There are endless things to consider when moving to another country. What is the culture like? How easy is it to find work? How are the transport links? How happy are the locals? And for families hoping to move abroad, there are even more questions – think safety, healthcare, or education systems, for example.

Remitly, an American remittance company helping users send money worldwide, has launched a new immigration index designed to help inform those considering relocating. The report, released in March 2025, ranks 82 countries across 24 factors, from healthcare quality and economic strength to safety metrics and digital connectivity, assigning each with a total score of 100.

One such factor considers how family-friendly a country is, looking at data points such as the quality and accessibility of education in each nation. The company used statistics including the average years of schooling adults have completed, the expected years of schooling for children in each country, and the average cost of childcare per year. The report then generated a score for each nation to establish the most family-friendly country.

Is the UK on the list of family-friendly countries?

The UK does not feature in this report for family-friendly countries. However, it does feature in the list of best countries to relocate to. Coming in 19th place with a score of 46.5, losing out to the likes of the US in 7th place, Germany in 11th place and Japan in 18th place.

What is the most family-friendly country in the world?

Sri Lanka came in first place. The island nation achieved an impressive score for its education system (0.7 out of 1.0) and a low annual childcare cost of $354.60 per year (compared to $16,439.40 in the US, which ranked in 10th place).

It’s no surprise that Sri Lanka ranked so highly in this list – in fact, we named the country one of our favourite places to go for multi-gen megatrips in 2025, due to its welcoming nature, focus on outdoor activities and family-friendly Sri Lankan hotels. The country is home to some incredible wildlife, from vast national parks and sprawling beaches, plus there is fascinating history, creative coastlines, delicious food and an excellent shopping scene.

These are the most family-friendly countries in 2025

10. USA
9. Australia
8. Denmark
7. Finland
6. Germany
5. Iceland
4. New Zealand
3. Norway
2. Sweden
1. Sri Lanka

Source: CN Traveler

--Agencies