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Best Countries for Jobs and Housing (2026)

Every country in our catalog ranked for job market strength and housing affordability in 2026. Higher scores mean a stronger blend of career options and rent that is easier to carry.

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A hot job market can still break a move if rent eats the raise. The opposite problem is cheap housing with thin hiring. This ranking blends job market strength and housing affordability so you see countries that tend to keep career options and rent in the same conversation.

Use Compare to test two career bases, then check likely rent in the cost of living calculator before you sign anything.

Jobs and housing Score on the map

Higher score = stronger jobs and housing

Tap a country to see its score.

Jobs and housing Score world map
8.5+
7.0–8.4
5.5–6.9
Below 5.5
RankCountryJobs and housing Score
#1Netherlands8.3
#2Germany8.2
#3Czech Republic8.2
#4Hungary8.2
#5Estonia8.2
#6Portugal8.1
#7Canada8.1
#8Poland8.1
#9Japan8.0
#10Malaysia8.0
#11Sweden7.9
#12Spain7.9
#13Denmark7.9
#14Finland7.9
#15Austria7.9
#16France7.9
#17Lithuania7.9
#18Slovakia7.9
#19Italy7.8
#20Uruguay7.8
#21Panama7.8
#22Vietnam7.8
#23Latvia7.8
#24Belgium7.7
#25Chile7.7
#26Thailand7.7
#27Mexico7.6
#28India7.6
#29Andorra7.6
#30Azerbaijan7.6
#31Serbia7.6
#32United Kingdom7.5
#33China7.5
#34South Africa7.5
#35Colombia7.5
#36Peru7.5
#37Indonesia7.5
#38Georgia7.5
#39Romania7.5
#40Moldova7.5
#41Ukraine7.5
#42Croatia7.5
#43Taiwan7.5
#44Australia7.4
#45United States7.4
#46Greece7.4
#47Ecuador7.4
#48Bolivia7.4
#49Turkiye7.4
#50Philippines7.4
#51Bangladesh7.4
#52Malta7.4
#53San Marino7.4
#54Bulgaria7.4
#55Ireland7.3
#56Brazil7.3
#57Argentina7.3
#58Sri Lanka7.3
#59Norway7.2
#60South Korea7.2
#61Pakistan7.2
#62Liechtenstein7.2
#63Saudi Arabia7.2
#64Costa Rica7.1
#65Paraguay7.1
#66Nepal7.1
#67Cambodia7.1
#68Nigeria7.1
#69United Arab Emirates (Dubai)7.1
#70New Zealand7.0
#71Singapore7.0
#72Kazakhstan7.0
#73Uzbekistan7.0
#74Cyprus7.0
#75Slovenia7.0
#76Switzerland6.9
#77Russia6.9
#78Myanmar6.9
#79Laos6.9
#80Kyrgyzstan6.9
#81Venezuela6.8
#82Mongolia6.8
#83Tajikistan6.8
#84Kenya6.8
#85Ghana6.8
#86Bosnia and Herzegovina6.8
#87Qatar6.8
#88Luxembourg6.7
#89Iran6.7
#90Ethiopia6.7
#91Tunisia6.7
#92Madagascar6.7
#93Morocco6.6
#94Algeria6.6
#95Ivory Coast6.6
#96Mauritius6.6
#97Jamaica6.5
#98Turkmenistan6.5
#99Senegal6.5
#100Iceland6.4
#101Egypt6.4
#102Benin6.4
#103Cape Verde6.4
#104Barbados6.3
#105Burkina Faso6.3
#106Guinea6.3
#107Togo6.3
#108Curaçao6.3
#109Sudan6.2
#110Monaco6.2
#111Chad6.1
#112Niger6.1
#113Mali6.1
#114Hong Kong6.0
#115Libya6.0
#116Sierra Leone6.0
#117Bahamas5.9
#118Vanuatu5.8
#119Liberia5.8
#120Seychelles4.9
#121Falkland Islands4.4

Why the leaders rank here for jobs and housing

The leaders combine active employment centers with housing scores that still leave room to live outside the most inflated capitals. That balance matters when a move has to fund both a career and a home.

  1. #1
    Netherlands8.3

    The Netherlands pairs international employers with housing that, outside the tightest city cores, still supports a working move better than many peer markets.

  2. #2
    Germany8.2

    Germany offers deep regional job markets and a housing picture that still includes mid-size cities where rent does not automatically erase career gains.

  3. #3
    Czech Republic8.2

    The Czech Republic links Prague-region hiring to national housing costs that remain more workable than Western European peer capitals for many movers.

  4. #4
    Hungary8.2

    Hungary combines Central European hiring access with housing costs that undercut many EU peers, which helps early career movers stretch a salary.

  5. #5
    Estonia8.2

    Estonia mixes a digital-forward job scene with housing costs that stay easier to carry than in larger Western hubs, especially outside the densest Tallinn pockets.

Rankings are based on our scoring model. Always verify visa and cost information with official sources before making relocation decisions.

How we calculate these rankings

We rank every country in our catalog by the equal-weight average of job market strength and housing affordability, highest first. A higher combined score means a stronger general mix of career opportunity and rent that is easier to carry.

What this does not measure: Your field’s actual openings, salary after tax, landlord deposits, or visa work rights. It also cannot show one neighborhood’s rent spike.

Updates: Rankings refresh when we redeploy after underlying country data changes.

Explore these countries

Open any country profile for full jobs and housing context, visas, and scores. Use compare when you are weighing a shortlist.

Showing top 8 of 121 ranked countries. Scroll the table above for the full list.

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