.4, the country also has 7,210 landmarks with the most prevalent being the Sydney Opera House. Migraters should be aware of the steep rent costs with the average price at $1543 for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center.
New Zealand
Finalizing our top ten, New Zealand scored 56 out of 117 points. The island country is home to just over 5 million people and is famous for its natural landscapes including Mount Cook (pictured). The country is also the producer of one of the best rugby teams in the world, the All Blacks.
While New Zealand may not have a massive population, the country is still enticing to migraters. The location has the healthiest pollution score in the ranking (24.2) and one of the highest average salaries ($3008). The location also has 463 nature spots on offer including the opportunity to whale watch in Kaikoura.
Mexico
In eleventh place in the ranking, Mexico scored 51 out of 117 points. Belonging to North America, like Canada, the country could be a popular choice due to its distance from the US. The Spanish-speaking country is known for its ancient ruins and popular cuisine with Mexican dishes being favored all around the world.
Mexico has a road quality score of 4.5, similar to New Zealand. The area also has 1,747 nature spots including the incredible Rio Secreto caves. Sadly, the country has the lowest average internet speeds on the ranking with download speeds of 49.61 Mbps.
Philippines
Next, in twelfth place, the Philippines scored 49 out of 117 points. The country, found in Southeast Asia, is a popular destination for tourists with its beaches and islands attracting visitors from all over the world. The area was named after King Phillip the second of Spain.
The Philippines has much faster internet speeds than Mexico with an average download of 87.13 Mbps. Although the country has the lowest monthly costs and rent prices, the Philippines also has the lowest average salary by a long distance ($304).
Israel
Lastly, rounding off the ranking in thirteenth place, Israel scored 42 out of 117 points. Israel is a country of religious significance and is home to many historic establishments including the Western Wall and the Dome of The Rock. The official language of the country is Hebrew.
Despite Israel placing bottom of the ranking, the area has steady internet speeds (100.65 Mbps), average road quality (4.9), and offers their residents a fairly decent salary in comparison to the other countries in this list ($2646). Israel does however have the least amount of landmarks (806) and nature spots (329) in the ranking.
We hope this ranking has helped inform you of the best countries around the world for American residents to migrate to, there are so many unique and suitable locations in every continent, but we hope this ranking has helped narrow down the list of options.
From Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea to European favorites such as France and Germany, there is bound to be a perfect destination for everybody.
