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Daniel Fosh
Hey there, global adventurers. Grab your passports and join us. I can't do it, man. I'm sorry. Freaking chat. Gbg. Grab your passports and join us for an exciting journey around the world. Yeah, I think we're gonna have to. We're gonna have to. Yeah, yeah, do it. We're gonna have to write our own. This is not the 21st century that I dream.
Dave Hutch
This is what I got, man. Hey there. Welcome to Real Estate Without Borders. I'm your host, Dave Hutch. We're here with Daniel Fosh, and today we're jetting around the globe to uncover the best place jet to live and work in 2025. Whether you're dreaming of a fresh start or a killer career move or just better quality of life, this episode's got you covered. You're welcome.
Daniel Fosh
Do people like that kind of stuff? I feel like maybe, eh, I don't know. Whenever I watch YouTube, like, I can't watch YouTube videos unless they're like, super chill people where they're just like, us talking. That's why I like podcasts.
Dave Hutch
I agree.
Daniel Fosh
Because there's like, just people having a conversation. It's not like, you know, all that, like. And I remember I was at this event once. I promise we'll get to the episode. Do we. Do we introduce the episode? The episode is 25's best countries to live and work in. By the way, quick story time. I was at this event, and I was a speaker, and then there was this other keynote speaker, and he was talking all about, like, rah, rah, and like all of this, like, you got to do this with your voice and blah, blah, blah. And I'm like. Then I got up and he's like, don't stand at the podium the whole time. And I was like, right after this dude, right? And I'm like, okay, guys, forget everything you just heard. I'm gonna stand at this podium the whole time, and I'm gonna tell you a ton of bad news with charts. And if I did it with, like, the rah rah, it would be really weird. Like, I feel like you would find that would be weird, right? This guy's trying to sell me some doom, you know? So I think that there's a time and place for everything. And I think people are misreading like, that everyone wants to hear.
Dave Hutch
I think disingenuous is what people.
Daniel Fosh
Okay, cool.
Dave Hutch
Be a part of. I think. I think it's like the whole super over embellished everyone, the super happy. That's not real. And I don't think anyone wants to watch that. Maybe it's just us.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah. So with that being said, with that being said, whether you're dreaming of Swiss Alps views from your home office or thinking about your startup being pulled in Singapore's vibe. Hold on, we've got you covered.
Dave Hutch
The mine is think Switzerland, Alpine's charm. Singapore skyline or Sorry, Skyscraper hustle. Or maybe Greece's sun soaked shores. Ready to pack your bags? Let's dive in. Weird. Where'd you type yours in? Notion. I'm in Grok. But it's weird that the AI did the same kind of thing at the.
Daniel Fosh
Top of the notion doc because they're robots, man. They're all the same, you know, like they're. This is. It's getting weird out there, man. Like, you know, even when you're on the Internet and like, and you, you know, if you're like in a, in a Reddit thread or like Twitter thread and you can see like this comment is like that was an AI that wrote that. You know, it's like there, there was this article I read called like the golden age of the Internet is dead or something and like the majority of content is like robot generated now. It's a really sad.
Dave Hutch
What's that thing you sent me yesterday?
Daniel Fosh
Matrix is here. Dude, we're interacting Robots already.
Dave Hutch
Crazy. Crazy.
Daniel Fosh
That was crazy.
Dave Hutch
Here, let me get to the list so you guys can at least enjoy this part. Sorry everybody. Me and Fosh haven't talked in a week, so give us a break. We're catching up. Too busy, guys. Okay, 2025 best countries to live and work number one Switzerland 2. Singapore 3. USA 4 Australia 5 Canada 6. UK 7. UAE 8 New Zealand 9. Austria 10 Italy 11 Hong Kong 12 Latvia 13 Malta 14 Hungary and 15 Greece. And that's from the Henley, which I'm going to be honest with you, the Henley Opportunity Index. Let me google what this is.
Daniel Fosh
It's.
Dave Hutch
Do you know that there's only three buttons?
Daniel Fosh
Henley's like a type of shirt where you button in the top, but it's like a crew neck, right?
Dave Hutch
What is the Henley Opportunity Index?
Daniel Fosh
20 properties getting this information from.
Dave Hutch
You got another list. It's the same list.
Daniel Fosh
No, same list. It's just. It's a visual capitalist always.
Dave Hutch
The Henley Opportunity Index is a benchmark of all tool created by obviously Henley and Partners, a global firm specializing in residence and citizenship planning. It measures how to access premium education and enhanced global mobility through investment based residents or citizenship programs.
Daniel Fosh
Buddy, we're going to have to.
Dave Hutch
How do we get A hold of Henley Partners and get these guys on the show.
Daniel Fosh
If you're, if you're Henley and you're listening to this, I think that's a good.
Dave Hutch
Let's go.
Daniel Fosh
We got to send them, we just send them this episode when done. When it's done. That's it. Easy. A hundred percent we want them on the show. So let's, let's get into it. Why. Why is the number one.
Dave Hutch
Everyone's got a Rolex. Everyone's happy.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah.
Dave Hutch
Let me.
Daniel Fosh
Because everybody has a Rolex. Rolexes and chocolate and bottled water. Boom. And cheese. That's, that's the. There's a food triangle right there. The Maslow's hierarchy. Crypto Bros. Hierarchy of needs right there.
Dave Hutch
Yeah. With multi 6 maybe a co owned Lambo as well. I got here. Switzerland's position as number one in the 2025 Henley Opportunity Index scoring 84 comes down to the unbeatable mix of high earning potential, career opportunities and exceptional quality of life. Focuses on wealth, mobility and future prospects for families. So you got the earning potential. Is that what yours based off here? Okay, yeah.
Daniel Fosh
So earning. If I go earning potential. Switzerland's number 100 and then Singapore is number one as well. Yeah, let's go to top. Top earning potential. Yeah, it's. It pretty much. You got Switzerland, Singapore, US Hong Kong, uae, Latvia, Hungary, Australia, Canada, uk, New Zealand, Austria, Italy, career advancement. Switzerland number one and Canada number three. I'm ranking it now by career advancement. So if you see I can click on these and actually rank by the Henley on the Henley website. Singapore number one. Top tier employment prospects. So anyway let's talk about. So why Switzerland number one? Like I'm, I'm a Swiss citizen so. And talk about this a little bit. It's very expensive there. Like you think it's expensive in Canada and the U.S. switzerland is incredibly expensive because it's like super, super first world. Right? Like no homelessness, no petty crime. Like you know it's a very small country and it's existed for a long time. So there's like a lot of like they don't have a ton of infrastructure that needs to be built, created. Right. It's been a confederation. I think it's like the oldest country that still has its existing like government like system confederation. Helvetica was like 700 years old. They're neutral, politically neutral neutral. So like they're, they've never been to war. They've never been invaded. Never been to war, never been invaded, didn't get touched in World War II. Even though all that stuff was going on around them, they. Yeah, so, and, and no, obviously a really strong oligopolistic banking sector. They've, they've carved out very solid niches in all of the different industries that they, they've worked in. That being said, one of the things that I will say is they have a really high debt to GDP ratio, household debt ratio or sorry, debt, not debt to gdp, but debt to earnings ratio. And so they're, they have a lot of debt similar to a place like Canada. And actually most of the countries that are high on this list, other than Singapore, and Singapore is really dynamic. We can talk about that. Cause it's very fascinating with their way they've structured their home ownership and stuff like that. But you've got other, other than that, you've got us, Australia, Canada, uk, New Zealand, where really high household debt. So people are debting ahead. Yeah, it's expensive, man. People just stack debt because they, they, because they know that the country will give them. Well, they feel like it'll give them a long lifetime of high earning potential. And so people are, are, are comfortable committing to more debt if they think, oh, I'm going to be able to earn, you know, whatever several hundred K a year forever. Why, why wouldn't I lever up and, and front load, front load. All of the, they have good stuff.
Dave Hutch
Average annual wage is around 85,000 to 100,000 USD, which is like far above the global norms. What, what other industries? Finance tech. What, what's the, what's the, what are like.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, finance tech.
Dave Hutch
Interesting.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, quite a bit of tech.
Dave Hutch
It has top tier obviously, so career Advancement score high 80s. Top tier employment prospects, high 80s. Unemployment's around 2 to 3% which is good Watch watches, machinery, premium education, it's.
Daniel Fosh
Full weather, lots of fresh water, mountains. I don't know, I mean it's just like a nice. I totally get it. I, I don't know why I ever left there, to tell you the truth. Yeah, when I did my military conscription.
Dave Hutch
I never went to war.
Daniel Fosh
So to be a Swiss citizen you have to go to the army.
Dave Hutch
Was it cool?
Daniel Fosh
Just like train, throw grenades, like, come on, just make some shot. Yeah, it was cool. It was one of the best experiences.
Dave Hutch
You like, you were able to.
Daniel Fosh
I was honorably discharged, but I wish, I wish I stayed longer. Yeah, Y. Well, you only have to go for a year typically. But yeah, I had a medical issue then I've got it resolved since, but I had a medical issue that I had to be discharged for. Sleep apnea. They didn't allow that. I didn't know, but I didn't. I could barely speak the language I didn't tell everybody. Snoring and then long story.
Dave Hutch
You're trying to hide in the bushes and.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I guess. I don't know. I don't even snore anymore.
Dave Hutch
But yoga yesterday I got it and that's the last 10 minutes of my yoga class. They do like you just lay down know and they, they're playing the music and she's got all the sense and I was beside my fiance and she like had to nudge me cuz I could feel myself drifting and she was like, hey, you're gonna disrupt everybody's yoga class in about three seconds.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, yeah.
Dave Hutch
I could not.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah. N. Stay awake.
Dave Hutch
All right. Okay, let's go to Singapore. See, let's do it. Index score of 79 which is just behind Switzerland's 84%. Okay, hold on. Singapore and island. It says a global economic powerhouse.
Daniel Fosh
I think it's. No, I guess it technically is but it's like it's super close to the, like to the, to the mainland. It looks like kind of like an island in such that like Manhattan is an island. Right.
Dave Hutch
Global economic powerhouse. Tiny island offering exceptional job prospects, career growth and future focused environment. Perfect for ambitious professionals and investors eyeing the Henley's index goals of wealth mobility and opportunity. So you got earning potential scores high 90s. Yeah. On your end there. Singapore's cash machine for skilled workers. Salaries in finance, tech and trade are hefty. Think between like 80 and 120k USD annual for mid level professionals in banking or it. It's not quite Swiss perfection. Low personal income taxes maxing out at 22% or even less means you get to keep obviously most of your income in Singapore. Also a global trade for finance hub. It's a magnet for high earners.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, like I think you know it would be one of those, one of those key places where people want to get involved if they don't want to be in like within the kind of Chinese or Hong Kong economy. It like similar to Japan in that way or do you want to kind of be with. Have exposure to the Asian market? They have. Yeah. They have a really unique thing too because you know it's, there's a ton of demand and a lot of people want to invest. You know like you think about cities like comparable cities like Hong Kong that have, you know, you can go look at it and say okay, there's infinite demand here for you know, the next hundred years. How Do I, how do I get exposure to this? Well, they're not super friendly to foreign investment and this is one of the things they've been very protectionist. So I think there's like a tiered. To my knowledge, property taxes get tiered up with however many properties you own.
Dave Hutch
I'll do it right now for you.
Daniel Fosh
Or something, something gets teared up. I'll try and look it up. They have a, they have a huge government developed housing. So like there's a lot of government owned housing.
Dave Hutch
Really.
Daniel Fosh
They have a 99 year leasehold system for most residential properties. So like they're not. Not fee simple. Yeah, not fee simple. Similar to, to like a lot of the western world. So and it's very, very strict regulatory numbers.
Dave Hutch
Property tax is tiered increases based on both the annual value, the rental value and the property value and how many properties you own. So tiered based usage. So Singapore, Singapore has two types of property taxes. Owner occupied residential properties. So like a home you live in obviously or non owner occupied. So rented out. They have tiered rates for owner occupied the first so annual value. So is that, is that basing it off of how much the property is, is appreciating increases on both the annual value and so it says annual. Right.
Daniel Fosh
Probably also the potential rates for owner value.
Dave Hutch
So first 8,000 0 tax, next 22, 4%, next 10,000 6% all the way up to above a hundred thousand is it maxes out at 16%. So even for your primary residence you pay more tax if it has a higher annual value. Okay. And then you have your tiered rates for non owner occupied homes. So an investment property, so for the first 30,000 is 12%, next 15, 20% it increases until above 90,000 which caps at 36%. And now the part that you mentioned, the more properties you own the more likely they fall under this non owner occupied bracket, especially if it's rented out. That's all I got for you.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah. So I mean so Singapore is basically like a, the entire country is a city. Right. It's a city state. And interesting, the interesting part about, about Singapore is that their homeownership rate is, is among the highest especially for like a non communist country. Like there's a lot of those, those you've got a lot of like kind of countries left over from like the USSR or like you're like Laos, Russia, North Korea.
Dave Hutch
Right.
Daniel Fosh
Cuba and China all have high homeownership rates. Singapore has a homeownership rate over 90%. To compare that to like let's let's go to Switzerland which on the list, you know Switzerland's homeownership rate is like 42%. Okay. So the majority of Swiss residents rent and so homeownership isn't necessarily this wealth building tool or this necessary thing for people to have a, to achieve a high degree of wealth. But in Singapore it very much is. And they also have again this government program that I was mentioning where they have that government developed Housing Development Board or HDB. About 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats with most owning their units. So basically the government develops houses. 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB own it in like flats with most owning their units. So the government develops housing for them. I did not know that to buy.
Dave Hutch
I was googling.
Daniel Fosh
Definitely dynamic. I didn't either.
Dave Hutch
Is their work culture is. It says 60 hour work weeks. Work weeks aren't rare but if you're a realtor we know that we work all the time so 60 hour work weeks should be no problem for us real estate professionals. All right, cool. Next on the list we have.
Daniel Fosh
Who's next on the list?
Dave Hutch
The usa. Number three. The usa. All right, let me get some stats for you here.
Daniel Fosh
There you go. Number three for top investment migration programs.
Dave Hutch
Yeah. Rank access the world's best 78%. So number one was 84%. Singapore 79. The US is 78. Let's see. Earning potential is a score in the 90s. The USA is a money making giant. So salaries in tech, finance, healthcare can Soar. Think around 150 to 200k annually for software engineers in Silicon Valley or traders on Wall Street. It's not Switzerland but the top end here is unmatched globally. Taxes are a bit higher obviously. 37% federally plus state.
Daniel Fosh
There's an interesting thing that they use on this Henley website that says number of top. The number of universities in the top 250 universities. 45 of the top 250 are in the U.S. look that up.
Dave Hutch
7.
Daniel Fosh
I wonder what that's like for Switzerland. 77 of the top. And for Singapore like the career advancement.
Dave Hutch
Which I feel like maybe is low for the US because I feel like, I don't know like here it says if the USA is basically your playground, if you've got the right work ethic. It's home to global giants Apple, Goldman Sachs. Climbing from entry level to exec, you know, seems to be somewhat obtainable and entrepreneur is there I think starting a business you know is somewhat decently easy. Er, right. Top tier and Bellman prospect in the Us. I think there's a lot of opportunities. Yeah.
Daniel Fosh
In the.
Dave Hutch
Oh, it talks about education too.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I would say so. Yeah, for sure. I mean it's most, it's the most pure unadulterated capitalism in the world, I would say. So I think, you know, you could, it's definitely like for people who are willing to work, like, it's, it's very disparate. Right. That's a, that's the thing. But you know, you probably, if you have the money to be somebody who's gonna immigrate to the US in the way that this, the Henley and Partners describes, you're probably gonna do pretty well in that economy system. Again, probably something that's within the scope of affordability for like the healthcare system is great if you're rich. And again, most of the people who would be immigrating there through this investment migration options kind of thing. Yeah, Gold card are not gonna, I don't think healthcare is going to be a concern for them. Private healthcare is going to be concerned.
Dave Hutch
What does that mean?
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I think the challenge with the US is that it's disparate, right? Disparity. Like you've got a lot of poor people and a lot of rich people and not, not a huge like middle class. Like it's, you know, it's where you've got a high concentration of rich people and a large group of poor people and a lot of.
Dave Hutch
Thanks, man.
Daniel Fosh
The middle class is basically getting inflated away.
Dave Hutch
Next we got Australia. Australia ranks at a 76% so behind us 78%, Singapore 79 and Switzerland 84. Earning potential in. We actually have an episode that we're probably releasing. Well, we will release this week with that. That was funny, man. That was a good episode. With our Australian real estate partner we had, we had a Dan who if you don't follow him on, on social media you should. He's hilarious. We had him on the episode mid, mid. What was it called again? Cyclone. Cyclone. Mid Cyclone. The guy was on our podcast with Typhoon Blacks. A lot of worry in the world. All right. Australia, they're earning potentials in the east. It's, it's not as, as high as Switzerland obviously, but professionals in tech, they're saying between like 70 to 100k USD. Key industries, healthcare and mining are driving the economy. Cities like Sydney, Melbourne. He mentioned Brisbane as well, which is non here but saying it's, saying it's doing really well, especially real estate wise.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I think that Australia very similar to Canada and a lot of the western world and Such that like they're growing their economies through population growth. We talk about this a lot on the show. And that usually translates in real estate value growth. Right. Because you have more people consuming houses either or buying eight universities and that pushes the value.
Dave Hutch
100 are. Are in Australia. Not bad. University of Melbourne. Australian National University. Nice livability score. They give it 80s. I feel like livability. I feel like everyone likes living there. I've never been, but yeah, I mean.
Daniel Fosh
It'S like Canada and all the animals are trying to kill you.
Dave Hutch
Okay, decent. Well, let's do. Let's. Let's get to number number five.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, let's do it.
Dave Hutch
Canada. All right, I think we can do this one.
Daniel Fosh
Canada. Yeah.
Dave Hutch
Oh, wow.
Daniel Fosh
Number of top 250 universities. 11. Be interested to know what those are. Earning potential is lower. 66% on the score. Total opportunity score, 73%. Career advancement 70 for top tier employment prospects, 80%. Premium education, 73%. Economic mobility 75% and high livability 73%.
Dave Hutch
It seems to be doing low crime rate. Well, I've seen a few articles that I need to fact check before I go too deep into it, but I've seen quite a few articles that have been posted on social media lately saying that the crime in Toronto has overpassed the crime in New York.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, it depends on what type of crime rate. So the property crime rate is definitely higher in Toronto than New York. And I think outside of. I think violent crime rates are lower in Canadian cities than U.S. cities, but. But national. On a national average basis, I think it's actually they're becoming pretty comparable. So I would say that rate on the index probably needs to be.
Dave Hutch
Yeah, please do.
Daniel Fosh
Updated here, I'll pull up the article that you're referencing. It's from. I just gotta.
Dave Hutch
It's real.
Daniel Fosh
No, it's. It's from Fraser Institute.
Dave Hutch
We like Blogtio. I like Blogtio. Big fans, actually.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, yeah, Fraser Institute's good. Oh yeah.
Dave Hutch
London, Ontario.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I do too. That's good. So property crime per 100,000 people. Thunder Bay is the highest. London. Then you've got like Detroit.
Dave Hutch
London, Ontario. Thunder. Who's living. Is there even 100,000 people in Thunder Bay?
Daniel Fosh
Cleveland?
Dave Hutch
Thunder Bay crime?
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I think so.
Dave Hutch
Have you been.
Daniel Fosh
It's a rough town, man.
Dave Hutch
I mean, I don't know anybody that.
Daniel Fosh
Makes sense lives there. No, I haven't. But I know it's a rough town here. Homicides per 100,000 population. Canada versus the U.S.
Dave Hutch
A recent survey revealed that approximately one third of Thunder Bay residents feel unsafe in their city. Why would you live there? You can go anywhere. There's other place.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, there's your. Look at that. There's your chart right there. Property crimes per 100, 000 population versus the U.S. i'm tweeting.
Dave Hutch
Property crimes per 100,000population Canada versus the United States. We're pretty close, no?
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, they're close.
Dave Hutch
I think it's crazy. This is awful. That prison, what's it called? C O T D or whatever. And yeah, crazy.
Daniel Fosh
The one in El Salvador, to me.
Dave Hutch
No, I don't think it's been.
Daniel Fosh
Is it El Salvador?
Dave Hutch
But their crime is what, zero. Now there isn't crime. I saw a video of some planes getting dropped off. Again, I don't know if this is true or not. Yeah, I saw a video of like a bunch of like, I guess it's like gang related members that get dropped off and they're just treated so ruthlessly. It's terrifying. I wouldn't last three seconds in there. I hear like there's no Timmy's. Dude, I'm not. Yeah, no Timmy's.
Daniel Fosh
Double gangstaff bro.
Dave Hutch
Couldn't even do it. Not for me.
Daniel Fosh
So, okay, so we've got. So. So you're right. Based on that original graphic that I showed. Property crime per 100000 people. Ontario has two of the leading cities in this area. I guess in the. In the Great Lakes region.
Dave Hutch
I just.
Daniel Fosh
Thunder Bay, London and Windsor.
Dave Hutch
Crime, what's being breaking enters, stuff like that. Thefts. Would vehicles not be a part of that?
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, yeah. Thefts, damage against.
Dave Hutch
I don't know how. Toronto's not up there.
Daniel Fosh
If somebody does something crazy. Yeah, it would be, I think. Yeah.
Dave Hutch
I mean, good for us. Cool. Do you want to. Do you want to deep dive into all these or do you want to. You want to cap it at the top five in depth?
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, I think we could maybe just finish off the list. Like maybe just read the remainder of the list. So. So we went through Switzerland, Singapore, usa, Australia and Canada as your top five. After that you've got the uk, uae, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong, Latvia, Malta, Hungary, Greece and Portugal. All of which are places that we really talked about on the show. Yeah. In regards to. In this. Any of them that we've seen there like that stand out to you that we haven't.
Dave Hutch
I was just gonna say. No, I was gonna say yeah, UAE's.
Daniel Fosh
I feel like a fascinating.
Dave Hutch
I just don't know anything about it. It's on every list that we Ever go over.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah. Okay. Okay. So they don't have any of the universities because. Or, or it just doesn't have it there. But 12th position. Malta boasts an impressive economic mobility score. So economic mobility is like your ability to go from the lower middle class to the upper class by the way. And so. Yeah, no, that's physical mobility.
Dave Hutch
Right.
Daniel Fosh
Kind of the same idea. It's ability to walk around in the economy. Right. Go from. Yeah. The country offers a prime Mediterranean location with a pro business environment, modern infrastructure and a cost effective lifestyle and is rapidly gaining recognition as a center for innovation, particularly in emerging sectors. I get the living part. This is why crypto bro.
Dave Hutch
I understand. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Daniel Fosh
That's Fintech. I mean the living part. You just got to look at that picture like look at that freaking picture man. There's like a cruise ship and it looks like literally like what am I like it feels like probably like you're in something like in what's that movie like Crazy Troy or something. You know Troy with like Brad Pitt like looks beautiful like all this old sandstone.
Dave Hutch
That's why, that's what confused me because I get the life, I get the living there aspect but the work, work aspect I don't understand. This is what it has here for earning potential. So I have multi salaries are modest obviously compared to the top 5, 10 professionals in the same industries of the top 10. To compare the salaries in Malta are between 30 and 50k annually for those same positions that were like 100k plus for the top 3. But I think this is really basing this off of that career advancement. Like the growth opportunities exist especially in neat sectors like I Gaming, fintech, maritime. What's that like the sailing, fishing?
Daniel Fosh
Well yeah, like ship related stuff. Well it's probably, yeah it could be, it could be fishing, you know, ports, shipping, stopovers.
Dave Hutch
Right.
Daniel Fosh
Anything like kind of related. Probably a lot of like if you get a lot of like fishing if it's in the Mediterranean. Right. Like any like Mediterranean fishing rigs if they have good ports, companies like 365.
Dave Hutch
Or Blocks chain startups offer paths up but the small market population limits scale compared to like Canada or Australia. Interesting. The crypto Bros. God bless. And then it talks about the education as well. The education, it's not elite like the the rest. Let's see. The University of Malta ranks regionally and international schools cater to expat kids. But it's no match for Canada's top 100 universities or the USA's 45 global leaders for families investing in residency. It's functional English medium, EU recognized degrees. But Henley scores it lower for lacking world class prestige. Obviously makes sense.
Daniel Fosh
You want to do the UAE quick since everybody's always talking about Dubai. Like I feel like everyone is always like any. It's like to me it's like, yeah, people are like us, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dubai. I feel like those are the populations.
Dave Hutch
Whenever I post anything about Mexico, I get all the Dubai realtors that are over there in Dubai and they're like, man, dude, but Dubai, like, yeah, I'm not saying it's bad. I just live in Mexico and it's very far.
Daniel Fosh
It's very far. Like, I don't know. I mean, how are you going to do deals in Toronto? In Dubai you'd be a night owl and then you wouldn't be kind of defeat the purpose. Also like I think it's so hot there during the summer. Although I guess Mexico is probably like that too, right? Like I think Mexico and a lot of, a lot of us like Texas is like that too. Florida, I don't know. I'm not. I don't love the heat. Like I like the heat, but I don't love it. I like doing stuff and like, you.
Dave Hutch
Know, physically make our own chart for.
Daniel Fosh
This physical mobility, not economic mobility based.
Dave Hutch
Off of physical mobility. The heat level index.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, heat, heat. That's why I like California, man. Like it's like so many. California has like one of the highest.
Dave Hutch
I feel like it's like in January, it's days of January, February, good weather, scorching hot there.
Daniel Fosh
No, like you can go for like a nice walk in the morning and then like go like, you know, and stay cool. Like you could walk like fast like 6k or like go for like a jog.
Dave Hutch
Like what are you wearing?
Daniel Fosh
6-10K and like not. And not be like drenched in sweat and like, and worried about your health. Yeah, I would wear like a sweater in the morning and then, then you can lay by the pool in the, in the, you know. But from like 12 to 3. I don't know, man. Not a lot of places you can do that. I think so. Let's go. A UAE would be one of those places, right? Like it's like Canada. They're like three months of the year where like your most of your activity would be indoors. That's why they have huge shopping malls. Like they crushed Canada. They crushed us on the tallest building. They killed, you know, they got rid of and they crushed us on the biggest shopping mall that we had, the West Edmonton mall. And then they did their biggest shopping mall, that one that you can see from space. So UAE secures seventh position on the Henley Opportunity Index with high scores on top tier employment prospects, earning potential and economic mobility. Again, 84 on top tier employment prospects, economic mobility, not as good as Malta, but 66. They stand out as a leading economic center where rapid progress is fueled by the strong presidents of multinational companies. It attracts individuals highly skilled in engineering, math, private healthcare, science, technology. Just like us, you know, big science and technology and math, guys.
Dave Hutch
Of course.
Daniel Fosh
And the tax, I think tax is a big one, right? You see a lot of people going there for, for tax. So, okay, I'm, I'm satisfied with this. I feel like this is a really good analysis. We're going to try and get these Henley and Partners folks on the show after this. We are 100% sure. Maybe it'd be. I think it should be good to get an interview on it, right? So. Because they have, they have a whole section on their website that says real estate.
Dave Hutch
They got a ig.
Daniel Fosh
See that?
Dave Hutch
Or tick tock. I can toss it.
Daniel Fosh
International Real estate. We'll contact them. I'll do it right now. So, message.
Dave Hutch
We have a great podcast. We're here to help people invest globally. We just analyzed your list. We'd love to have you on the show for part two to get a deeper dive into this genius. Unreal.
Daniel Fosh
Yeah, that's what we're going to say. Okay, done.
Podcast Summary: Real Estate Without Borders
Episode Title: The 20 Best Countries to Live and Work In
Release Date: March 24, 2025
Host: Dave Hutch
Guest: Daniel Fosh
In this engaging episode of "Real Estate Without Borders," host Dave Hutch teams up with co-host Daniel Fosh to explore the top 20 countries deemed best for living and working in 2025. Drawing upon the Henley Opportunity Index, they delve into the economic potentials, career opportunities, and quality of life offered by each nation. The conversation blends expert analysis with personal anecdotes, providing listeners with a comprehensive guide for international real estate investment and relocation.
The Henley Opportunity Index serves as the cornerstone for the episode's rankings. Developed by Henley & Partners, a global residence and citizenship planning firm, the index evaluates countries based on factors such as wealth mobility, career opportunities, premium education, and economic mobility. This benchmark assists investors and professionals in identifying optimal locations for investment migration.
Dave Hutch: "The Henley Opportunity Index is a benchmark tool created by Henley and Partners, measuring access to premium education and enhanced global mobility through investment-based residents or citizenship programs."
[03:56]
Switzerland tops the list with an impressive score of 84. Its high earning potential, robust banking sector, and exceptional quality of life make it a prime destination for investors and professionals alike.
Daniel Fosh: "Switzerland's unbeatable mix of high earning potential, career opportunities, and exceptional quality of life makes it number one."
[04:35]
Notable Quote:
Dave Hutch: "Average annual wage is around 85,000 to 100,000 USD, which is far above the global norms."
[08:04]
Singapore ranks second with a score of 79, lauded for its dynamic economy and strategic position as a global financial hub.
Dave Hutch: "Singapore is a cash machine for skilled workers, attracting high earners with its robust finance and tech sectors."
[10:08]
Notable Quote:
Daniel Fosh: "Singapore's homeownership rate is over 90%, largely due to the government's Housing Development Board initiatives."
[14:03]
The USA secures the third spot with a score of 78, celebrated for its vast earning potential and diverse career opportunities across multiple industries.
Dave Hutch: "The USA is a money-making giant with unmatched top-end salaries, especially in sectors like tech and finance."
[15:23]
Notable Quote:
Daniel Fosh: "For those investing through Henley’s programs, private healthcare is accessible and of high quality."
[17:44]
Australia ranks fourth with a score of 76, known for its strong economy driven by healthcare and mining industries.
Dave Hutch: "Cities like Sydney and Melbourne are booming, especially in the real estate sector, thanks to robust population growth."
[19:12]
Notable Quote:
Daniel Fosh: "Australia is similar to Canada in how population growth translates into real estate value growth."
[19:32]
Canada holds the fifth position with a score of 73, offering a balanced mix of economic opportunities and high quality of life.
Dave Hutch: "Canada offers a balanced opportunity score with high scores in premium education and economic mobility."
[20:05]
Notable Quote:
Daniel Fosh: "Property crimes in some Canadian cities are on the rise, but overall, violent crime remains lower than in the US."
[21:17]
After the top five, the conversation briefly touches upon other notable countries, each offering unique advantages for living and working:
Malta: Highlighted for its impressive economic mobility and strategic Mediterranean location, Malta is emerging as a hub for innovation in sectors like iGaming and fintech. However, salaries are modest compared to top-ranked countries, and while education is functional, it lacks global prestige.
United Arab Emirates (UAE): Particularly Dubai, ranks seventh, known for its high scores in employment prospects, earning potential, and economic mobility. The UAE attracts highly skilled professionals in engineering, math, and technology sectors, benefiting from low taxation and a booming real estate market.
Dave Hutch: "The UAE stands out with high earning potential and rapid economic progress, making it a top choice for multinational professionals."
[30:00]
Throughout the episode, Hutch and Fosh intertwine factual analysis with personal experiences, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on each country's real estate and economic landscape.
Cost of Living vs. Earning Potential: High scores in earning potential often correlate with a higher cost of living, as seen in Switzerland and Singapore. However, the overall quality of life and economic stability justify the expenses for many investors.
Real Estate Opportunities: Countries with growing populations and robust economies, like Australia and Canada, present lucrative real estate investment opportunities due to increasing demand and property value appreciation.
Cultural and Lifestyle Considerations: Beyond economics, factors such as climate, work culture, and societal safety play significant roles in determining the attractiveness of a country. For instance, the UAE’s intense work culture is balanced by its tax benefits and modern infrastructure.
Daniel Fosh: "The more dynamic the economy, like in Singapore, the more opportunities there are for investment and career growth, despite stringent property regulations."
[12:00]
Dave Hutch: "Understanding the balance between earning potential and living costs is crucial for making informed investment decisions abroad."
[15:56]
The episode wraps up with Hutch and Fosh acknowledging the breadth of their discussion, hinting at deeper dives into specific countries and sectors in future episodes. They express enthusiasm about collaborating with Henley & Partners to provide more in-depth insights on investment migration and global real estate trends.
Dave Hutch: "We’re here to help people invest globally, and with Henley & Partners' expertise, future episodes will offer even more valuable information for our listeners."
[30:44]
Daniel Fosh: "Absolutely, connecting with Henley & Partners will enhance our discussions and provide unparalleled insights into global investment opportunities."
[30:44]
Switzerland and Singapore Lead: Both countries offer high earning potentials and robust economic environments, making them top choices for international investors and professionals.
Diverse Opportunities: The USA, Australia, and Canada provide diverse opportunities across various industries, each with its unique advantages and challenges.
Comprehensive Evaluation: The Henley Opportunity Index serves as a valuable tool for assessing global investment migration opportunities, balancing economic factors with quality of life considerations.
Daniel Fosh [04:35]: "Switzerland's unbeatable mix of high earning potential, career opportunities, and exceptional quality of life makes it number one."
Dave Hutch [08:04]: "Average annual wage is around 85,000 to 100,000 USD, which is far above the global norms."
Daniel Fosh [14:03]: "Singapore's homeownership rate is over 90%, largely due to the government's Housing Development Board initiatives."
Dave Hutch [15:23]: "The USA is a money-making giant with unmatched top-end salaries, especially in sectors like tech and finance."
Daniel Fosh [17:44]: "For those investing through Henley’s programs, private healthcare is accessible and of high quality."
Dave Hutch [19:12]: "Cities like Sydney and Melbourne are booming, especially in the real estate sector, thanks to robust population growth."
Daniel Fosh [21:17]: "Property crimes in some Canadian cities are on the rise, but overall, violent crime remains lower than in the US."
Dave Hutch [30:44]: "We’re here to help people invest globally, and with Henley & Partners' expertise, future episodes will offer even more valuable information for our listeners."
This episode of "Real Estate Without Borders" offers a thorough exploration of the best countries for living and working in 2025, grounded in credible data and enriched by the hosts' insightful discussions. Whether you're an experienced investor or just beginning your journey, the insights shared provide a valuable roadmap for expanding your global real estate portfolio.