10 Best Places to Move Abroad With Family

If you’re thinking about moving abroad with your family, it’s a huge decision to make. It’s not just your life and decisions, it’s everyone’s that you have to factor in. Things like safety, school quality, language barriers, socialization, and healthcare all come into focus a little more when you’re emigrating with children.

Although I don’t have children myself, I have helped dozens of families live their dreams abroad and have researched visas, schooling, and child benefits for years to help connect families with the right fit. I’m also a former English teacher overseas, so I know a lot about the overseas schooling system and what different kinds of schools have to offer.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about the best places to move abroad with family.

Different Types of Overseas Schools

First things first, we need to talk about the different types of schools overseas. This is something that throws a lot of people looking to move abroad with kids. 

European Schools

Despite the name, European Schools aren’t just schools in Europe. These are specific kinds of international schools for the children of European Union (EU) staff and the staff of other European institutions. So, unless you’re planning to work for the EU, these schools are not going to be an option for you. 

If you do, they’re a great option as they’re international options with multi-lingual education and good reputations. However, depending on the location you choose they can cost from 14,000-23,000EUR per pupil, per year. 

International Schools

International schools are a lot more straightforward. Essentially, it’s a private, paid school that teaches primarily in English. For the syllabus, they usually follow either a UK, US, or European Baccalaureate standard to be eligible for multiple colleges and locations.

Prices vary massively for international schools based on their reputation and location. However, if you need an English-speaking school, it’s a viable option.

Local Schools

Many countries have free local schools that your children can attend. The quality of these varies depending on location and individual school reputation, but they offer a cost-effective education and a chance to integrate with the local community more fully.

The issue might be the language barrier if your children don’t speak the language, as local schools may not have resources for additional language help and it may result in your child being at a disadvantage. 

Montessori Schools

Finally, we have Montessori Schools. Again, these are a form of private school that focuses on hands-on education and independent working. The difference here is that they group children by abilities and developmental stage, rather than age. Some countries, like the UK, have Montessori nurseries as well.

Depending on the individual school and nation, some Montessori schools are free or subsidized by the local government, however, most are fee-paying.

About Child Benefits

Child benefits play a big role in the raising of many children, especially during maternity periods when the household income may be lower than usual. After all, kids are expensive! Please be aware that for most of these, you need to be living in the country and paying tax or national insurance for at least 12 months to be eligible.

Different countries have different amounts but the most generous countries seem to be:

• UK: Will give you £20.70 a week until the child is 16 (or under 20 if they stay full-time education or training), with any additional children receiving £13.70 a week.
• Ireland: €140 per month for each child until they are 16 or 18 if they stay in full-time education, training, or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
• Denmark: This is means-tested, so depends on your income and decreases as the child gets older. So you’ll get between €605 per quarter to €377 per quarter.
• Germany: The Kindergeld is a child benefit that you get per child each year until they’re 18. At the moment, it’s 9,312 euros. 
• South Korea: You get $750 a month for the child’s first year.
• Estonia: On a monthly basis you get €60 for the first child, €60 for the second, and €100 for the third child. Families with three or more children receive an additional monthly bonus of €300.
• Finland: Will pay you €10,000 over 10 years for each baby born.
• Australia: Gives out around $6,000 over the first year.

Baby Bonuses

Some countries also have “baby bonuses”. This is when they give you a bonus amount for having a child in their country. This is primarily to boost declining populations. For example, Japan will pay you 100,000 yen ($940 USD) for the first child, and up to 1 million yen ($9,400 USD) for their fourth child, promoting large families to grow the population.

Maternity Leave

Another crucial thing to consider if you’re moving abroad and are thinking about growing your family is maternity and paternity leave. Again, like with the “baby bonuses”, you usually have to be a resident for 12 months before being eligible for state-led maternity pay.

Here are some of the best countries in the world for maternity leave.  

• Bulgaria: 410 days at 90% pay. Their maternity leave also starts 45 days before the due date.
• Norway: 343 days at 100% pay
• Sweden: 390 days at 80% pay
• Croatia: 196 days at 100% pay
• Greece: 119 days at 100% pay
• Canada: 365 days at 55% pay
• Czech Republic: 196 days at 70% pay
• New Zealand: 182 days at a flat rate pay

I‘ve lived abroad for many years and love helping others find work abroad and figure out their “Move Abroad Plan.” Check out my class below to get you started ASAP!

10 Best Places to Move Abroad With Family

Taking into account factors like cost of living, quality of education, social benefits, safety, nature, social tolerance, health services, childcare services, and quality of life, here are the top 10 places to move abroad with family.

1. Denmark

It’ll come as little surprise that we have Scandinavian nations on this list. The combination or work-life balance, great social care and educational systems (both healthcare and education is free), and the generous maternity and paternity leave make it a great option.

Both mothers and fathers can get up to 23 weeks of parental leave. This is in addition to the four weeks of maternity leave mothers can take before the due date. 

Denmark is also extremely safe. The lack of driving culture in the country means that children spend more time outside and the air quality tends to be better. Combine this with the travel connections to Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, and it’s a beautiful place to move to with your family.

2. Sweden

Hopping over the border, we have Sweden. For a long time, Sweden has been near the top of the quality of life indexes, and with good reason. In fact, it’s ranked as the top country in the world for childcare and the overall cost of children. This is for a few reasons. Their maternity and paternity leave total 480 days, of which 60 are reserved for the father.

Another cool thing is that the Swedish government gives parents the right to reduce their work hours until the child is eight, giving more flexibility. Of course, like Denmark, healthcare and education are both free, which is a huge plus. 

Historically, Sweden has one of the highest longevity rates in Europe, and the walkable cities are a huge plus in terms of safety, health, and environmental factors. Sweden also has a great economy which helps when trying to find a job.

3. New Zealand

If you’re looking at moving further afield, consider New Zealand. The land of the long white cloud is in the mix for the top rankings for both health and quality of life. With stunning nature, great focuses on sport, and a well-rounded education system that isn’t super competitive and high-pressured, it’s little wonder New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to raise kids.

One of the other plus points of New Zealand is the lack of a language barrier. This makes it a lot easier to integrate with the local community, and it means you can opt for a local school instead of having to pay for a private international school as standard.

There’s also a great safety aspect to New Zealand. Unlike neighboring Australia, there isn’t any wildlife that’s likely to kill you. There is also a huge range of cities across the two islands, and beach living if that’s more your vibe. 

4. Australia

Moving onto New Zealand’s larger and louder neighbor, Australia has been an expat paradise for decades. Mostly popular with Brits moving to sunnier climes, Australian cities are huge melting pots which make it easier to integrate and find a social group in a new country. There’s also a ton of advice out there as it’s such a popular move abroad nation.

In terms of financial child benefits, Australia offers financial support for up to 18 weeks. This means you can take time off work and focus on your child. There’s also a huge focus on sport in Australia, so kids grow up playing some kind of sport and are a lot healthier as a result.

This culture of spending time outside and being active is one of the major reasons why expats love living in Australia. The beautiful sunshine and coastal vibes don’t hurt either!

5. Netherlands

You might not know much about the Netherlands other than it being home to Amsterdam, but this small European nation is great for expats and for raising children. English is one of the official languages of the Netherlands alongside Dutch, so it’s relatively easy to find schools that teach primarily in English.

The Netherlands is ranked 3rd and 4th globally for education and childcare quality, so you know you’re in safe hands here. In fact, mothers are entitled to a maternity nurse, known as a “Kraamzorg”, which is usually partially or entirely paid for by your insurance. The economy in The Netherlands tends to be very good with many major corporations having headquarters here.

There’s also a focus on green and environmental policies in the Netherlands. Pretty much everyone owns and uses a bike in the Netherlands, which contributes to improved health, lower carbon emissions, and better air quality.

There are also really convenient train links across Europe and Amsterdam’s airport is one of the largest in the world as the hub for KLM, so you can easily travel back to visit family and friends. 

6. Canada

Want to leave the US but don’t want to travel too far? Our wonderful neighbors in the Great White North are an ideal option. One of the great things about emigrating with your family to Canada is that there isn’t that much of a culture shock compared to moving to Europe, Asia, or Oceania. 

If you work in a place covered by Canada’s Labor Code, you’ll get 17 paid weeks off for maternity leave, which is great. For a large proportion of the country, the language is English so teaching language isn’t really an issue unless you move to Quebec where Quebequois (a version of French) is the official language.

With so much natural beauty, Canada is ideal for adventurous families who like to hike, camp, or ski on the weekends. It’s also not far from the US if you need to pop back to see family or friends. 

7. Switzerland

Famous for its mountains, chocolate, and high cost of living, Switzerland is a great place to move to if budget isn’t too much of an issue. It’s one of the safest countries in the world and has some of the best schools anywhere in Europe. With so many expats and diplomats living here, there are a lot of international schools on offer, so if you need English-language options, you’re spoiled for choice.

There are also plenty of global businesses that have headquarters here for tax reasons, so finding work here or being transferred to a Swiss option is always a good road to go down. 

Similar to Canada, Switzerland is amazing for outdoorsy families with world-class hikes, ski slopes, and adventures on your doorstep. The largely walkable towns and cities also feel secure and safe, which gives you that much-needed peace of mind.

8. Singapore

If you’re looking to move to Asia, Singapore has consistently been rated as the best place to move as a family. According to a recent survey by HSBC, Singapore has the best educational system in the entire world. Of course, this comes at a price. International schools are common in Singapore due to the amount of expats, but they are expensive, so factor this in. 

Singapore is also an incredibly safe country to live in. The streets are kept clean and the country has a zero-tolerance policy on drugs. It’s also ideally located for visiting other Asian nations like Malaysia and Thailand, or hopping down to Australia, as Singapore’s Changi Airport is one of the biggest and best in the world.

9. Germany

I might be biased, but Germany is pretty great for expats. With the Kindergelt system paying you around 9,312 euros each year as a child benefit, it’s financially a great idea to move to Germany if you’re starting a family.

German childcare is ranked 3rd in the world and the overall quality of life puts them in the top 10. They have a great mix of international and local schools to choose from depending on your preference and language learning abilities. 

Of course, there are also plenty of social services from healthcare to education to social care and beyond which help families be supported throughout their time here. Just watch out for the red tape, German expat proceedings are famous for unnecessary paperwork!

10. Portugal

If you’re looking for a location with a low cost of living, laidback beach vibes, but great social healthcare and education options, consider Portugal. With the lowest cost of living in Western Europe, you can support a family of four for around 2,300EUR without rent. 

While the job market isn’t the best in Europe by a long shot, Portugal is a hub for digital nomads and remote workers. So, if you can keep your US job but work remotely, you’re in a perfect spot as Portugal has a range of digital nomad visas and co-working spaces at affordable rates.

For schooling, Portugal offers free public schools and nurseries and there are quite a few international schools around the main cities. Even though the official language is Portuguese, English is widely spoken in the main cities and tourist areas.

In terms of maternity, the mother receives 120 days at 100% pay, which can be extended to 150 days at 80% if you share it with the father. The paternity is 20 compulsory days at 100% pay and can be extended an extra five days.

Final Thoughts

So, there are plenty of great options if you’re looking to move abroad with your family. From mountain wonderlands to laidback beach towns to vibrant, multi-cultural cities, there are a lot of amazing countries to choose from. 

However, it’s important to remember that to get many of the social benefits including maternity, child benefits, and baby bonuses, you need to be a resident of these nations for at least 12 months. This means that you’re paying into their social care system and then will eventually be reaping the rewards.

Finding the best places to move abroad with family can be tricky – after all, there are a lot of factors to weigh up. But, when you do finally choose your new home, it might just be the best decision you ever make.

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