Wondering which are the best European countries for American expats in 2026? In this season finale, we’re breaking down the InterNations' 2025 Expat Insider Survey—a massive study of over 10,000 expats across 46 countries—to uncover which European nations are delivering for expats. We focus only on the top and bottom 15 European countries overall and across these critical categories: Working Abroad, Personal Finance, Quality of Life, Expat Essentials, Ease of Settling In, and the General Happiness factor.

The data reveals unexpected winners: Spain dominates quality of life rankings while Cyprus quietly claims spots in both the top 15 overall (#14) and happiness rankings (#6). Austria surprises at #4 for quality of life despite its reputation for unfriendly locals. Ireland leads Europe for working abroad, followed by the Netherlands, while Portugal and Spain stand out for personal finance. Other top 15 countries included Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and more!

Hear Jeffrey’s analysis of how Emily in Paris is a great story of an American confronting and accepting life abroad and his theory about how €2 beers are likely fueling Spanish happiness scores.

Join us for this wide-ranging conversation on expat life and what the data reveals!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the finale of Season 1! 
00:31 Introduction to first filmed edition 
1:35 Expat Insider Survey background and topics 
9:38 European rankings and how LAA selects countries 
23:50 Potential bias in survey participants 
27:41 What's next for LAA and the podcast

Get the InterNations Expat Insider 2025 report we discuss in this episode here.

Go to our YouTube channel to see the visuals we discuss in this episode.

Join our How to Move to Europe: Visa Basics for US Citizens course at www.livingabroadacademy.com/learn. Learn everything from visa and resident permit types and requirements to typical application costs and timelines. Bonus planning documents and interactive worksheets included! 

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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Making friends as an American expat in Europe can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. In this episode, we sit down with Kathrin and Felix from InterNations, a global community that connects expats in over 420 cities worldwide, including 135 European locations.

They share how InterNations supports expats before and after a relocation, both online and in person. From meeting other expats who have been where you are to learning how to navigate the local challenges to simply enjoying regular meetups and recreational activities, InterNations provides a much-needed support system for their members.

Learn more at: https://www.internations.org/

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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In this episode we chat with Mark, a forward-thinking innovator by trade and lifelong traveler who walks us through his journey from California to Spain. We learn how he navigated the shift from running a business in the U.S. to doing the same in Europe. If you’re curious about entrepreneurship abroad, especially in Spain, this episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and honest lessons from someone who's doing it.

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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Expats know that France has a reputation for having a difficult immigration process. While French bureaucracy is demanding, Head of Lexidy France and immigration lawyer, Eléonore Tavares de Pinho, breaks down the multiple, achievable options available to US citizens and shows the true value of having an expert in your corner. 

In this episode, we dive into all the various ways US citizens can move to France, including a path so easy it requires no translation services and features a relatively low monthly income requirement.

Lexidy has kindly extended a discount offer to our listeners. Save 10% when you contact Lexidy at Lexidy.com and mention the code ABROAD10.  

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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"You have to go to the place, and do your own gut check."

In this episode, we enjoy a conversation with married expats Serene and Cliff, two well-traveled, goal-oriented former tech workers from the San Francisco Bay Area who, after many years of "auditioning" countries around the world, settled in Portugal for an early retirement. They discuss what drew them to the expat life, especially as Black Americans, as well as what they've learned as they've begun putting down roots and understanding their new home. 

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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“If we can do this, anybody can do it.”

Join a lively conversation with John and Tara about their move to a small, charming village in Italy. They share the highs of enjoying the local community and beautiful landscape to the challenges, or as Tara calls them “adventures,” of language barriers and bureaucracy. 

Learn how this American couple has established a new European home that exceeds their expectations. 

Ever the operations manager, Tara would like to provide the following clarifications:

• Citizenship does provide a few more things than the ERV (residency, voting etc.)
• Health care cost here is based on what we make here AND in the US. This year they asked that our commercialista here calculate the correct rate.  That didn't happen last year.  

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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Spain continues to be a leading and attractive option for Americans moving abroad. Join our conversation with Cristian Balcells, founder and CEO of the popular Balcells Group in Barcelona, Spain, where we talk about all things Spanish immigration, from common misconceptions to process timelines and tax implications. Cristian adds his thoughts on the latest mood towards foreign nationals in Spain, as well as other valuable details for U.S. citizens considering a move.

This is not a paid promotion. Some of our team members continue to work successfully with Balcells Group for their personal immigration and expat services, so we are pleased to recommend this group as a resource.

As a thank you for listening to this podcast, our listeners can get 20% off their initial meeting with the Balcells Group by using the code BALC20. Book your meeting at balcellsgroup.com

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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Meet an American couple, Lisa and Ian, who found an exciting new life in France, then decided to spend their winter months in Spain. Learn what inspired their new expat life in Europe including the highs, lows, and what they’ve found to be the most useful pieces of advice.

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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Hear our mission with The Living Abroad Academy. Learn how our personal pursuits to live abroad have inspired us to help others successfully transition into a new chapter of their lives.

Article mentioned:
CNN - This US couple relocated to Italy after retiring. It didn’t go according to plan

This episode is brought to you by the How to Move to Europe Visa Basics for U.S. Citizens Course. Ready to leave the U .S.? Get started at livingabroadacademy .com/learn

Learn more about how The Living Abroad Academy informs and accelerates moves to Europe for Americans: www.livingabroadacademy.com

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