The Best Countries to Live in 2026
According to Rumavi, Estonia is the best country to live in 2026, followed by Singapore.
Choosing a country to live in involves more than comparing salaries or scenery. Safety, healthcare, affordability, stability, infrastructure, and opportunities to settle can all shape the experience of building a life abroad. According to the 2026 Rumavi Global Relocation Index, several countries and territories stand out for their overall combination of these factors.
At the top of Rumavi's ranking is Estonia, with a score of 72.8 out of 100. The Baltic country performs strongly across several areas, including safety, business opportunities, banking infrastructure, and settlement conditions.
Singapore follows very closely in second place with 72.6, reflecting its strong infrastructure, financial system, business environment, and stability. Malaysia takes third place with 72.0, making it the highest-ranked country in Southeast Asia after Singapore.
Portugal ranks fourth with 71.6, while Taiwan comes fifth at 71.4. Portugal's appeal in the index includes its livability, property rights, and relatively favorable conditions for people considering relocation. Taiwan also scores strongly across the index's broader measures.
Two countries and territories share sixth and seventh positions: Lithuania and Hong Kong, both scoring 71.0. Lithuania benefits from strong green-space and banking-related scores, while Hong Kong's position reflects its performance across the index's financial, infrastructure, and opportunity-related measures.
The remaining places in the top ten are St. Kitts and Nevis at 70.3, Czechia at 69.9, and Malta at 69.8. Together, these destinations demonstrate the geographic diversity of Rumavi's 2026 results, spanning Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.
Rumavi emphasizes that its ranking is a general assessment rather than a universal answer for every person.
The organization also provides separate rankings for groups such as families, retirees, digital nomads, and entrepreneurs, using different weightings for the same underlying measures. Therefore, the ideal destination can vary considerably depending on an individual's priorities.
Overall, the 2026 list highlights countries that combine multiple aspects of daily life, from security and healthcare to financial conditions and opportunities for settling. For anyone considering an international move, Rumavi's ranking provides a useful starting point for comparing potential destinations.