SL drops in rank among the best countries to live in

According to the annual Global Immigration Index conducted by the digital financial services provider Remitly, Sri Lanka has ranked 4th among the most suitable countries in the world for family relocation.

The study, which covers 82 countries, is based on 34 factors including the quality of education, childcare costs, efficiency of public transport systems, and parental leave policies.

In 2025, Conde Nast Traveler magazine had named Sri Lanka as the world’s most family-friendly country based on Remitly’s annual Immigration Index.

Sri Lanka had been ranked No. 1 in the 2025 index, but has now fallen to 4th place in the 2026 ranking.

In this year’s index, the top three positions were taken by Spain, China, and the United States respectively. Spain secured the top spot due to affordable childcare costs and extensive parental leave benefits, according to the report.

China ranked second due to strong educational infrastructure and expansion of international school networks, while the United States ranked third due to a wide variety of international schooling options.

Sri Lanka continues to remain highly ranked as a family-friendly destination mainly due to its low childcare costs.

The report further states that detailed information and global results of the index covering 82 countries are available on Remitly’s official website.