How the Solopreneur Friendliness score works
Every country gets a single 0 to 100 score for how workable it is as a base for a one-person business. It is a blend of six weighted pillars. Within each pillar, every factor is scored relative to all the other countries in the dataset (the best value gets 100, the worst gets 0), so the score is comparative, not absolute.
Tax efficiency (40%)
How much of what you earn you keep, and how the system treats a mobile, self-employed person.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| Top personal income tax rate | Lower is better |
| Corporate income tax rate | Lower is better |
| Capital gains rate | Lower is better |
| Taxation basis | Territorial best, then remittance, then worldwide |
| Self-employed social security | None or optional beats mandatory |
| Wealth tax | Absence scores higher |
| VAT / sales tax rate | Lower is better |
Ease to enter (25%)
How realistically a solo founder can get in, get residency, and set up a business.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa | Available scores higher |
| Entrepreneur / startup visa | Available scores higher |
| Ease of starting a business | Higher (World Bank signal) is better |
| Nomad visa income requirement | Lower threshold is better |
| Residency day threshold | More days before tax residency triggers = more flexibility |
Ease to exit (20%)
How cleanly you can leave later without the country taxing your departure or your estate.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| Exit tax | None best, conditional middle, yes worst |
| Inheritance / gift tax | Absence scores higher |
| CFC rules | Absence is friendlier to an offshore structure |
| Exit-tax residency lookback | Shorter window is better |
Cost of living (8%)
Day-to-day expenses: rent, food, transport and leisure. Cost-of-living index only.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| Cost of living index (Numbeo) | Lower is better |
Internet (4%)
Connectivity for remote work and video calls.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| Median broadband speed (Speedtest) | Faster is better |
English (3%)
How easily an English-speaking founder can operate day to day.
| Factor | How it scores |
|---|---|
| English proficiency (EF EPI) | Higher is better |
How the math works
- Each numeric factor is normalized 0 to 100 against the dataset min and max, in the direction that helps a solopreneur (for example, a lower income tax rate scores higher).
- Categorical factors (like exit tax or taxation basis) use fixed scores per option.
- Factors are combined into a pillar score using the weights above.
- The pillars combine by weight (40 / 25 / 20 / 8 / 4 / 3) into the final score, rounded to a whole number.
- Countries are ranked by that score. Ties break toward lower cost of living, then name.
The score is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict. A country that ranks low overall may still be the right base for your specific situation. Open any country profile to see the underlying figures, or use Find my country to weight these factors yourself.
Informational only. Nothing here is tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax rules change often and vary by personal circumstance. Verify every figure against an official source and a qualified adviser before acting. Figures are re-expressed from public sources and cited per country.