Ask HN: What country would you like to relocate to and why?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Southern Europe: Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy

  • Cyprus praised as “best in Europe” for lifestyle if you already have easy EU/Schengen access; its non-Schengen status makes visas hard for many and is seen as a major drawback.
  • Some like the “shady” freedoms offered by the unrecognized north of Cyprus; others worry about Turkish troops and political instability, though a UK base and EU status are cited as security guarantees.
  • Portugal and Spain repeatedly recommended as next-best: good climate, relatively low costs, and Schengen access. Downsides mentioned: slow and painful residence processes (especially Portugal, but also Spain), high income taxes, and very low local salaries unless you keep a foreign (often US) remote income.
  • France, Italy, and Lisbon/Barcelona-type cities appeal for culture, food, and climate; language integration remains a major barrier.

UK & Ireland

  • Views on the UK are sharply split.
    • Negative: “miserable,” social decay, antisocial behavior and youth crime (especially in London), bad weather, political fracturing, and NHS under strain.
    • Positive: great global city in London, good public transport, cultural depth, free-at-use healthcare, and “normal life” security vs US medical risk.
  • Ireland debated: some see it as tightly linked to US corporations and less “visible” in continental Europe; others insist it is deeply European, with its own strong culture and politics, and explain non-Schengen status via its open border with the UK.

Nordics, Switzerland, Netherlands

  • Norway often cited as ideal for families: safety, strong welfare state, nature, and pragmatic culture, but very expensive.
  • Switzerland frequently singled out as a dream: wealth, mountains, high salaries, low taxes, and direct democracy; harder integration and language challenges acknowledged.
  • Netherlands/Amsterdam highlighted for walkability, bikes, strong expat scene, English-friendliness, and good work–life balance.

Anglosphere: US, Canada, Australia, NZ

  • Some Europeans aspire to the US for its dynamism, innovation, and “alive” feeling, despite politics and healthcare concerns; others see the US as collapsing politically and socially.
  • Canada generally liked; New Zealand loved for nature and calm but criticized for weak infrastructure and housing costs.
  • Australia (Sydney/Melbourne) praised as a US-adjacent, English-speaking compromise with better politics and climate; distance, extreme weather, and fauna noted as drawbacks.

Asia & Global Nomadism

  • Thailand, Malaysia (especially Kuala Lumpur), Vietnam, Japan, China, and Singapore appear as options for either deep cultural immersion or high-productivity “efficient but boring” lifestyles.
  • Long-term expats stress:
    • Learning the local language and avoiding expat bubbles for real integration.
    • Remote income from richer countries dramatically changing the equation.
    • “Continual travel” can shed place-specific problems but not personal ones.

Politics, Security, and Ethics

  • Several comments tie relocation hopes to geopolitical events (e.g., postwar Ukraine boom, possible Russian collapse), with pushback on the human cost and unpredictability.
  • Concerns about liberal democracy’s fragility appear across regions; some seek high-functioning social democracies (Nordics, Switzerland), others prefer more “freewheeling” places (US, Thailand).

Meta: Expat vs Immigrant & Expectations

  • Discussion around “expat” vs “immigrant” and class/race dynamics: Westerners abroad are often called expats; others are “immigrants” or “migrants.”
  • Several argue most people don’t truly want to move into a foreign-language culture and accept second-class status; many just want their home-country freedoms, space, and low taxes without its problems.