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.
