Methodology

What we measure

Every country profile uses the same set of indicators so countries can be compared fairly:

• Monthly costs in US dollars: rent for a one-bedroom and a three-bedroom home, groceries for one person, public transport, utilities, home internet and a modest eating-out budget.
• A cost of living index, scaled so that New York City is 100.
• Taxes: personal income tax brackets, employee social security, VAT or sales tax, corporate tax and capital gains tax.
• Jobs: average gross annual salary, unemployment rate, how hard it typically is for foreigners to find work, and the main industries.
• Quality of life scores for safety, healthcare and education (0–100) and a climate rating (1–10).
• Editorial guidance: an overview, who the country suits, pros and cons, the main residency routes, and how healthcare works for newcomers.

Where the numbers come from

• Taxes: national tax authorities, cross-checked against PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries and the OECD tax database.
• Prices and rents: national statistics offices and rental indices where available, and Numbeo crowdsourced prices, rounded to typical values for the main cities where most newcomers live.
• Salaries, unemployment and population: national statistics offices and World Bank Open Data.
• Visas and residency: the official immigration authority of each country, linked from every country page.

Each country page lists its own official sources so you can check the figures yourself.

How our calculations work

• Take-home pay applies each country's income tax brackets, converted to approximate US dollar thresholds. Where employee social security is deductible, which is the case in most countries, it is subtracted first; income tax is then charged progressively on the rest, and both are deducted from gross pay. Basic personal allowances are built into the brackets as a 0% band. The estimate does not include local or regional taxes, other deductions and credits, or special regimes for newcomers, which can change the result considerably.
• Core costs for one person add one-bedroom rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet and eating out. Core costs for a family of four use three-bedroom rent, groceries × 2.5, transport × 2, utilities × 1.3, internet and eating out × 2, before childcare and school fees.
• Rent as a share of salary divides a year of one-bedroom rent by the average gross salary.
• Rankings compare a country with every other country we cover. The take-home ranking uses a gross salary of $60,000 in every country so results are comparable.

How often we review the data

We review tax rates and residency rules when governments announce changes, and recheck every country guide at least once a year. Each guide shows the date it was last reviewed, and articles show when they were published and last updated.

Limits of the data

National averages hide big differences between cities and lifestyles, prices move with exchange rates and inflation, and tax systems are simplified. Use our figures to shortlist and compare countries, then confirm the details with official sources or a qualified adviser before making decisions. See our disclaimer.

Corrections

If you spot an error or an outdated rule, please tell us through our contact page with the page address and, ideally, an official source. We correct mistakes promptly and update the review date. Read more about who we are and our editorial standards on our About page.