| Country | Economic freedom score / status | General government spending, % of GDP | Approx. average real GDP growth, last 20 years | Crime / terrorism / war risk | Mechanisms that have helped keep government size down |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Very high; usually ranked at or near #1 globally | ~18–20% | ~4% per year | Very low crime, very low terrorism risk, low war risk | Heavy reliance on compulsory private savings through the Central Provident Fund; targeted rather than universal welfare; high-quality but lean bureaucracy; pro-growth tax system; strong fiscal rules requiring balanced budgets over a government term. |
| Switzerland | Very high; consistently top-tier globally | ~32–34% | ~1.8–2.0% per year | Very low crime and terrorism risk; very low war risk | Fiscal federalism and tax competition among cantons; direct democracy makes tax and spending increases harder; constitutional “debt brake”; decentralized provision of public services. |
| Ireland | Very high; consistently among the freest economies | ~22–25% of GDP, though GDP is distorted upward by multinational activity | ~5%+ per year on GDP basis; lower on modified GNI basis | Low crime, low terrorism risk, low war risk | Pro-investment corporate tax model; EU fiscal constraints; relatively small public sector compared with many Western European peers; strong private-sector role in growth. Note: spending looks especially low as a share of GDP because Irish GDP is inflated by multinational accounting effects. |
| Taiwan | High; often ranked among the freest Asian economies | ~17–20% | ~3–4% per year | Low crime and terrorism risk; geopolitical risk from China is the main caveat | Lean welfare state by rich-country standards; export-led growth model; relatively conservative fiscal culture; social insurance systems funded substantially through premiums and payroll contributions rather than broad tax-funded entitlements. |
| United Arab Emirates | Moderately high to high; strong business and trade freedom | ~27–30% | ~3–4% per year | Very low street crime; low terrorism risk domestically; some regional geopolitical risk | Hydrocarbon and sovereign-wealth revenues reduce reliance on broad taxation; no broad personal income tax; large expatriate workforce receives fewer citizen-style welfare benefits; centralized control over major spending projects. |
| Qatar | Moderately high; strong trade and business environment | ~28–32% | ~4–5% per year, helped by LNG expansion | Very low crime; low terrorism risk; some regional geopolitical risk | Large natural-gas revenues and sovereign wealth fund support public finances; small citizen population; limited broad-based taxation; expatriate-heavy labor market limits welfare obligations relative to GDP. |
| Mauritius | Relatively high for Africa; often among the freest African economies | ~25–28% | ~3–4% per year | Low terrorism and war risk; generally low-to-moderate crime risk | Small-island administration; open trade and investment policy; relatively simple tax structure; emphasis on tourism, finance, and services; welfare programs exist but are generally constrained by a narrow fiscal base and debt concerns. |
| Malaysia | Moderate to moderately high; open trade and investment environment | ~22–25% | ~4–5% per year | Moderate-low crime risk; low terrorism risk; low war risk | Relatively low tax-to-GDP ratio; compulsory retirement savings through the Employees Provident Fund; significant private provision in health, education, and housing; periodic subsidy reforms to contain spending. |
| Chile | High for Latin America; generally market-oriented | ~28–30% | ~3% per year | Low war and terrorism risk; crime risk has risen but remains lower than many regional peers | Structural fiscal balance rule; historically strong private-sector role in pensions, health, education, and infrastructure; independent central bank; open-trade policy and commodity revenue stabilization mechanisms. |
| Panama | Moderate to moderately high; business-friendly services hub | ~23–26% | ~5%+ per year | Low war and terrorism risk; crime risk is moderate, especially in some urban areas | Dollarization limits inflationary finance; Panama Canal revenues support the state without very high broad taxation; territorial tax features; no standing army; growth model centered on logistics, finance, and trade rather than a large welfare state. |
Notes: Figures are approximate and intended for screening, not precise ranking. “Government spending” refers to general government expenditure where available, i.e., all levels of government, as a share of GDP. Economic freedom descriptions are based on commonly used indexes such as the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom and the Fraser Institute Economic Freedom of the World index. Growth estimates are approximate real GDP averages or compound annual growth rates over roughly the last two decades. Risk assessments are qualitative and should be updated before making relocation, investment, or policy decisions.