Independent work topic: Living in another country

6. Costa Rica

Not only did 31 percent of expats move to Costa Rica in search of a better quality of life, but they are also charmed by friendly locals who welcome them with open arms. Most respondents rate the friendly attitude towards foreign residents positively (87% vs 67% globally). Costa Rica also ranks first when it comes to making local friends, with 78 percent rating this aspect positively. Moreover, close to nine in ten respondents (88%) are content with their life in Costa Rica, and 81 percent feel at home in the local culture. A Canadian expat considers “the beauty of the country and friendliness of the Ticos” to be the best thing about expat life in Costa Rica. This might be one reason why 48 percent of expats intend to stay forever, compared to only 29 percent globally!

7. Oman

Oman shines with a friendly attitude towards foreign residents, coming in seventh place for the friendliest country worldwide. Expats in Oman appreciate the general friendliness among the local population and particularly towards foreign residents (83% and 86% rate this positively, respectively). With an outstanding general satisfaction rate of 83 percent, expats seem to be very happy with their life in Oman. An Indian expat describes the country as “expat friendly”, and this may be why 67% feel at home in the local culture — seven percentage points more than the global average (60%).