Estonia ranked best country for relocation by Rumavi index

TALLINN – Estonia has been awarded first place in this year's Rumavi Global Relocation Index, surpassing Singapore, Malaysia, and Portugal, reports Euronews.

Estonia scored 72.8 points on a 100-point scale, followed by Singapore with 72.6 and Malaysia with 72. The Rumavi index evaluates 192 countries based on 24 indicators divided into four categories: finance and taxes, quality of life and health, safety and stability, and residency and opportunities. Based on these metrics, six different rankings are compiled, taking into account general quality of life, as well as the specific needs of retirees, digital nomads, families, entrepreneurs, and those seeking tax-friendly environments.

The index highlights Estonia's strengths, particularly its currency and banking system, business opportunities, and property rights for non-citizens. According to Euronews, Estonia received 99 out of 100 points for its currency and banking, 96 for business opportunities, and 82 for housing affordability. Estonia also scored 86 for green spaces and 77 for street safety.

The weakest indicator was climate comfort, for which Estonia received 20 out of 100 points. The index's creators attribute this to Estonia's cold and dark winters.

Among European countries, Estonia was followed in the overall ranking by Portugal in fourth place, Lithuania in sixth, Czechia in ninth, and Malta in tenth. The full top ten comprised Estonia, Singapore, Malaysia, Portugal, Taiwan, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Czechia, and Malta.

Estonia's strong position extends beyond the overall ranking. The country also came in first in the ranking for families with 74.5 points, ahead of Taiwan and Czechia. For families, Rumavi places the greatest emphasis on street safety, education, cost of living, and healthcare.

In the ranking for entrepreneurs, Estonia was second after Singapore. Estonia's exact place in the rankings for digital nomads, retirees, and tax-friendliness differs from the overall ranking, as the same 24 indicators are weighted differently for these groups. For example, in the entrepreneurs' ranking, the index gives the greatest weight to the startup ecosystem and business opportunities, while for families, it focuses on street safety and education.

According to the index's methodology, some indicators are sourced from international databases, but not all data comes directly from statistical sources. Rumavi also incorporates its own expert assessments for factors like property rights for non-citizens, visa availability, and permanent residency options. The data quality for approximately 127 countries is rated as strong or complete by Rumavi, while for the remaining 65, the results should be considered more of a directional indicator.

Rumavi emphasizes that the index is not intended to provide a definitive answer on where a person should move, but serves as a starting point for comparing different countries. The 2026 index was published on July 1.