EMELA Editorial Team
·3 min readBest Countries to Move Abroad With Kids
Moving abroad with children changes the relocation equation fundamentally. The variables that matter most shift from lifestyle and cost to education quality, healthcare reliability, safety, and the child's ability to build genuine social connections. The countries in this guide have been evaluated not just for adult quality of life but for the practical experience of raising children abroad, international school access and cost, pediatric healthcare quality, community infrastructure, and the long-term trajectory of what a childhood in each destination actually looks like.
What Changes When Children Are in the Picture
The biggest financial variable in family relocation is international schooling. Private international schools in most popular destinations run $800–$2,500 per child per month. This single cost changes the budget math dramatically, a comfortable life for a couple might run $3,000 per month in a destination, but adding two children in private school adds $1,600–$5,000 to that figure. Local public schools are an option in some countries (Portugal and Spain both have excellent public systems with immersion support), but they require rapid language acquisition from children and are not suitable for every family situation. Healthcare reliability, particularly pediatric specialty care, is the other non-negotiable. The countries in this guide either have strong public healthcare accessible to residents or excellent private healthcare infrastructure.
International Banking
Moving money across borders
Most people relocating abroad open a multi-currency account before they arrive. It handles international transfers more cleanly than a domestic bank and avoids the conversion fees that add up quickly.
See how Wise worksPortugal: Europe's Most Family-Friendly Relocation
Portugal combines EU residency stability, strong public schools with growing English-immersion programs, access to the SNS healthcare system for residents, and a genuinely child-friendly social culture. Safety ratings in Lisbon and Porto are excellent. International schools in both cities offer IB and British curricula at costs of €600–€1,800 per month. Many families choose the local public school system, which has improved significantly in recent years and provides rapid Portuguese immersion. Neighborhoods like Cascais and Oeiras outside Lisbon offer a genuinely suburban family environment with beach access. The honest challenge: housing costs in family-appropriate areas have risen significantly.
Spain: Year-Round Climate and International Schools
Spain offers one of the most established international school ecosystems in Europe, particularly in Barcelona and Madrid. The climate across most of Spain is genuinely family-friendly, outdoor activity is possible year-round, and the Spanish lifestyle culture (late dinners, long weekends, August at the beach) accommodates children naturally. Barcelona's international community is substantial, with schools offering British, American, and IB curricula. Spain's public school system is strong, and many expat families integrate their children into local schools successfully. Healthcare through the sistema público is excellent once residency is established. The Non-Lucrative Visa is the standard pathway for families without active Spanish employment.
Costa Rica: Nature-Based Childhood and Stable Democracy
Costa Rica is frequently cited by expat families as one of the best places in the world to raise children, and the reasons go beyond marketing. The country's extraordinary natural environment (25% of territory is protected national parks and reserves) means children grow up with direct, daily exposure to biodiversity that is impossible to replicate elsewhere. The pura vida culture is genuinely relaxed and warm toward children. English is widely spoken in expat areas. International schools in San José and on the Pacific coast are good, with costs of $500–$1,500 per month. Safety in expat areas is solid. The main trade-off: teenage social life options outside of San José and the major Pacific coast towns are limited.
Australia and New Zealand: English-First with World-Class Education
For English-speaking families who want no language barrier and the highest-quality education systems, Australia and New Zealand are in a separate tier. Both countries have world-class public school systems available to permanent residents, public healthcare of the highest standard, and safety records that consistently rank at the top of global indices. The trade-off is significant: housing costs in Sydney and Auckland are among the world's highest relative to income, visa pathways for independent remote workers are limited, and flights to Europe or North America are 20+ hours. For families who qualify for skilled or employer-sponsored visas, however, both countries deliver a quality of family life that is genuinely difficult to match.
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4 min readRelated destinations
Countries
Portugal
From $1,800/mo
Spain
From $2,000/mo
Italy
From $2,200/mo
France
From $2,500/mo
Germany
From $2,200/mo
Netherlands
From $2,800/mo
Ireland
From $2,500/mo
Croatia
From $1,800/mo
Greece
From $1,500/mo
Poland
From $1,300/mo
Hungary
From $1,200/mo
Estonia
From $1,800/mo
Romania
From $900/mo
Bulgaria
From $800/mo
Switzerland
From $4,000/mo
Austria
From $2,500/mo
Slovenia
From $1,250/mo
Turkey
From $800/mo
Georgia
From $700/mo
Thailand
From $1,000/mo
Malaysia
From $1,500/mo
Indonesia
From $1,200/mo
Vietnam
From $800/mo
South Korea
From $2,000/mo
Taiwan
From $1,500/mo
Japan
From $2,000/mo
Singapore
From $4,000/mo
United Arab Emirates
From $3,500/mo
South Africa
From $1,200/mo
Kenya
From $1,000/mo
Morocco
From $800/mo
Mexico
From $1,500/mo
Costa Rica
From $2,000/mo
Panama
From $2,000/mo
Colombia
From $1,200/mo
Ecuador
From $1,000/mo
Peru
From $900/mo
Chile
From $1,500/mo
Argentina
From $800/mo
Brazil
From $1,800/mo
Uruguay
From $1,800/mo
Paraguay
From $700/mo
Canada
From $2,800/mo
Australia
From $3,500/mo
New Zealand
From $3,000/mo
Philippines
From $1,000/mo
Sri Lanka
From $800/mo
Iceland
From $3,500/mo
Czech Republic
From $1,800/mo
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