Top 10 most and least affordable countries in the world 2025: With rising prices and economic uncertainty affecting people worldwide, many expats are discovering that living abroad can actually save them money. For the fifth year in a row, Vietnam has been named the most budget-friendly country for expats, topping the list of 46 destinations in the 2025 Expat Insider survey by InterNations, a global expat community. The annual study, which began in 2014, collected responses from over 10,000 expats of 172 nationalities. Participants rated how satisfied they were with their financial situation, the overall cost of living, and whether their income was enough to live comfortably. Southeast Asia stood out strongly in the rankings, with Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia all making it into the top 10 for personal finances. In Vietnam, nearly nine out of 10 expats praised the affordable cost of living, while 87 per cent said their income allowed them to live comfortably, far above the global averages of 40 per cent and 69 per cent. This financial ease may also explain why many choose to settle long-term: more than half of expats in Vietnam have stayed for five years or more, and almost a third hope to remain permanently. After Vietnam, Colombia and Panama were ranked second and third on the list. Top 10 most affordable countries in the world in 2025: Rank Country 1. Vietnam 2. Colombia 3. Panama 4. China 5. Thailand 6. Indonesia 7. Philippines 8. Mexico 9. Malaysia 10. Brazil Source: Expat Insider survey by InterNations 2025 According to the study, expats in Canada and the UK are among the most dissatisfied when it comes to personal finances, especially because of how expensive daily life feels. About 62 per cent of those living in Canada and 61 per cent in the UK said they were unhappy with the cost of living, which is much higher than the global average of 40 per cent. The latest survey also showed some major shifts in the bottom rankings this year. Three countries that weren’t in the lowest group before have now slipped in: Qatar landed in 42nd place, Australia dropped to 38th, and South Korea saw the steepest fall, plunging 25 spots to 40th compared with last year. Meanwhile, the United States didn’t do much better, it placed 35th out of 46 countries in the personal finance category, narrowly avoiding the bottom 10 list. Top 10 least affordable countries in the world in 2025: Rank Country 1. Canada 2. United Kingdom 3. Norway 4. Ireland 5. South Korea 6. Singapore 7. Qatar 8. Türkiye 9. Finland 10. Australia Source: Expat Insider survey by InterNations 2025
