TaxAtlas

Best places to live · updated October 2026

Best places to live in Middle East & Africa

The Gulf zero-income-tax states plus Mauritius. Ranked on tax plus seven quality-of-life factors, with newcomer tax regimes applied.

6
places ranked
8
factors, re-weightable
18
newcomer tax regimes
  1. 185live score

    United Arab Emirates

    Dubai · top rate 0%

    Dubai combines zero personal income tax with fast, purchasable residency, world-class flight connections and very fast internet, which makes it the default base for globally mobile founders.

    TaxInternetWarm climate

    Summer heat above 40°C for four months, rising rents and a car-dependent, high-spend lifestyle quickly erode the tax saving.

  2. 276live score

    Qatar

    Doha · top rate 0%

    Doha offers tax-free salaries, very low street crime and modern infrastructure, which draws professionals on employment packages.

    TaxWarm climateSafety

    Residency is largely employer-tied, summers are extreme, and social and legal norms are conservative.

  3. 375live score

    Bahrain

    Manama · top rate 0%

    Bahrain is the most relaxed and affordable of the Gulf tax-free states, with liberal company-ownership rules and a causeway to Saudi Arabia.

    TaxWarm climateEnglish

    Summers are punishing, the economy is small, and the Global Peace Index ranks it well below its Gulf neighbours on internal stability.

Live ranking

All of Middle East & Africa, ranked

Tap a dot or a row. Tune the weights and the order changes with you.

OverallRemote workersRetireesFamiliesFoundersInvestorsOn a budgetHigh tax, with breaks
The life mapTap a dot
Sweet spotPaying for qualityLow tax, trade-offs
← Heavier taxLighter tax →

Up = better quality of life (every factor except tax). Dashed lines show how far a newcomer regime moves a country.

Middle East Africa

High tax, with a way in

Expensive on paper, cheaper for newcomers

Some of the best places to live have high headline rates and generous regimes for new arrivals. Here is how much a qualifying newcomer can cut.

All 14 regimes

Method

How this ranking works

  • Tax counts most, but no single factor can carry a country on its own
  • Newcomer regimes (Beckham Law, IFICI, UK FIG, the 30% ruling and similar) are applied, because they are how most people moving into high-tax countries are actually taxed
  • Safety and healthcare are weighted above lifestyle factors
  • Residency access matters: a country you cannot legally move to is not an option
FactorWeight
TaxPersonal tax score, with newcomer regimes applied where you would qualify×3
Cost of livingLower everyday and rent costs score higher×1.5
SafetyInformed by the Global Peace Index and crime surveys×2
HealthcareCoverage, quality and access to private care×2
EnglishHow easy daily life and admin are in English×1
InternetMedian fixed broadband speed×1
Warm climateAnnual mean temperature in the main expat city×1
Residency accessHow open legal residency is to a non-local applicant×1.5

Tax scores come from the Tax Atlas dataset (see methodology). Quality-of-life factors are editorial composite ratings for comparison, informed by public indices (Numbeo, the Global Peace Index, WHO service coverage, EF English Proficiency, Ookla Speedtest) and official visa pages. Regime-adjusted tax assumes you qualify. Not tax or immigration advice.

All 31 sources

Questions

Frequently asked

What is the best country to live in Middle East & Africa for tax and quality of life?+

On the Tax Atlas default weights, United Arab Emirates ranks first in Middle East & Africa, followed by Qatar and Bahrain. The ranking blends tax with cost of living, safety, healthcare, English, internet, climate and residency access, and can be re-weighted on this page.

Can I live in a high-tax country and still pay less tax?+

Often, yes, for the first years. Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, the UK, the Netherlands and others run regimes for new residents that cut the rate on some or all income for a fixed period. Eligibility rules are strict, so the regime-adjusted score assumes you qualify. See the high-tax countries with tax breaks ranking for the details.

How is the Live Score calculated?+

Each of the eight factors is normalised to a 0-100 scale. The Live Score is the weighted average using the weights shown. Tax comes from the Tax Atlas personal tax score; the other factors are editorial composite ratings informed by public indices such as the Global Peace Index, WHO service coverage data, the EF English Proficiency Index and the Ookla Speedtest Global Index.

More rankings

Best places to live for…

Need help turning the data into a plan?

TaxAtlas covers the rates and rules. For the personal side — exit planning, residency strategy, business structure, or filings — request a response and we'll point you to relevant research or a vetted specialist.

Get help