Where to Move in 2026: The Cities Expats Love Most
Thinking about packing your bags and starting fresh overseas? You’ve got plenty of company. A recent Gallup poll found that roughly one in five Americans would like to leave the U.S. and settle down permanently in another country. But figuring out where to go isn’t simple. That’s where Global Citizen Solutions comes in. The residency and citizenship advisory firm just released its first-ever ranking of the world’s most livable cities for expats, comparing 35 cities across six continents.
The firm’s Global Intelligence Unit evaluated each city on seven factors: cost of living, safety, air quality, healthcare, how easy it is to settle in, English proficiency, and passport mobility rights. Researcher Liana Simonyan noted that affordability, social integration, and structural quality rarely show up together in one place, so this index helps people see the trade-offs clearly.
Topping the list is Lisbon, with a score of 88.49 out of 100. Portugal’s capital is one of the cheapest European capitals in the study, has excellent air quality, and feels safer than Paris, Rome, or Barcelona. Expats can also take advantage of Portugal’s digital nomad visa, renewable for up to four years, or its residency-by-investment program.
Amsterdam came in second at 81.97, thanks to strong safety, top-notch healthcare, and clean air—helped by its bike-friendly streets. It also had the highest English proficiency among European cities on the list, making daily life easier for Americans.
Melbourne took third place with 81.79, the highest-ranked city outside Europe. The report praised its accessible living environment, clean air, and reliable healthcare and governance. Vienna landed fourth at 81.07, scoring well on healthcare, cost of living, public transit, and green spaces.
Singapore ranked sixth overall at 80.58, the best in Asia, with high English proficiency and the top safety score in the index. Tokyo came in eighth at 79.78, excelling in safety and healthcare, while Seoul rounded out the top ten at 78.89, with the strongest healthcare in the study and more than two million international medical visitors in 2025.