The Best & Easiest Countries To Buy Property Abroad | William Russell (2024)

Purchasing your own home is one of the greatest joys in life as an expat. Picture your own apartment in a vibrant city, a beautiful villa overlooking the sea, or a big family home in the mountains and you’re already halfway there. All that’s left is to decide where you’d like to settle down.

To help inspire you, we’ve been around the world to find the best and easiest countries to purchase property as an expat in 2024.

In this article

The best countries to buy property abroad

When it comes to buying a house in a foreign country, you’ll want to be sure your investment is sound.

Whether you’re purchasing the property for yourself and your family, to rent the property either as a holiday let or to local people, or simply as an investment property, it’s important to do your research and understand the factors that decide the value of the property.

Ask yourself: which countries have seen the highest growth over the last few years? Where are tourists, expats and digital nomads flocking? Does the country have strong infrastructure, a stable government, and a growing economy? The answer to these questions will help to decide which countries will offer the most bang for your buck.

There is also the question of which country appeals to you most as a buyer. Where do you imagine yourself settling down? Where would you be proud to call yourself a property owner? It’s all well and good getting a return on your investment, but only if you can picture yourself becoming part of the local culture.

To help inspire your decision, we’ve ranked the five best countries for expats to buy right now. Our decisions are based on growth in property prices over the period 2022–23, while we’ve also factored in affordability, and countries with a significant population of expats. Plus, of course, location, location, location!

The best countries to buy property abroad

1/ Türkiye

2022–23 property price growth: +132.84%
Average house price to average income ratio: 13.9x
Expat population: 1.2 million

It’s no surprise Türkiye (Turkey) is climbing the leaderboards as one of the best places for expats to live. While it already boasted a low cost of living and oodles of history, now is an especially great time for the Turkish economy.

Amidst booming levels of investment, tourism in Türkiye hit record highs in 2022–23, and the country looks set to roar into the next decade with new opportunities galore.

The thing that draws both tourists and expats alike to Türkiye is its 5,000 miles of coastline, with pristine beaches facing both the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. Best of all, whether you’re thinking of moving to Türkiye for retirement or to work, you’re sure to receive a warm welcome from the locals.

Antalya, Bodrum and Bursa are among the preferred destinations for expats looking to take full advantage of Türkiye’s 2,000+ hours of sunshine per year, its fast-developing economy (medical tourism in particular is a burgeoning market in Türkiye) and its rapidly-expanding real estate sector.

On that last point, expats purchasing a property in Türkiye will surely benefit from the phenomenal growth the country is experiencing in property. Foreign investment is flooding into Türkiye, which caused property prices to explode in 2023, and the sector is expected to grow another 70% by 2028, with investment reaching as high as US$150 billion.

With many new beach-front villas and apartments coming onto the market and the promise of fast capital growth, Türkiye is a shoo-in for our number one country for expats to purchase property in 2023–24.

2/ Greece

2022–23 property price growth: +14.45%
Average house price to average income ratio: 11.7x
Expat population: 440,000

Greece’s position on our list of the best countries to buy property is testament to the country finally achieving a full recovery from the 2007–8 financial crisis.

Greece suffered the effects of this crisis perhaps worse than any other country. Tourism played a strong part in rescuing the Greek economy, and now many of those tourists have decided to become permanent residents by purchasing their own properties in Greece.

That’s just one part of a much larger picture: foreign investment in Greece reached record highs in 2023, increasing 20% from 2022 to US$7.6 billion. Now, Greece is firmly on track to becoming a major European powerhouse once again, with rising employment rates and multinational companies pouring in.

At the same time, Greek property prices are enjoying strong and stable growth. This makes now the perfect time to buy property in Greece – prices are still lower than other European countries, but look set to increase in the coming years. If you can picture yourself living in a country made of bustling cities, world-renowned cuisine and over 6,000 islands perched in the Mediterranean, Greece is the country for you.

Of course, that’s not the only reason to recommend Greece. It was already high up on our list of the best countries in the world for expats thanks in large part to its strong healthcare sector, and it is now attracting an influx of young professionals thanks to its new digital nomad visa scheme.

The only question left is where to buy? Would you prefer capital city Athens, the eighth-largest city in the EU and one of the least stressed cities worldwide? The high-tech coastal city of Thessaloniki? Or will you move to one of Greece’s incredible islands, which include world-famous destinations such as Santorini, Crete, Corfu, Lesbos and Naxos? Wherever you choose, you’re sure to enjoy everything the Greek way of life has to offer.

3/ United Arab Emirates

2022–23 property price growth: +13.97%
Average house price to average income ratio: 3.3x
Expat population: 9 million

When we talk of the UAE, our instinct is to think of Dubai. This innovative city state has been up-and-coming for some 30 years now, and still has plenty of room left to grow. Famously tax-free, it’s the ideal place for expats to maximise their incomes – so long as they’re mindful of Dubai’s staggering cost of living.

But Dubai is just one of the seven United Arab Emirates. Alongside it on that list are Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. As Dubai’s influence bleeds out across the rest of this desert nation, its six neighbours are experiencing a period of tremendous growth and starting to attract their own expat populations.

Take Ras Al Khaimah for example. Only an hour away from Dubai, this historic city has come on leaps and bounds over the last decade and now offers much of the same luxury one would expect from its fellow Emirate. New housing developments, particularly concentrated around Mina Al Arab, Al Marjan Island and Al Jazirah Al Hamra are expected to experience growth of up to 21% in 2024, making this one of the region’s property hot-spots.

The UAE’s ‘other’ Emirates share many of the same advantages expats have come to expect from Dubai. Zero income tax, incredible coastlines and wild mountain ranges, a metropolitan way of life drawing the best parts of almost every culture from around the world, and high personal safety. It’s a fantastic country to both live and work – just make sure you’re thinking about your health and fitness, and that you have taken out international health insurance before you snap up your amazing home.

4/ Mexico

2022–23 property price growth: +11.68%
Average house price to average income ratio: 8.6x
Expat population: 1.2 million

As our second-best country in the world for expats in 2023, it should come as no surprise to see Mexico on this list. Mexico is a dream destination for expats, with great food, wonderful beaches and a booming economy that is attracting workers from all around the world. Better still, with its new digital nomad visa scheme, Mexico is bringing in more people than ever to take part in its incredible culture and laid-back way of life.

Now, Mexico has one more factor to recommend it as a top destination for expats. Despite being next door to the United States, property prices are significantly cheaper, while also experiencing stable and attractive growth. The average property in Mexico City will set an expat back just US$215,000, while elsewhere in the country the average property costs just US$110,000. Mexico is benefitting from increasing foreign interest, which is not only spurring the development of luxurious new apartment blocks and country villas, but also bringing new opportunities. Employment hit an all-time high in 2023 as major companies look to move their manufacturing centres to Mexico. So, whether you’re moving to Mexico for retirement, or to build a new life as an expat, you’re sure to see the benefits of the thriving Mexican economy.

Spend an hour fantasy house-hunting in Mexico and you’ll see why over a million expats have already given up their old lives to settle there. With 5,800 miles of coastline, including the expat-friendly regions of Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Mérida, not to mention bustling Mexico City, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is whether to live by the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea or in the thriving capital city. Be sure to check out our guide to moving to Mexico as an expat to help you decide.

5/ Singapore

2022–23 property price growth: +11.44%
Average house price to average income ratio: 15.7x
Expat population: 2.2 million

Singapore is the original expat city. In 2020, roughly 40% of people in this South-East Asian micro-nation were born in a foreign country. Singapore has built its reputation on being a trading hub for the region, offering high salaries and luxurious living standards in a bid to attract the best foreign professionals. Of course, the pay-off is that the cost of living in Singapore is very high, and getting higher amidst the cost of living crisis – but if that doesn’t put you off, you’ll find no shortage of fun and excitement.

Being such a small country, land prices in Singapore are among the highest in the world. As such, the majority of properties in Singapore tend to be in high-density apartment blocks. That’s not to say living in Singapore is utilitarian: Singaporean apartments are renowned for their innovative designs and luxurious interiors. Better still, as the city goes from strength to strength, these properties hold their value, and have recently been increasing at a considerable rate.

There are many reasons we could recommend Singapore (indeed, it’s our eighth-best country in the world for expats in 2023–24). There’s the incredible business environment that actively encourages entrepreneurialism; there’s the excellent quality of healthcare, often cited as one of the best in the world; and there’s the fact it’s one of the safest countries to live as an expat. Put it all together and it’s easy to see why Singapore should be on every aspiring expat’s list of dream destinations.

And the best bit? Right now, Singapore is experiencing a property boom, with property values rising by double-figure percentages year-on-year. You’ll need a lot of money already in the bank if you want to get in on this goldrush – the average property price in Singapore is already a whopping US$1,500,000 – but if you’ve got the financial means to get in on this gold-rush, you’ll see healthy returns over the coming years.

The easiest countries to buy property abroad

While you may have your heart on moving to one particular country, you could find that local or national laws restrict you from purchasing your dream property. Some countries limit the size or location of a property a foreign national can buy, while others will restrict sales of property only to those who hold citizenship. Many countries will also slap expats with huge tax bills when they come to purchase a property.

If you’re looking to take the stress out of moving abroad, there are still plenty of options that may appeal to you. We’ve ranked the five easiest countries to buy in right now, based on which countries offer the simplest buying process and the most favourable visa terms to expatriates.

The easiest countries to buy property abroad

1/ Spain

2022–23 property price growth: +3.55%
Average house price to average income ratio: 7.1x
Expat population: 7 million

As a renowned destination for expats from around the world, it’s no surprise Spain tops our list of the easiest countries to purchase property. Indeed, it could be said the Spanish roll out the red carpet for expats – property development in regions such as the Costa Del Sol and Balearic Islands is geared almost entirely towards foreign retirees, while major cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia have a long heritage of accommodating expats.

Moving to Spain, you can expect no restrictions on the property type or size you’d like to buy. You’ll also enjoy reduced VAT rates, and the opportunity to acquire a ‘Golden Visa’ – automatic Spanish residency – if you purchase a property worth more than €500,000/US$530,000.

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2/ Portugal

2022–23 property price growth: +8.71%
Average house price to average income ratio: 11.9x
Expat population: 700,000

Like its next door neighbour Spain, Portugal is attempting to capitalise on the rise in foreign expats looking to retire abroad by offering a wealth of incentives to intending property buyers. One of these is the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) program, which offers reduced rates of VAT to foreign nationals: 20% on Portuguese-sourced income, and 0% on foreign income.

Portugal also offers foreign property investors the opportunity to acquire a Golden Visa, which, like Spain, is available to expats who purchase a property worth more than €500,000/US$530,000. This not only covers the property purchaser themselves, but their immediate family too, meaning you and your whole family could acquire EU citizenship alongside your new Portuguese home.

3/ Poland

2022–23 property price growth: +5.75%
Average house price to average income ratio: 11.8x
Expat population: 1.6 million

Poland has recently emerged as a hard-hitter in the European technology economy. The country boasts a young population, membership of the European Union and low property prices that are attracting foreign buyers looking for a more intrepid place to live, work or retire. Expats are particularly drawn to the cultural capital of Krakow, which is experiencing a boom in tourism, while capital city Warsaw also makes a great destination with new shops, modern conveniences and an ever-increasing number of luxurious apartments coming onto the market.

Realising the value of foreign investment, Poland has gone to great lengths to make it as easy as possible for foreign buyers to invest in their country. EU citizens will experience no hurdles at all, while non-EU citizens will still find the process streamlined. A number of real estate agents in Poland have started to focus entirely on the opportunity in the foreign buyers’ market, and will handle the whole process for you from start-to-finish. Poland looks set to experience considerable growth over the next decade, making now the perfect time to invest in property.

4/ Panama

2022–23 property price growth: +1.5%
Average house price to average income ratio: 11.7x
Expat population: 185,000

Benefiting from its advantageous position between North and South America, Panama is a wealthy country known for its long, sandy beaches and bustling metropolitan capital, Panama City. It’s a beautiful country to both work and retire, and has recently started to offer a digital nomad visa to entice young professionals to take part in its vibrant culture.

Panama is also very relaxed when it comes to foreign property buyers. Expats will find no additional hurdles when it comes to purchasing property in Panama (although they are restricted from purchasing property on or near Panama’s borders). In fact, you don’t even need to live in Panama or hold a residency visa to purchase a property. Prices in Panama have been steady for a number of years and are expected to remain so, making this a good region to invest in.

5/ Colombia

2022–23 property price growth: +7.49%
Average house price to average income ratio: 18.1x
Expat population: 138,000

If you’ve never previously thought about moving to Colombia as an expat, this is the time to start. There are already dozens of reasons to move to this up-and-coming South American nation: it has the lowest gender pay gap of any country in the world; one of the highest levels of health freedoms; it has the most number of hospitals per people in the world; and, thanks to its government property investment schemes, it’s now one of the easiest countries to buy property as an expat.

As a foreign national, you can acquire a temporary residency visa for Colombia very easily. All you need to do is purchase a property worth at least 350 times the monthly minimum wage in Colombia. As of 2023, this is US$285, meaning you only need to purchase a property worth US$99,700. Alternatively, if you purchase a property worth 650 times the minimum wage, or US$185,000, you will automatically qualify for a full residency visa, valid for five years. There’s no limit to who can purchase property in Colombia, and all you’ll need to complete your purchase is your passport.

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