Best countries for English-friendly living
Ranked by GeoCompass English Index — how much you can rely on English in public life, services, and professional settings. New Zealand leads with 9.55 / 10, ahead of United Kingdom (9.55 / 10) and Australia (9.55 / 10). This view ranks 205 scored jurisdictions.
Methodology: rankings use the GeoCompass objective scores only. They do not include profile-specific dimensions such as visa fit or time zone fit.
Jurisdictions with a geopolitical stability score below 3.8 / 10 (active conflict or state fragility) are not ranked in this list. They appear without a rank below the table, and their scores stay visible on their country profiles.
What the English Index measures
The English Index measures how far English alone will carry you. It weighs both general proficiency in the population and the practical availability of English-language services in administrative, medical, and commercial settings. It answers a concrete question for a newcomer: can you handle a doctor's visit, a lease, or a government office before you learn the local language?
For the first year in a new country, this often shapes daily stress more than any other factor. A place can score well on cost and safety yet be exhausting if nothing official is in English. Use the ranking to ease a soft landing, while remembering that learning the local language still pays off wherever you settle.
Ranking table
| Rank | Flag | Country | English Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | New Zealand | 9.55 / 10 | |
| =1 | United Kingdom | 9.55 / 10 | |
| =1 | Australia | 9.55 / 10 | |
| =1 | United States | 9.55 / 10 | |
| =5 | Gibraltar | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Jersey | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Ireland | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Isle of Man | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Guernsey | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Alderney | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Canada | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Sark | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Saint Helena | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Falkland Islands | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =5 | Pitcairn Islands | 9.37 / 10 | |
| =16 | Bermuda | 9.28 / 10 | |
| =16 | Cayman Islands | 9.28 / 10 | |
| =16 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 9.28 / 10 | |
| =16 | Anguilla | 9.28 / 10 | |
| =16 | Montserrat | 9.28 / 10 |
Below the stability floor: 27 jurisdictions with scores but no rank
These jurisdictions sit below the 3.8 / 10 geopolitical stability floor (active conflict or state fragility), so they are listed without a rank. Their scores are shown here for transparency and stay fully visible on their country profiles.
- Ukraine6.13 / 10geo 1.65 / 10
- Lebanon5.95 / 10geo 3.01 / 10
- Pakistan5.68 / 10geo 3.12 / 10
- Russia4.51 / 10geo 1.67 / 10
- Palestinian Territories4.15 / 10geo 1.34 / 10
- Venezuela4.15 / 10geo 3.34 / 10
- South Sudan4.15 / 10geo 1.13 / 10
- Myanmar4.06 / 10geo 1.18 / 10
- Belarus3.70 / 10geo 2.44 / 10
- Ethiopia3.61 / 10geo 3.48 / 10
- Iran3.61 / 10geo 2.75 / 10
- Libya3.43 / 10geo 1.48 / 10
- Haiti3.43 / 10geo 2.50 / 10
- Iraq3.34 / 10geo 2.94 / 10
- Syria3.25 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Sudan2.98 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Afghanistan2.98 / 10geo 1.06 / 10
- Eritrea2.98 / 10geo 3.74 / 10
- Yemen2.89 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Burkina Faso2.80 / 10geo 3.28 / 10
- Mali2.80 / 10geo 1.46 / 10
- Somalia2.80 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Niger2.62 / 10geo 2.56 / 10
- Burundi2.62 / 10geo 3.73 / 10
- Democratic Republic of the Congo2.62 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Chad2.62 / 10geo 2.76 / 10
- Central African Republic2.35 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
Top five spotlight
=1New Zealand9.55 / 10
- Admin Ease Index: 9.58 / 10 — Minimal day-to-day bureaucracy
- English Index: 9.55 / 10 — Exceptional english index
=1United Kingdom9.55 / 10
- English Index: 9.55 / 10 — Exceptional english index
- Banking Index: 9.24 / 10 — World-class banking access for expats
=1Australia9.55 / 10
- English Index: 9.55 / 10 — Exceptional english index
- Admin Ease Index: 9.38 / 10 — Minimal day-to-day bureaucracy
=1United States9.55 / 10
- AI Access Index: 9.60 / 10 — Exceptional ai access index
- English Index: 9.55 / 10 — Exceptional english index
=5Gibraltar9.37 / 10
- Banking Index: 9.37 / 10 — World-class banking access for expats
- English Index: 9.37 / 10 — Exceptional english index
Free diagnostic
See how these rankings change for your profile
Global rankings are averages. GeoCompass Signal rescores everything on your income, taxes and priorities, free, in about 6 minutes.
Free. About 6 minutes. No payment, first results on screen.
Frequently asked questions
What does the English Index measure?
How widely and how well English is used: general population proficiency and the practical availability of English in administrative, medical, and commercial services.
Does a high score mean I do not need the local language?
It means you can manage daily life and admin in English early on. Learning the local language still helps with integration and deeper access over time.
Why does English in services matter, not just on the street?
Because the hard moments are official ones, a hospital, a tax office, a contract. The index weights whether those can be handled in English.
Related rankings
Founder, Lucky Nomads · Wealth manager
Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.