Best Countries to Move to from UK

When moving abroad from the UK, there are many countries from which to choose. The best fit will depend on a range of factors, including your preferred climate, lifestyle, cost of living, and global location. It will also depend on your eligibility for the different immigration routes to the countries which you are considering.

For people moving from the UK to a new home overseas, there are a number of popular choices. These include Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Malaysia, Spain, and the United States, all of which will be explored in more detail throughout this article.

One major consideration when moving overseas is that you may sometimes be expected to pay ‘double tax’ – that is, tax in both the UK and in your new country of residence. This will depend largely on the nature of your income and on your personal assets. However, the UK has a double taxation agreement with a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, and the US, meaning that you will not be required to pay double tax if you are relocating to any of these countries, provided that you apply for exemption via HMRC.

You may also be expected to pay capital gains tax if you make any gains on UK land or property within the UK during your time overseas. For more information on the tax incentives and tax obligations if you move overseas, contact Total Law today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375.

Overall, it is possible to achieve a high quality of life in a wide range of global contexts, so you should make sure to identify which factors are most important to you before making your final decision.

In the following sections, some of the top-choice countries for UK expats will be explored in more detail. While this is not an exhaustive list, it does give more insight into some of the most popular relocation options for UK citizens moving overseas.

Page Contents

• Top Countries For Moving Abroad From UK: Overview
• Ireland
• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand
• Portugal
• Malaysia
• Spain
• United States
• What are the Safest Countries in the World?
• What are the Happiest Countries in the World?
• Which Countries Have the Best Healthcare?
• Conclusion
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Ireland is a top choice for UK expats moving overseas. It offers easy travel access to the UK by ferry or plane and numerous professional opportunities.

Popular areas within Ireland include Dublin for its rich culture and beautiful architecture, Connemara for its outstanding natural beauty, and Galway for its thriving music scene and quick access to the countryside.

Ireland ranks as the 2nd safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 15th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, Ireland is a beautiful and politically stable country which offers a strong economy, numerous professional opportunities, and excellent schools and healthcare. It is an especially good choice for those looking to prioritise safety and happiness.

Australia is another popular choice amongst those looking to move overseas from the UK. While it can be expensive and time-consuming to reach from the UK, it is a beautiful and expansive country which offers a high quality of life, strong work life balance, and impressive culture of outdoor activity.

Popular spots include Sydney for its rich culture and history, Melbourne for its thriving cultural and sports scene, and Brisbane for its more affordable cost of living. Perth is also a popular spot, boasting beautiful beaches, though it is on the opposite coast to many of Australia’s other hotspots.

Australia ranks as the 18th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 11th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, Australia is a good choice for those looking for a warm climate, high quality of life, and numerous areas of natural beauty. However, it may not be a good fit for UK expats looking to maintain strong travel connections with the UK, as flights back and forth can often cost thousands of pounds.

Canada is a top choice for those looking for a cool climate, stunning natural beauty, and a North American location. Boasting a friendly culture, easy travel access to the US, and numerous professional opportunities, it is a good fit for many prospective UK expats.

Popular spots include Toronto for its vibrant culture and modern charm, Vancouver for its beautiful beaches, and Montreal for its rich culture and beautiful architecture.

Canada ranks as the joint 14th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 18th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, Canada is a good choice for those looking for high safety levels, a cooler climate, and a friendly community feel. However, rent can be expensive in many of the major cities, such as Toronto, and winters are often very cold in much of the country, meaning that it may not be the best fit for everyone.

New Zealand is another top spot for many UK expats. Boasting a friendly local culture, numerous areas of outstanding natural beauty, political stability, numerous lifestyle benefits, a high quality of life, and easy travel access to areas like Australia and Bali, many UK expats choose it as their next home.

Top spots include Auckland for its professional opportunities and cultural richness, Hamilton for its beautiful beaches and comparatively low cost of living, and Wellington for its thriving tech scene. Options like Nelson and Tauranga are more popular choices for those looking to achieve a stronger work life balance and spend more time in nature.

New Zealand ranks as the 3rd safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 12th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, New Zealand is a good choice for those looking for a strong culture of outdoor activity, easy access to nature, high safety levels, and a high quality of life. However, flights to and from the UK are expensive and lengthy, meaning that it may not be the best fit for UK expats looking to maintain strong UK travel connections.

Portugal is a popular choice amongst UK expats wanting to remain within Europe. Offering a rich culture, warm climate, numerous professional opportunities, and an appealing balance of thriving city and relaxed countryside spots, it is a good fit for many UK expats., and has a large existing UK expat community.

Portugal also offers a Digital Nomad visa which is a popular choice amongst remote workers wanting to live in Portugal while still working for a UK company. While Portugal has also historically offered a Portugal Golden visa – a route to obtain permanent residency based on investment – tighter restrictions have recently been placed on this route.

Popular spots within Portugal include Lisbon for its lively cultural scene, excellent food, and world-famous architecture, and the Algarve for its more relaxed pace of life and beautiful beaches. Places like Ericeira also offer a thriving surfing scene.

Portugal ranks as the 7th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index.
Overall, Portugal is likely to be a good fit for those looking for a safe living environment, rich cultural experience, easy travel access to the UK, and numerous professional opportunities.

Malaysia is a top choice within Asia for UK expats looking for a change of scene. It offers a thriving culture, hot climate, excellent food options, warm sense of community, and cheaper cost of living. It also offers easy travel access to many other popular Asian destinations, such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Popular spots include Kuala Lumpur for its bustling culture and excellent food scene, Johor Bahru for easy access to Singapore, and Penang for its striking architecture and rich cultural heritage. Kuching also offers a popular waterside location.

Malaysia ranks as the 13th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index.
Overall, Malaysia is a top choice for those looking to balance high safety levels and a more affordable cost of living. It also boasts numerous professional opportunities, areas of natural beauty, and a hot climate throughout the year.

Spain is another popular European destination for UK citizens looking to move abroad, especially amongst retirees. It has a large UK expat community and offers a more affordable cost of living, political stability, beautiful architecture and beaches, and a warm climate.

Popular areas within Spain include Madrid for its beautiful architecture, strong transport connections, and rich cultural scene, Barcelona for its world-famous architecture, and Valencia for its beautiful beaches.

Spain ranks as the 25th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 38th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, Spain is a good choice for those looking for a thriving cultural experience, excellent food, a more affordable cost of living, and easy travel access to the UK.

Last on the list, the US is another popular travel destination for many UK expats. With strong cultural ties to the UK, the US offers its residents high earning potential, numerous private healthcare options, numerous cultural experiences which vary by state, and many areas of world-famous natural beauty, such as the Grand Canyon.

Popular spots include New York for its numerous professional opportunities and famous architecture, LA for its strong job market and appealing food options, and Seattle for its thriving tech scene and rich cafe culture. The US also offers strong travel connections to other North American spots like Canada and Mexico.

The US ranks as the 128th safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index. It ranks in 24th place for global happiness according to the World Happiness Report.

Overall, the US is a good choice for those looking for high earning potential, a mix of cultural environments, and easy travel access to the rest of North America. While it also has many flight connections to the UK, it is worth keeping in mind that flights can often be expensive, especially from the West Coast, which may be an important consideration if you plan to return to the UK frequently.

Also note that, if you eventually obtain US citizenship, you will be expected to continue paying personal income tax to the US even if you eventually return to the UK, reducing the tax incentives for obtaining US citizenship.

Safety levels vary significantly between different countries. As safety is often a top consideration for those looking to move abroad, it is important to know which countries generally offer a safer living environment.

According to the Global Peace Index 2025, the following 10 countries are currently the safest in the world:

1. Iceland
2. Ireland
3. New Zealand
4. Austria
5. Switzerland
6. Singapore
7. Portugal
8. Denmark
9. Slovenia
10. Finland

Of the countries explored throughout this article, Ireland, New Zealand, and Portugal all rank particularly highly for safety.

The Global Peace Index takes into account a number of factors, including political instability, homicide rate, incarceration rate, violent demonstrations, and perceptions of criminality.

However, it is important to note that numerous factors contribute to safety and safety levels may vary considerably even within the same country. As such, you should also make sure to research safety levels in the particular areas which you are considering, as well as in the country as a whole.

For British citizens looking to move overseas, quality of life is likely to be a major consideration. Numerous factors contribute to quality of life and happiness levels are one major measurement criteria.

According to the World Happiness Index, the following 15 countries were the happiest in the world in 2024:

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Netherlands
6. Costa Rica
7. Norway
8. Israel
9. Luxembourg
10. Mexico
11. Australia
12. New Zealand
13. Switzerland
14. Belgium
15. Ireland

Of the countries explored in this article, then, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland take the top spots, making these especially strong choices for potential expats wanting to prioritise quality of life.

The World Happiness Index takes into account numerous factors when measuring happiness, including social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, and positive emotions, making it an especially good indicator of quality of life in different nations.

Healthcare is another major consideration when looking to move overseas, especially if you or your family members have pre-existing health conditions. Many countries across the globe offer high-quality healthcare systems, although some countries perform better than others.

According to the World Population Review, the following 10 countries took the top spots for healthcare in 2024:

1. Taiwan
2. South Korea
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Sweden
6. Ireland
7. Netherlands
8. Germany
9. Norway
10. Israel

Of the countries explored in this article, then, Australia, Canada, and Ireland take the top spots. For British citizens looking to prioritise healthcare, these countries are likely to be strong choices.
While countries like the US offer excellent healthcare, it is worth keeping in mind that private insurance packages can be expensive, although many US employers offer healthcare as a benefit of employment.

The World Population Review Health Index takes into account data from a range of sources, meaning it provides a robust insight into healthcare quality in different countries. However, it is important to note that numerous factors contribute to high-quality healthcare and facilities may vary from area to area within the same country.

As such, it is important to identify the resources which are most important to you and to check that your residential area of choice has sufficient facilities to meet your criteria. Even countries which rank relatively lowly for healthcare quality may still offer numerous options in more urban areas, for example.

There are numerous countries from which to choose if you are looking to move abroad. The country which is right for you will likely depend on your particular preferences, such as education quality, safety, happiness levels, and cost of living.

Countries which are especially popular with UK expats include Ireland, Spain, Canada, the US, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia, as explored throughout this article. While countries like Ireland and New Zealand rank especially highly for safety, countries like the US and Australia rank amongst the top spots for education.

Overall, it is possible for British expats to achieve a high quality of life in a wide variety of countries, and numerous immigration routes exist through which this can be achieved. It is important to identify the countries which are best for you and the tax obligations which you will incur if you do move overseas.

For more information on moving abroad and identifying the route which is right for you, contact Total Law today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375.