Most relocation advice ranks countries by tax rate. We rank them by whether you would want to live there. Tax is one of four scores, and it is not the biggest one.
Most of our members have thought about living somewhere warmer for part of the year. Some for a decade. The usual problem is not money. It is that they do not know a single person on the ground they would trust to tell them the truth about the place.
So it stays a conversation at dinner. Another winter goes by and nothing changes.
An article will not fix that. You have to stand in the place, eat there, and talk to people who already made the move. That is most of what we do.
This is our own list. Twenty-two countries we know, scored on how easy it is to move there, the tax picture, the day to day lifestyle, and how much fun it is. The scores come from our own experience travelling, living and doing business in these places. They are not objective and there is no formula behind them.
How realistic it is to actually get residency and settle in. Paperwork, timelines, and whether ordinary people get it done.
What the tax picture can look like. Not what it will look like for you, which depends on your passport and your situation.
Day to day living. Food, healthcare, safety, weather, getting around, and whether people are glad you are there.
Whether we would want to bring a group there. Anthony Bourdain worthy food, and something worth doing every day.
Each category out of 25 · Total out of 100
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| # | Country | Relocation | Tax potential | Lifestyle | Fun & trip appeal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Panama | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 88 |
| 02 | Portugal | 22 | 15 | 24 | 24 | 85 |
| 03 | Mexico | 22 | 14 | 23 | 25 | 84 |
| 04 | Oman | 16 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 83 |
| 05 | Malaysia | 18 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 82 |
| 06 | Thailand | 18 | 15 | 23 | 25 | 81 |
| 07 | Greece | 20 | 14 | 23 | 23 | 80 |
| 08 | Spain | 20 | 11 | 24 | 25 | 80 |
| 09 | Costa Rica | 20 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 79 |
| 10 | Italy | 19 | 11 | 24 | 25 | 79 |
| 11 | Morocco | 17 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 78 |
| 12 | Colombia | 19 | 13 | 21 | 24 | 77 |
| 13 | Indonesia | 15 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 77 |
| 14 | India | 16 | 12 | 23 | 25 | 76 |
| 15 | Ecuador | 20 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 75 |
| 16 | Philippines | 18 | 14 | 20 | 22 | 74 |
| 17 | Uruguay | 20 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 73 |
| 18 | Dominican Republic | 18 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 73 |
| 19 | Japan | 9 | 10 | 25 | 25 | 69 |
| 20 | Turkey | 14 | 12 | 21 | 22 | 69 |
| 21 | Vietnam | 11 | 12 | 21 | 25 | 69 |
| 22 | Paraguay | 18 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 67 |
Our own ranking, from years of travel, a lot of dinners, and friends who made the move. Japan scores a perfect 25 twice and still sits at nineteen, because getting residency there is genuinely hard. Paraguay is one of the easiest places in the Americas to become a resident and sits last, because we would rather spend a week somewhere else. That is the point of scoring all four.
Open any country for the short version. Residency figures are 2026 and several of them reset every January, so treat them as a starting point and not a quote.
Why we love itA modern capital on the water, a US dollar economy, and a colonial old town, Casco Viejo, that comes alive at night. Rainforest inside the city limits, beaches and mountains a short drive away, and flights home in a few hours. Clive has been coming here for about 20 years.
Ways inThe Pensionado visa needs a lifetime pension of $1,000 a month and comes with retiree discounts across the country. The Friendly Nations Visa is open to Canadians and Americans through a $200,000 property purchase, a $200,000 bank deposit, or a job with a Panamanian company. The Qualified Investor program grants permanent residency from day one through real estate, securities or a bank deposit.
TaxPanama taxes income earned inside Panama. Income from abroad is generally outside the Panamanian system.
With RealEdventuresJourney No. 01, October 21 to 24, 2026. A session on Panamanian lifestyle, residency and tax, and three optional hosted dinners with local expat friends who already live here. See the trip.
Why we love itLisbon's hills and light, Porto's riverfront, the Algarve coast, some of the best food and wine value in Europe, and people who make you feel welcome. A gateway to all of Europe.
Ways inThe D7 visa is built for people with passive income who want to live in Portugal. The Golden Visa offers EU residency through a qualifying fund investment with only a few days a year of required presence.
Good to knowResidency leads to a path to Portuguese citizenship and an EU passport.
With RealEdventuresLisbon trip in 2027, hosted with Roman Stern, a developer and hotelier.
Why we love itClose to home, endlessly varied, and one of the best food countries on earth. Colonial towns, both coastlines, and big expat communities that make settling in easy.
Ways inTemporary Residency on proof of monthly income or savings, converting to Permanent Residency after four years. Permanent Residency is also available directly with higher income or savings.
Why we love itMountains that drop into the sea, desert camps, world-class diving, warm hospitality, and one of the safest countries anywhere. Clive has lived here.
Ways inThe Golden Residency program, relaunched in 2025, offers long-term residency to investors and qualifying retirees.
TaxNo capital gains, inheritance or wealth tax.
With RealEdventuresOman trip, December 2027. Scuba, real estate, and a Dubai add-on.
Why we love itEnglish widely spoken, excellent private hospitals, great food from three cuisines at once, and a cost of living that surprises everyone. Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi are three very different lives.
Ways inMM2H, Malaysia My Second Home, offers renewable long-term residency in Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers, for 5, 15 or 20 years.
TaxForeign-sourced income is generally not taxed for individuals.
Why we love itBeaches, islands, Bangkok's energy, Chiang Mai's calm, and food that is worth the flight on its own. Warm people and a very comfortable way of life.
Ways inThe Destination Thailand Visa, five years, multiple entry, for people working remotely for clients abroad. The Long-Term Resident visa, ten years, for pensioners, global citizens and professionals. The Thailand Privilege membership for straightforward long-stay residency.
Why we love itIslands, sea, history, and a slower rhythm of life. Long lunches that turn into dinner.
Ways inGreece is one of the last places in Europe offering residency through a property purchase, with a five-year renewable permit and no minimum stay. People living on independent income and remote workers have their own routes.
TaxForeign pensioners can choose a flat 7% tax on foreign income for up to 15 years.
Why we love itTapas, late dinners, Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, the Costa del Sol, and some of the best healthcare in Europe.
Ways inThe Non-Lucrative Visa for people living on passive income. The Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers.
Why we love itRainforest, volcanoes, two coastlines, wildlife everywhere, a stable democracy with no army since 1949, and the pura vida pace.
Ways inPensionado, on a $1,000 a month lifetime pension. Rentista, on $2,500 a month for two years or a deposit in a Costa Rican bank. Inversionista for investors. A Digital Nomad visa for remote workers. Permanent residency after three years.
TaxTerritorial. Foreign income is outside the Costa Rican system.
Why we love itFood, wine, art, and small towns where nothing has changed in 300 years. Enough said.
Ways inThe Elective Residence Visa for people living on passive income.
TaxPensioners who settle in qualifying small towns in the south can choose a 7% flat tax on foreign income for 10 years. There is also a fixed annual tax on foreign income for newcomers with substantial assets abroad.
Why we love itMarrakech, Fes, the Atlas mountains, the Sahara, the coast at Essaouira. A few hours from Europe and a world away.
Ways inResidency for people with stable foreign income.
Why we love itMedellín's eternal spring, Cartagena's walled city, coffee country, and some of the friendliest people anywhere. Excellent private healthcare at a fraction of North American prices.
Ways inThe M Pensionado visa for people with a lifetime pension, and US Social Security qualifies. A Rentista route for other steady income. No minimum age.
With RealEdventuresOptional Cartagena extension after Panama, from October 28, 2026.
Why we love itBali's rice terraces and temples, world-class surf and diving, and thousands of islands to explore.
Ways inThe Second Home Visa, a long-stay visa of 5 or 10 years for people with savings.
With RealEdventuresBoracay or Bali trip, November 2027.
Why we love itThe most intense sensory experience on earth. Food, colour, history, and hospitality that will change how you think about hospitality. Clive has lived here.
Ways inOCI, Overseas Citizen of India, status gives people of Indian origin and their spouses long-term residence rights.
Why we love itThe Andes, Cuenca's colonial streets, the Galápagos, the Amazon and the Pacific coast in one small country. US dollar economy, spring-like weather in the highlands, and a low cost of living.
Ways inThe Jubilado, pensioner, and Rentista visas for people with steady passive income.
Why we love itMore than 7,000 islands, some of the best beaches and diving in Asia, English widely spoken, and famously warm people.
Ways inThe SRRV, the Special Resident Retiree's Visa, now open from age 40, with a deposit that can be put toward a condo.
With RealEdventuresBoracay option, November 2027.
Why we love itCalm, safe and stable. Montevideo's waterfront, Punta del Este's beaches, great beef and wine, and one of the fastest citizenship timelines in Latin America.
Ways inResidency for people who can show means of support. Citizenship after 3 years for married couples, 5 for singles.
TaxTerritorial for most income, with a multi-year holiday on foreign passive income for new residents who qualify. The conditions changed in 2026, so check where they stand before counting on it.
Why we love itCaribbean beaches a short flight from home, golf, baseball, merengue, and a big, easygoing expat community.
Ways inPensionado and Rentista residency with incentives for retirees. Investor residency.
Why we love itA perfect score for lifestyle and for fun. Nowhere is cleaner, safer, more beautiful or better to eat in. Kyoto in autumn, Hokkaido in winter, Tokyo any time. The ideal place to come back to again and again.
Worth saying plainlyResidency is the hard part, and that is why Japan has the lowest relocation score on the list. We go for the trip, not for the move.
Why we love itIstanbul between two continents, the Turquoise Coast, Cappadocia, and food that rivals anywhere on this list.
Ways inResidence permits through property ownership.
Why we love itPho on a plastic stool in Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An's lanterns, Saigon's energy. One of the great food and adventure countries.
Worth saying plainlyA wonderful place to spend a month. A harder place to set up a second home base, which is what the relocation score reflects.
Why we love itQuiet, affordable, friendly, and one of the simplest places in the Americas to become a resident.
Ways inDirect permanent residency through the Paraguay Investor Pass. Citizenship after 3 years of permanent residency.
TaxStrictly territorial. Foreign income is not taxed, local income tax tops out at 10%, and there is no wealth or inheritance tax.
If you are Canadian, where you live decides where you pay tax. If you are American, your passport decides. That one difference changes almost everything about how a move should be planned, and it is why we keep the two conversations separate.
| Question | Canadian | American |
|---|---|---|
| What ties you to home-country tax? | Residency, decided by your ties | Citizenship |
| Can you leave the tax system by moving? | Yes, by genuinely severing ties | No |
| What does leaving cost? | Departure tax on a deemed disposition of most property, which can be deferred | Nothing for moving |
| Do you keep filing at home? | Generally no, except on Canadian-source income | Yes, every year, on worldwide income |
| Does a territorial-tax country help? | Yes, it can matter a lot | Much less. The US still taxes the income |
| Pension abroad | CPP is payable anywhere. OAS keeps paying only with 20 or more adult years lived in Canada | Social Security is generally payable abroad |
| Health coverage from home | Your provincial plan lapses once you stop meeting the presence rules | Medicare generally does not cover care outside the US |
| How we frame it | A second home base, done properly | A second residency and a better winter |
An American who moves to Panama still files a US return every year and still reports worldwide income. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something. What a move changes for an American is the lifestyle, the cost of living, the healthcare, the winters, and having a second place to be. Those are good reasons on their own.
For a Canadian it is a different conversation. You can leave the Canadian tax system, and leaving has a price. Departure tax, the health coverage you give up, the pension rules. It is a decision with real trade-offs, and it is worth planning a year ahead rather than a month.
The most common way in for each country, with the headline requirement. These are 2026 figures. Several reset every January with local minimum wage, so take them as a starting point for a conversation, not as a quote.
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| Country | Popular route | Headline 2026 requirement | Citizenship path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | Pensionado | $1,000 a month lifetime pension | After 5 years |
| Panama | Friendly Nations | $200K property or bank deposit | After 5 years |
| Portugal | D7 | Proof of regular passive income | Yes, EU passport |
| Mexico | Temporary Resident | Roughly $4,300 to $4,500 a month income, or $72K to $76K in savings | Yes |
| Costa Rica | Pensionado | $1,000 a month lifetime pension | After 7 years |
| Colombia | M Pensionado | Three times the Colombian minimum wage, around US$1,400 a month | Yes |
| Ecuador | Jubilado | $1,446 a month | Yes |
| Spain | Non-Lucrative | €2,400 a month | Yes |
| Italy | Elective Residence | €31,000 a year | Yes |
| Greece | Golden Visa, or independent income | Property purchase, or €3,500 a month passive income | After 7 years |
| Malaysia | MM2H Silver | US$150K fixed deposit | |
| Philippines | SRRV Classic | $15K deposit, age 50 and over with a pension | |
| Thailand | Destination Thailand Visa | 500K baht in savings, around US$15K | |
| Uruguay | Residency | Means of support | 3 to 5 years |
| Paraguay | Investor Pass | A qualifying investment | After 3 years |
We do not sell visas and we do not sell property. We go and look. Three nights, a small group, dinner with people who already made the move, and a session with someone who does this for a living. Then you decide.
A trip is a cheap test of a country. Three nights in Panama City tells you more than three months of YouTube. You find out what the heat is actually like, what a grocery bill looks like, and whether you like the people.
Our hosts are local developers and operators Clive has known for years, not tour guides. In Panama there are three optional hosted dinners with local expat friends. The useful conversations happen at those tables, not in a seminar.
The Panama education session covers ending Canadian or US residency, keeping a corporation at home while you personally leave, timing a sale or a distribution for shortly before rather than shortly after you leave, and how to rank countries on affordability, safety, healthcare, banking and lifestyle rather than on the tax rate alone.
Business owners and investors who are weighing the same decision, some of them a few years further along. Local chapter dinners between the trips keep those conversations going instead of ending them at the airport.
A three night program in Panama City. Historic Casco Viejo, three optional hosted dinners with local expat friends, and an education session on Panamanian lifestyle, residency and tax. Optional beach and golf, a mountain ecolodge, or Cartagena after the formal program ends. A $100 deposit holds your spot.
See the Panama TripTell me which country and I will tell you honestly what we know about it, who we know there, and whether we have a trip going. If the answer is that you should talk to someone else first, I will say that too. Tell me when you are free and I will cover the rest.
Book a CallRealEdventures is a travel and education community. We are not lawyers, tax advisors or immigration consultants, and nothing on this page is legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change often. Speak with a qualified professional in your home country and your destination before making any decision about residency, tax or property.
The scores on this page are our own opinion, based on our own travel and experience. They are not an objective index. Residency and tax figures were researched in September 2026 and many of them change every January.