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With the cost of living in the UK on the rise, many Brits are considering a move abroad. A new study has identified their best options.
15:48, Sat, Apr 18, 2026 Updated: 15:48, Sat, Apr 18, 2026
This beautiful country is one of the best for Brits to move to (Image: Getty)
A study has identified the countries Brits should consider if they're thinking about a move abroad. Brits have moved overseas for various reasons throughout the generations, whether it was for work, a lower cost of living or just more sunshine. International removal company 1st Move International analysed visa accessibility, living costs, rental affordability and happiness levels across popular destinations worldwide to come up with its rankings.
Coming out on top is a country quite far from the UK, but with impressive happiness levels and a rich culture and history. Japan ranks as the best country overall for Brits to try life abroad, combining a free visa and low minimum financial requirements (around £417). Meanwhile, it also has fast visa processing times as well as below-average living costs.
Brits relocating to the Asian country need around six documents for visa approval. Estimated living costs per month for a single person come to £623.30, while the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom city centre apartment is around £417.33.
"It is the only destination in the study to offer a free visa, with an estimated processing time of two weeks and a minimum monthly financial requirement of just £417 – around four times lower than the study average," the findings read.
"Combined with below-average living costs (£623 per month) and average city-centre rent of £417 per month, Japan presents a rare balance of affordability and administrative ease."
In second place is South Korea, which the study says highlights "a misconception that long-haul destinations are harder to access for short-term relocation".
"The country offers one of the lowest minimum monthly financial requirements in the study at just £146, alongside a relatively quick visa processing time of two weeks," it says. "While the visa application fee (£50) is higher than Japan’s, South Korea remains among the most affordable destinations for admin costs."
Japan was named the best country for Brits to move to (Image: Getty)
Tope 10 countries
In the top ten countries on the list, only three are in Europe.
The rest are in Asia, Africa, North America and Oceania. The top 10 easiest and cheapest places for Brits to move, according to the study, are:
- Japan
- South Korea
- Serbia
- Turkey
- New Zealand
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Malaysia
However, this doesn't reflect the countries that most Brits are interested in moving to. Topping that list, according to this study, is the United States.
That is followed by Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
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To create the results of the study, 1st Move International identified the developed countries that it helps Brits move to the most.
It then identified the most relevant visa for a short-term stay (i.e. digital nomad visa, temporary residence visa, or long-stay visa) and ranked them based on visa factors and quality-of-life factors, among others.
English (US) · 