Every decision-grade number on Relocating.app is computed at build time from a named dataset, so it matches the tools and refreshes when the data does. Here is exactly what each figure means, how it's derived, and where it comes from.
Last updated August 2026. Figures are estimates for guidance, not tax, legal or medical advice.
What it is. The all-in monthly cost for one person (and a family of four) in each country's featured relocation city — rent, food, transport and the usual bills.
How we compute it. Built from a curated 310-city cost dataset, normalized to US dollars at mid-market rates. Country figures use the city most movers actually target (e.g. Milan for Italy, Dubai for the UAE), not the political capital.
Source: Relocating.app cost-of-living dataset.
What it is. The top personal income-tax rate and your estimated take-home pay after income tax and employee social contributions.
How we compute it. Progressive brackets or flat rates are applied to a $60,000 gross benchmark, plus capped employee social contributions. It estimates employment income for a single filer with no special regimes — a guide, not a personal tax calculation.
Source: Relocating.app tax dataset.
What it is. Whether a passport reaches a destination visa-free, on arrival, by e-visa or eTA, and which countries run a digital-nomad or residence route.
How we compute it. A 199-passport visa matrix scored the same way the passport tool scores it: destinations reachable without a prior visa, out of 198.
Source: Relocating.app visa matrix.
What it is. Years of lawful residence to reach permanent residency and to naturalize, whether dual citizenship is allowed, and whether a language test applies.
How we compute it. Ordinary naturalization routes only — investment and ancestry shortcuts are excluded. Timelines are the standard statutory minimums; real cases vary.
Source: Relocating.app citizenship dataset.
What it is. System-resourcing indicators — physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 people, health spend per capita and life expectancy.
How we compute it. Latest available year per country, standardized into a transparent composite where a ranking is shown.
Source: World Bank.
What it is. An at-a-glance safety signal from the official US travel-advisory level (1 = normal precautions, 4 = do not travel).
How we compute it. Taken directly from the primary government advisory; every safety figure links back to its official source.
What it is. Schooling signals (learning outcomes, tertiary enrolment, spend) and internet access and broadband penetration.
How we compute it. Latest available year per country, taken at face value from the upstream indicators.
Source: World Bank.
What it is. Typical monthly temperature and rainfall for each featured city, and the most comfortable months to arrive.
How we compute it. Long-run monthly normals for the city's coordinates.
Source: Open-Meteo.
What it is. Live mid-market exchange rates used to convert every figure into your chosen currency.
How we compute it. Rates refresh from the reference feed; conversions are mid-market and exclude the spread your bank adds.
Source: European Central Bank.
What it is. Whether your documents need an apostille or full consular legalization for a destination.
How we compute it. Keyed to each country's status under the Hague Apostille Convention.
Found a number that looks off? Tell us at [email protected] — corrections ship fast. See also our about page and 2026 rankings, each with its own sourced method.
Your passport / home country — sets your visa rules on every destination.
Where you're moving from — powers flight distance and the cost-of-living comparison on every country.
Answer once and we'll shape the whole site around you — the right tools, real numbers, nothing you don't need.
Your nationality decides the visa rules for every country — we'll show yours right on each page. Not now? Skip it.
Pick as many as you like. We'll rank countries on what you actually care about — and quietly skip the rest.
Cost-of-living and take-home numbers shift a lot depending on this.
Pick your country — we'll tune every tool, number and currency to it. Not sure yet? No problem.
We'll put the time-sensitive things first — visas, shipping and the countdown.
We'll bring the most useful tools for settling in front and centre.
