Best Countries to Move to With Young Kids in 2026 (and What Expats Quietly Regret)
Last checked: September 2026. Childcare subsidies, fee caps and who qualifies for them change often, and several countries in this guide changed their rules in 2025–26. Treat figures as a starting point for your own research.
If your children are under six, the "best country" question changes. School rankings and university options matter less. What matters is whether you can find a nursery place, whether you can afford it, whether a doctor will see your feverish toddler this week, and whether ordinary days feel good: time outside, safe streets, a playground nearby, and other parents to talk to.
This guide looks at ten countries through that lens: the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Zambia. For each one you get what it is best for, and what expats often wish they had known before they went. If you want to compare countries by how easy the visa and paperwork are, read our separate guide to the easiest countries to move abroad with a family. This one is about daily life with a baby, toddler or preschooler once you are there.
What makes a country good for children under six?
We looked at eight things, using several sources plus our own judgement:
- Childcare access: Is there a right to a place? Are there waiting lists? Do foreign families get the same help as locals?
- Childcare cost: What parents pay after subsidies, using the OECD's comparison and 2026 fee rules.
- Parent support: Parental leave, child benefit, baby clinics. Many depend on being insured or working in the country.
- Healthcare for small children: Seeing a children's doctor, and what happens in an emergency.
- Safety and outdoor life: The Global Peace Index 2026, plus parks, playgrounds and months of outdoor weather.
- Air and sunshine: Rated broadly. Check live air readings for your own city.
- Family-friendly daily life: Are small children welcome in cafés and on transport? Is it easy to meet other parents?
- Cost for a young family: Family-sized rent, childcare and everyday spending.
What the big rankings can and cannot tell you
Two well-known surveys come up in almost every "best country for families" article. It helps to know what they measure.
- UNICEF Report Card 19 (2025) ranks 43 wealthy countries on child well-being. The Netherlands came first, Denmark second, France third and Portugal fourth. Spain was seventh and Sweden tenth. Canada came 19th and Germany 25th. Australia could not be fully ranked because of missing data. Most of its measures are about school-age children, so it tells you how children do in the long run, not how easy life is with a toddler.
- InterNations Expat Insider 2026 asked close to 8,000 expats about life in 31 countries. Panama, Mexico and Thailand came top. Spain was 6th, Singapore 7th and Portugal 8th. Sweden (26th), Canada (27th), Germany (30th) and Norway (31st) were near the bottom. The 2026 edition has no separate family index, so it tells you how adults feel about settling in, not about childcare.
Notice that the two lists almost disagree. Countries where children do very well (Sweden, Germany, Canada) are often the ones where adult expats find it hardest to settle. That tension is the heart of this guide.
How do the ten countries compare?
These ratings are relative, for families with children under six, and they assume you live in or near a main city. "Strong" means better than most countries in this list, not perfect.
| Country | Childcare access | Childcare cost | Parent support | Child healthcare | Safety and outdoors | Sunshine | Cost for families |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Mixed | Mixed | Strong | Strong | Strong | Low | High |
| Denmark | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Low | High |
| Sweden | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Low | High |
| Germany | Weak | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Low | Medium |
| Portugal | Mixed | Strong | Mixed | Mixed | Strong | High | Medium |
| Spain | Mixed | Strong | Mixed | Strong | Strong | High | Medium |
| Canada | Weak | Mixed | Strong | Mixed | Strong | Medium | High |
| Australia | Mixed | Weak* | Mixed* | Strong | Strong | High | High |
| Singapore | Strong | Weak* | Weak* | Strong | Strong | Medium | High |
| Zambia (Lusaka) | Strong | Strong | Weak | Weak | Mixed | High | Medium |
* For most families on temporary work visas. Citizens and permanent residents get much more help.
Northern Europe gives the most public support but the least sunshine. Southern Europe gives sunshine and lower costs, but patchier childcare. In Australia and Singapore, the generous support is mostly for citizens, not newcomers.
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The ten countries, one by one
The Netherlands
Best for: families who want children to grow up independent, outdoors and on bikes, with both parents working.
The Netherlands came first in UNICEF's 2025 child well-being ranking. Every baby is followed by a free local child health clinic (the consultatiebureau) for check-ups and vaccinations. Cities are flat, bike-friendly and full of small playgrounds. Most things work in English.
What expats quietly regret: not checking the childcare rules before accepting the job. Nursery is expensive at full price. The government's childcare allowance (kinderopvangtoeslag) covers up to 96% of costs for lower incomes in 2026, much less for higher incomes, and it only applies if both parents (or a single parent) are working, studying or on an approved programme. If one partner stays home at first, you usually get no help at all. The government plans to make childcare nearly free for working parents from 2029, but that is not yet law. Add grey winters and a very tight housing market, and the first year can feel harder than expected.
Denmark
Best for: families who want a guaranteed, affordable childcare place and a calm, trusting daily life.
Denmark came second in the UNICEF ranking. Children of parents legally living in Denmark are guaranteed a place in public childcare from 26 weeks old until school starts. Parents pay at most 25% of the running costs, and there are discounts for siblings and lower incomes. A health visitor (sundhedsplejerske) visits new babies at home.
What expats quietly regret: underestimating the winter and the social side. From November to February days are short and dark. Danish friendships often form early in life and can be hard to join as an adult, and daily life at nursery and the doctor's is in Danish. Some parents are also surprised by how early and how long Danish children attend daycare. The system is built around both parents working full time.
Sweden
Best for: families who want long, shared parental leave and very low preschool fees.
Sweden came tenth in the UNICEF ranking. Parents insured in Sweden share 480 days of paid parental leave per child. Every child has a right to a preschool place from age one, and fees are capped nationally (the maxtaxa), so even high earners pay a modest monthly amount. Forests, lakes and playgrounds are everywhere, and children play outside in all weathers.
What expats quietly regret: the wait before the system includes you. Much of daily life depends on a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer), and registering can take weeks. Parental benefit depends on being insured in Sweden. Sweden also came 26th of 31 in Expat Insider 2026, which reflects how hard many expats find it to make local friends. Winters in Stockholm and further north are long and dark.
Germany
Best for: families who want very low nursery fees, strong healthcare and good parental pay.
Every child in Germany has a legal right to a daycare place (Kita) from their first birthday. Fees are low or zero in many areas, including Berlin, which is why the OECD rates German childcare among the cheapest for working parents. Parental pay (Elterngeld) can cover up to 14 months shared between two parents. Children see a paediatrician for regular check-ups.
What expats quietly regret: assuming the legal right means a place. The German Economic Institute estimated a shortfall of about 300,000 places for children under three in 2025. Many parents search for months, and some register before the baby is born. Germany came 30th of 31 in Expat Insider 2026, with bureaucracy and making friends among the common complaints. Paediatric practices in big cities can also be full to new patients.
Portugal
Best for: families who want sunshine, safety and a warm welcome for small children, at a lower cost than northern Europe.
Portugal came fourth in the UNICEF ranking and seventh in the Global Peace Index 2026. Children born on or after 1 September 2021 can get a free nursery place through the Creche Feliz network, with no income test. Daily life is relaxed, beaches and parks are close, and small children are welcome almost everywhere.
What expats quietly regret: finding that "free" does not mean "available". Social Security itself says demand for free nursery places is still higher than supply in several parts of the country, and waiting lists in cities are long. Many people in Portugal are still waiting for a family doctor in the public system, so most expat families pay for private health insurance. Many homes are poorly insulated, so winters indoors can be colder and damper than you expect. Housing in Lisbon and Porto is expensive for local incomes.
Spain
Best for: families who want children to be part of everyday social life, with free school from age three.
Spain came seventh in the UNICEF ranking and sixth in Expat Insider 2026. Public infant school (educación infantil) is free from age three, and almost all three-year-olds attend. Public healthcare is good and includes a paediatrician at your local health centre. Children stay out late in plazas and parks, and grandparents, neighbours and strangers make a fuss of them.
What expats quietly regret: the gap before age three and the timetable. Public places for under-threes are growing, and some regions now offer free places for some ages, but supply varies a lot between regions. Late meal times and late evenings do not always suit a toddler's bedtime. Inland summers are very hot, and school summer holidays are long.
Canada
Best for: English- or French-speaking families who want space, nature and a diverse, family-friendly culture.
Canada is building a national childcare system with a target of $10 a day on average. By 2026, six provinces and territories had reached or committed to $10 a day as a maximum. In most provinces, the lower fee is applied by participating centres, so parents do not apply separately. Parks, libraries and community centres run a lot of free or cheap activities for small children.
What expats quietly regret: not joining waiting lists early. A 2026 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found fees still far above $10 a day in some cities, and noted that lower fees have pushed demand up and "wait lists abound". Canada came 19th in the UNICEF ranking and 27th in Expat Insider 2026. Winters are long, some provinces have a waiting period before public health cover starts, and finding a family doctor can be slow.
Australia
Best for: outdoor families who want sunshine, beaches, playgrounds and a relaxed, child-friendly culture.
Australian cities are built for outdoor family life, with free parks, playgrounds, pools and beaches. Healthcare is good. Since January 2026, the "3 Day Guarantee" gives every family who qualifies for the Child Care Subsidy at least 72 subsidised hours per fortnight per child.
What expats quietly regret: not checking visa eligibility for childcare help. Most temporary skilled visa holders (such as the 482) cannot get the Child Care Subsidy, so they pay full fees, which are high. Some families also pay for private health cover because temporary residents may not be covered by Medicare. The strong sun means hats, shade and sunscreen every day. And the distance from family in Europe, Africa or Asia is felt most when children are small.
Singapore
Best for: families who value safety, excellent healthcare and a city that works, and who can afford it.
Singapore came eighth in the Global Peace Index 2026 and seventh in Expat Insider 2026. Healthcare is excellent, transport is easy with a buggy, and playgrounds are everywhere. Many families employ a live-in helper, which changes daily life with small children a great deal.
What expats quietly regret: the cost of being a foreign family. Government preschool subsidies and fee caps are designed for Singapore citizens, and priority places at the lower-cost operators often go to citizens too. Many expat families use private or international preschools, which cost much more. Heat and humidity make midday outdoor play hard for most of the year, and flats are smaller than many families are used to.
Zambia (Lusaka)
Best for: families who want a very outdoor childhood, space, and affordable help at home, and who are comfortable planning around limited healthcare.
Zambia is not in the big wealthy-country rankings, so this is a different kind of choice. In Lusaka, many families have a garden, and help with childcare at home is affordable compared with Europe or North America. There is a good choice of small private nurseries and preschools. The climate is mild for much of the year, and children spend most of the day outside.
From experience: We are raising our toddler in Lusaka. For a very young child, one thing stands out: Lusaka has the advantage that almost every day has great weather for spending most of your time outside.
What expats quietly regret: not planning for medical emergencies from day one. Private clinics in Lusaka handle routine care, but the Australian government's travel advice says medical facilities in Zambia are poor, especially outside cities, and that serious cases may need evacuation to South Africa or further. Good medical insurance with evacuation cover is essential. Malaria is a risk all year. Power cuts have been severe in drought years, so check the current situation and ask landlords about backup power. In the dry season, dust and smoke from burning can affect air quality. Read our full guide to living in Lusaka with kids.
What do expats with young children regret most, wherever they go?
The same few regrets come up again and again. Most are about timing and eligibility, not the country itself.
- Not checking who qualifies for childcare help. In the Netherlands it depends on both parents working. In Australia and Singapore it depends on your visa or citizenship. In Sweden it depends on being registered. Ask this before you accept a job offer.
- Joining waiting lists too late. In Germany, Portugal, Canada and many big cities, nursery lists are long. Our guide to sorting childcare before you land explains how to start from abroad.
- Assuming health cover starts on day one. Waiting periods, registration delays and gaps in cover are common. Read our guide to healthcare abroad for families.
- Underestimating the weather. Dark northern winters and very hot summers both shape how much time you can spend outside with a toddler.
- Not planning the non-working parent's social life. The parent at home with a baby is often the most isolated person in the family. Look for parent groups, baby classes and playgroups in the first month.
- Moving in late pregnancy without a plan. If a birth is likely in the first year, read giving birth abroad as an expat before you choose a country.
How should you choose between them?
Start with three questions. First, who will look after the children during the day, and does that option exist and qualify for help in each country? Second, what healthcare will you use, and what happens at 2am when your child has a high fever? Third, what will an ordinary Tuesday in February look like: where will you go, and who will you see?
If you expect to stay until your children are at school, the UNICEF ranking matters more. On a two- or three-year assignment, the daily-life factors here matter more. Our article on how growing up abroad changes children covers the longer-term side.
Not sure which country suits your family and your children's ages? Take the 2-minute family destination quiz. It compares countries against your income, children's ages and priorities, and gives you a shortlist to research.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best country to move to with a baby or toddler?
For public support, Denmark and Sweden stand out: guaranteed, affordable childcare and long parental leave. For sunshine, safety and a welcoming daily life at a lower cost, Portugal and Spain are strong. The right answer depends on whether you will both work, and on your visa.
Which countries have the cheapest childcare?
In the OECD's comparison, Germany and Sweden are among the cheapest for working parents, because public fees are low or capped. Denmark caps what parents pay at 25% of costs. Free nursery places exist in Portugal for younger children, but there are not enough of them. English-speaking countries and Switzerland are among the most expensive.
Can foreign families get childcare subsidies?
Sometimes. In most European countries in this guide, legal residents can use the same system as locals, once they are registered. In Australia, most temporary visa holders cannot get the Child Care Subsidy. In Singapore, subsidies are for citizens. Always check your exact visa.
What is the safest country for families with young children?
Of the countries in this guide, Portugal and Singapore were both in the top ten of the Global Peace Index 2026. Safety also depends on your city and neighbourhood, so look at local information too.
No country is best at everything for a young family. Choose the one whose weak points you can plan around.
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