Best Countries For Transgender Folks to Relocate to From the US
Lots of LGBTQ+ people want to move abroad or have done so already due to the current political climate. But for transgender people, this isn’t about a lifestyle change or getting away from political noise—this is about survival and a vastly improved standard of living.
A recent study by Emisil analyzed over 30 countries to identify the best ones for trans people to relocate to from the U.S. The analysis focused on key factors, including safety, equality, affordability, healthcare, and income. The study focuses on trans rights support, healthcare access and safety first, making it a priority for the final ranking, adding cost of living and income as additional metrics. The countries that ranked highest provide the best combination of the described criteria, making them the most favorable destinations for trans individuals.
Here are the findings:
The best country for trans people to relocate to from the U.S. is the Netherlands, with a score of 98.5, which reflects high safety and access to gender-affirming healthcare. The country provides strong healthcare and scores high on the equality index with 78, which measures the support for the LBGTQ+ population.
Iceland ranks 2nd on the list of the best countries for trans people to relocate from the U.S.. with a score of 95.8. Similar to other countries on the list, relocation requires a work permit or a self-employment visa, but the country offers the strongest healthcare and equality protections on the list. The cost of living in Iceland is more expensive than in the Netherlands, with an index of 62.
Switzerland holds third place, scoring 93.8. The country offers strong healthcare, similar to the Netherlands, but the average income here is higher than in Iceland or the Netherlands, averaging $95K. Switzerland is also the most expensive country on the list, with a cost of living index of 74.9.
Norway takes fourth place, getting a score of 88.9. The country offers the highest salaries in the ranking, with an average of $102K. The country scores high on equality issues with an index of 87 and remains affordable for newcomers, with a cheaper cost of living than in Switzerland or Iceland.
Denmark follows closely in the list of the best countries for trans people to relocate to from the U.S. with fifth place and a score of 87.5. The country shares the same safety index as Switzerland, being the second safest country in the ranking. Denmark also provides strong salaries, around $73K on average.
Luxembourg is sixth, getting a score of 81.4. The country has a strong healthcare system, earning an index of 74. The overall cost of living in Luxembourg is similar to Norway and the country offers high salaries at $88K annually.
Spain ranks seventh, with a score of 74.6. The most affordable country on the list, the cost of living index here comes only to 35.6, over 2 times cheaper than in Switzerland. Spain also ranks third for equality, ensuring anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people.
Ireland holds the eighth position, scoring 69.7. Similar to Spain, the country offers good healthcare and equality while also providing strong salaries. The average income in Ireland is $80K annually, and the cost of living has an index of 53.9.
Finland is ninth, earning a score of 68.3. The country closely follows Denmark in terms of safety and equality but also offers a cheaper lifestyle with an index of 42.4. Finland’s healthcare system is one of the strongest in the world, getting an 84 index.
Austria closes the ranking of best countries for trans people to relocate from the U.S. with tenth place and a score of 67.5. The country welcomes skilled workers as well as people with a job offer and provides high safety standards and stable salaries of $55K annually.
Agata Pajor, the Industry Specialist at Emisil, commented on the study: “Transgender migration patterns reveal a difficult choice where many individuals must choose between their national identity and fundamental safety. While nations offering stronger transgender protections see increasing migration applications, these relocations often create significant psychological costs alongside financial ones. The emergence of international trans support networks spanning continents has become crucial, connecting immigrants with housing, employment, and community resources that formal immigration systems can fail to provide.“
You can access the full research findings by following this link.
