A new index ranking the best countries and territories to relocate to in 2026 has just been released, and a Baltic state has come out on top.
Estonia ranked first globally in the Rumavi Global Relocation Index thanks to its banking infrastructure, business opportunities and property rights for non-citizens.
Released annually at the end of Q2, the index scores 192 countries across 24 metrics which are grouped into four categories: financial and tax, livability and health, safety and stability, and settling and opportunity.
The index makes use of several data sources as well as expert assessments. For example, for general affordability, independent advisory company Rumavi looked at both World Bank ICP price-level data (PPP) and the Mercer Cost of Living Survey, while for political stability, the Global Peace Index 2025 and World Bank WGI Government Effectiveness were included with a 50% weighting each.
In each metric, a country is rated out of 100. Estonia was rated 99 out of 100 for its currency and banking, 96 for business opportunities, 82 for housing affordability, 86 for green spaces and 77 for street safety.
Its poorest metric was climate comfort, with 20 out of 100 due to its cold, dark winters.
The best countries to relocate to in Europe
Five countries in Europe made the top 10 in the global relocation index, with the next highest after Estonia being Portugal in fourth place.
It was rated highly for its currency and banking offering, its property rights for non-citizens and low conflict risk, although it only received a score of 48 for its income tax.
Fellow Baltic state Lithuania came in sixth place, with Rumavi highlighting its abundant green spaces and its currency and banking infrastructure.
Rounding out the top 10 are Czechia (9th) and Malta (10th).
The best countries and territories to relocate to globally
- Estonia
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Portugal
- Taiwan
- Lithuania
- Hong Kong
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Czechia
- Malta
Where retirees, digital nomads and families should be headed
While there is a general ranking, there are also separate ones for retirees, digital nomads, families and entrepreneurs, where certain metrics take on a higher weighting.
For digital nomads, cost of living, digital infrastructure and foreign income tax are weighted the highest, while the path to permanent residency isn’t included, as nomads value flexibility above all else.
In the case of retirees, healthcare quality and foreign income tax take priority, with no weight on the start-up ecosystem, or education.
The families ranking gives street safety the highest weighting, then education and schooling, cost of living and healthcare quality.
Based on this, Estonia once again came out on top for families, while it also came out second for entrepreneurs behind Singapore.
Portugal is second in the world for digital nomads behind Malaysia, and third for retirees.