Summary
These results reflect the responses of 6,321 participants from around the world — all nationalities combined. The data below is freely reusable with attribution to SOS-Expat.com (CC BY 4.0 license). Journalists, researchers, bloggers: you may cite these figures, embed this survey on your site, or download the full dataset in CSV format.
📰 Key figures
participants worldwide
countries represented
cite "Admin procedures" as #1 problem
are satisfied or very satisfied
have no health coverage
use fintech (Wise, Revolut...)
willing to pay for legal help
find life more expensive abroad
💡 Results analysis
Dominant profile: Settled expat (41% of participants)
Most requested service: Traditional bank (386 votes)
The #1 problem for expats is "Adventure / Discovery" (11% of respondents)
📊 At a glance
Participant profiles
#1 Problem
Satisfaction
Monthly budget
📋 Detailed results
1. You are...
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✈️ Settled expat 41% (633)
-
💻 Digital nomad 19% (294)
-
🌍 Future expat 18% (271)
-
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler 15% (226)
-
🎓 Student abroad 7% (112)
2. What is your nationality?
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Spain 5% (74)
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United States 4% (69)
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Brazil 4% (69)
-
Morocco 4% (68)
-
Germany 4% (68)
-
Netherlands 4% (67)
-
Colombia 4% (67)
-
Canada 4% (66)
-
Senegal 4% (65)
-
Switzerland 4% (63)
-
Italy 4% (62)
-
Belgium 4% (62)
-
Thailand 4% (61)
-
India 4% (59)
-
South Korea 4% (58)
-
United Kingdom 4% (58)
-
Singapore 4% (56)
-
Mexico 4% (55)
-
Australia 4% (55)
-
Portugal 3% (52)
-
Japan 3% (51)
-
Tunisia 3% (50)
-
Argentina 3% (48)
-
United Arab Emirates 3% (46)
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France 3% (44)
-
Vietnam 3% (43)
3. What is your native language?
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🇫🇷 French 12% (184)
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🇪🇸 Spanish 10% (157)
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🇬🇧 English 9% (140)
-
🇩🇪 German 7% (114)
-
🇵🇹 Portuguese 7% (105)
-
🇷🇺 Russian 5% (81)
-
🌐 Other 5% (77)
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🇨🇳 Chinese (Mandarin) 5% (73)
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🇹🇷 Turkish 4% (61)
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🇮🇩 Indonesian 4% (60)
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🇸🇦 Arabic 4% (58)
-
🇹🇭 Thai 4% (57)
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🇯🇵 Japanese 4% (56)
-
🇰🇷 Korean 4% (55)
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🇮🇳 Hindi 3% (53)
-
🇵🇱 Polish 3% (52)
-
🇳🇱 Dutch 3% (52)
-
🇻🇳 Vietnamese 3% (51)
-
🇮🇹 Italian 3% (50)
4. What country do you currently live in?
-
Switzerland 5% (75)
-
Colombia 5% (74)
-
Japan 4% (69)
-
Mexico 4% (69)
-
Australia 4% (67)
-
United States 4% (66)
-
Singapore 4% (64)
-
Brazil 4% (64)
-
Tunisia 4% (63)
-
Netherlands 4% (62)
-
Italy 4% (61)
-
United Kingdom 4% (59)
-
Germany 4% (59)
-
Morocco 4% (58)
-
South Korea 4% (58)
-
India 4% (56)
-
Portugal 4% (54)
-
Thailand 4% (54)
-
Spain 3% (53)
-
France 3% (52)
-
Canada 3% (52)
-
Belgium 3% (52)
-
Senegal 3% (51)
-
United Arab Emirates 3% (50)
-
Argentina 3% (48)
-
Vietnam 3% (46)
5. How long have you been abroad?
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📆 1 - 3 years 30% (460)
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🗓️ 3 - 5 years 24% (366)
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🏠 5+ years 16% (246)
-
📅 6 months - 1 year 15% (236)
-
⏱️ Less than 6 months 10% (154)
-
✨ Not yet 5% (74)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
6. Why did you move abroad? (multiple answers)
-
🏃 Adventure / Discovery 11% (325)
-
💼 Work / Transfer 10% (319)
-
🕊️ Political reasons 10% (315)
-
🌐 Other 10% (311)
-
🎓 Studies 10% (311)
-
🏥 Health reasons 10% (309)
-
🌴 Quality of life 10% (306)
-
🏖️ Retirement 10% (295)
-
💰 Financial reasons 10% (294)
-
💕 Love / Family 9% (276)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
7. What problems have you encountered? (multiple answers)
-
🗣️ Language barrier 13% (412)
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😔 Loneliness / isolation 13% (390)
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🏦 Opening a bank account 13% (383)
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🏠 Finding housing 12% (379)
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⚖️ Legal issues 12% (377)
-
📋 Administrative procedures 12% (373)
-
🏥 Access to healthcare 12% (371)
-
✅ None, everything went well! 12% (370)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
8. Which impacted you the most?
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📋 Admin procedures 36% (546)
-
🗣️ Language 16% (247)
-
🏠 Housing 14% (219)
-
🏥 Healthcare 10% (152)
-
😔 Loneliness 10% (147)
-
🏦 Banking 9% (145)
-
⚖️ Legal 5% (80)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
9. What is your total monthly budget?
-
💰 Less than $1,000 25% (382)
-
💵 $1,000 - $2,000 22% (336)
-
💳 $2,000 - $3,500 20% (309)
-
💎 $3,500 - $5,000 18% (270)
-
🏆 More than $5,000 16% (239)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
10. The cost of living in your host country is...
-
🟠 More expensive 31% (479)
-
⚪ About the same 26% (406)
-
🔴 Much more expensive 19% (298)
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🟡 Cheaper 16% (243)
-
🟢 Much cheaper 7% (110)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
11. How do you manage health coverage?
-
🌐 Private international insurance 25% (389)
-
🏛️ Local social security 22% (336)
-
🏢 Employer insurance 20% (304)
-
❌ No coverage 17% (262)
-
❓ I don't know 16% (245)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
12. How do you send money abroad?
-
🏦 Traditional bank 25% (386)
-
📱 Wise, Revolut, N26... 23% (354)
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💸 Western Union, MoneyGram... 20% (306)
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₿ Crypto 17% (265)
-
🚫 I don't send money 15% (225)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
13. Your satisfaction with life abroad?
-
😊 Satisfied 40% (610)
-
🤩 Very satisfied 25% (387)
-
😐 Neutral 21% (325)
-
😕 Dissatisfied 9% (144)
-
😫 Very dissatisfied 5% (70)
👥 Breakdown by profile
✈️ Settled expat
🌍 Future expat
🎓 Student abroad
🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler
💻 Digital nomad
14. Which services would be useful? (multiple answers)
-
🚨 Repatriation / emergencies 15% (442)
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🏠 Finding housing 15% (442)
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🤝 Expat community 15% (438)
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🗣️ Language courses 14% (428)
-
📋 Admin help (taxes) 14% (425)
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🛡️ International insurance 14% (422)
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⚖️ Legal help (visa, contracts) 14% (410)
15. Would you pay for legal or admin help?
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👍 Yes, if reasonably priced 39% (602)
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🤔 Maybe, depends 29% (449)
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✅ Yes, without hesitation 17% (264)
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🚫 No, I look for free options 14% (221)
16. Do you know what SOS-Expat.com is for?
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❌ No, I'm discovering it through this survey 59% (902)
-
🤔 I've heard of it but I'm not sure exactly 17% (258)
-
💡 I thought it was something else 14% (222)
-
✅ Yes, it's a platform to solve any type of problem worldwide in under 5 minutes 10% (154)
17. Any advice for future expats or travelers? (optional)
🔀 Cross-analysis
Duration × Satisfaction
| 🌐 Private internatio... | 🏛️ Local social secu... | ❌ No coverage | 🏢 Employer insurance | ❓ I don't know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 39% 27 | 17% 12 | 12% 8 | 14% 10 | 17% 12 |
| Japan | 30% 21 | 13% 9 | 25% 17 | 22% 15 | 10% 7 |
| Thailand | 39% 21 | 17% 9 | 13% 7 | 17% 9 | 15% 8 |
| Netherlands | 32% 20 | 29% 18 | 11% 7 | 13% 8 | 15% 9 |
| United Arab Emirates | 20% 10 | 40% 20 | 10% 5 | 12% 6 | 18% 9 |
| Switzerland | 27% 20 | 25% 19 | 13% 10 | 24% 18 | 11% 8 |
| Colombia | 23% 17 | 26% 19 | 24% 18 | 11% 8 | 16% 12 |
| Brazil | 28% 18 | 22% 14 | 22% 14 | 17% 11 | 11% 7 |
| Singapore | 25% 16 | 28% 18 | 14% 9 | 22% 14 | 11% 7 |
| Canada | 33% 17 | 17% 9 | 15% 8 | 15% 8 | 19% 10 |
Origin × Destination
| 🇫🇷 French | 🇪🇸 Spanish | 🇬🇧 English | 🇩🇪 German | 🌐 Other | 🇷🇺 Russian | 🇳🇱 Dutch | 🇵🇹 Portuguese | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 21% 14 | 6% 4 | 6% 4 | 4% 3 | 3% 2 | 4% 3 | 1% 1 | 9% 6 |
| Switzerland | 22% 14 | 5% 3 | 8% 5 | 11% 7 | 5% 3 | — | 5% 3 | 6% 4 |
| Senegal | 11% 7 | 20% 13 | 8% 5 | 6% 4 | 3% 2 | 12% 8 | 2% 1 | 5% 3 |
| Morocco | 19% 13 | 13% 9 | 6% 4 | 4% 3 | 1% 1 | 4% 3 | 1% 1 | 6% 4 |
| Germany | 15% 10 | 16% 11 | 7% 5 | 3% 2 | 1% 1 | 7% 5 | 7% 5 | 6% 4 |
| Spain | 5% 4 | 14% 10 | 15% 11 | 9% 7 | 4% 3 | 3% 2 | 1% 1 | 7% 5 |
| Mexico | 16% 9 | 11% 6 | 5% 3 | 5% 3 | 2% 1 | 5% 3 | 4% 2 | 13% 7 |
| Canada | 14% 9 | 14% 9 | 11% 7 | 2% 1 | 3% 2 | 5% 3 | 5% 3 | 6% 4 |
| Brazil | 12% 8 | 9% 6 | 10% 7 | 13% 9 | 12% 8 | 10% 7 | 4% 3 | 1% 1 |
| United States | 13% 9 | 12% 8 | 7% 5 | 7% 5 | 1% 1 | 3% 2 | 1% 1 | 7% 5 |
Profile × Willingness to pay
| 😊 Satisfied | 🤩 Very satisfied | 😐 Neutral | 😕 Dissatisfied | 😫 Very dissatisfied | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Settled expat | 41% 261 | 24% 152 | 23% 144 | 9% 58 | 3% 18 |
| 💻 Digital nomad | 39% 115 | 25% 74 | 21% 61 | 9% 26 | 6% 18 |
| 🌍 Future expat | 37% 100 | 24% 64 | 23% 63 | 10% 27 | 6% 17 |
| 🏖️ Vacationer / Traveler | 37% 84 | 31% 69 | 16% 36 | 12% 27 | 4% 10 |
| 🎓 Student abroad | 45% 50 | 25% 28 | 19% 21 | 5% 6 | 6% 7 |
United States vs global average
1. You are...
2. What is your nationality?
3. What is your native language?
4. What country do you currently live in?
5. How long have you been abroad?
6. Why did you move abroad? (multiple answers)
7. What problems have you encountered? (multiple answers)
8. Which impacted you the most?
9. What is your total monthly budget?
10. The cost of living in your host country is...
11. How do you manage health coverage?
12. How do you send money abroad?
13. Your satisfaction with life abroad?
14. Which services would be useful? (multiple answers)
15. Would you pay for legal or admin help?
16. Do you know what SOS-Expat.com is for?
🌍 Responses by country
📰 Data & Press
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I reuse this data?
How to download the results?
🔬 Methodology
Data is collected via an anonymous online questionnaire, available in 9 languages (French, English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic). Each participant responds voluntarily.
Sample size: 6,321 responses from 54 countries. The sample is self-selected (non-probabilistic) — results reflect trends within the connected expat community, not a statistically representative population.
No personally identifiable data is stored. Responses are anonymized. Only the connection country (via IP hash) is recorded for geographic breakdown.
Potential biases: self-selection, over-representation of connected and French-speaking expats, under-representation of populations without internet access.
Results are updated in real-time with each new response.
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