Country guides.
Cyprus 🇨🇾
Dubai (UAE) 🇦🇪
Dubai’s tax-free zones and world-class infrastructure make it a magnet for entrepreneurs looking to tap into the Middle Eastern market and beyond.
Delaware (USA) 🇺🇸
Estonia 🇪🇪
Known for its digital-first approach and a unique tax system that only taxes distributed profits, Estonia is a hotspot for tech-savvy entrepreneurs.
Liechtenstein 🇱🇮
Malta 🇲🇹
Portugal 🇵🇹
Romania 🇷🇴
Still not sure? 🌎
There are plenty of other great options out there. the countries in our guide don’t fit, we’re happy to help you find the perfect destination(s) tailored to your needs.
Nerdy guides: How to choose the perfect country.
Find the perfect country for your business and/or residency.
Are you ready to break free from the chains of high taxes, endless bureaucracy, and restrictive residency rules? We’ve created the ultimate guide to help you find the best country for your business structure, corporate taxes, and residency options. Whether you’re seeking low tax rates, a business-friendly environment, or the perfect place to live while running your company, we’ll help you discover the perfect combination to make it all happen.
But let’s be real: with so many countries out there, how do you know which one will fit your needs like a glove? Worry no more! Here’s your step-by-step guide on how to find the best jurisdiction for corporate taxes, residency, and a lifestyle that suits your business goals. 🏖️💼
Step 1: Define your priorities.
Before you start diving into country guides, ask yourself a few key questions:
- Do you want low taxes on your business income?
- Are you looking for a country with low personal tax rates, or maybe even no taxes on your income?
- How important is residency flexibility?
- What about ease of doing business—do you prefer a streamlined process or are you okay with some bureaucracy?
- Would you like access to a highly-skilled workforce, or are you okay with a smaller talent pool?
Your answers will help you narrow down the options to countries that meet your core requirements, whether it’s low taxes, a solid business environment, or a country that allows you to live and run your business without restrictions.
Step 2: Research countries with low corporate taxes.
If minimizing taxes is one of your top priorities (and who doesn’t want to keep more of their hard-earned money?), then you’ll want to start by focusing on countries with low corporate tax rates—and we’re not talking about average tax rates. At Nerdy.Money, we define low tax countries as those with tax rates of 15% or lower, or at least ways to reduce the effective tax burden to 15% or lower.
Check out some popular options in our Country Guides:
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus – A corporate tax rate of 12.5%, along with fantastic tax benefits for holding companies.
- 🇪🇪 Estonia – A unique tax system where you only pay 20% tax on distributed profits, ideal for tech startups.
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (UAE) – A tax-free zone with no corporate income tax, offering huge tax savings for entrepreneurs.
- 🇺🇸 Delaware – A popular jurisdiction in the USA with minimal tax on income from outside the state, and a straightforward incorporation process.
- 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein – A stable jurisdiction with low corporate tax rates and a strong financial system for international businesses.
- 🇲🇹 Malta – An effective tax rate of as low as 5% through tax credits and refunds, plus EU benefits.
- 🇵🇹 Portugal – Attractive tax incentives for businesses, including the non-habitual residency scheme with zero taxes on foreign income for 10 years.
- 🇷🇴 Romania – Low corporate tax of 16% and a business-friendly environment, with easy access to the EU market.
Step 3: Consider your residency options.
When considering where to live and work, it’s crucial to also take taxes into account—especially when it comes to how your foreign income or dividends will be taxed. Some countries offer incredible tax advantages for foreign income or dividends, making them great choices for entrepreneurs and expats who want to keep more of what they earn. For Europeans, countries like Cyprus, Malta, and even Portugal offer great tax opportunities:
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus – Cyprus is a fantastic option for receiving foreign income or dividends, with its 0% tax on foreign dividends for non-domiciled individuals, making it an excellent choice for European entrepreneurs and digital nomads who want to minimize personal tax.
- 🇲🇹 Malta – Malta’s attractive tax system allows foreign income to be received with zero tax for certain non-resident status holders. For business owners, Malta also has a 5% effective tax rate on profits, making it a smart choice for tax optimization.
- 🇵🇹 Portugal – Portugal’s non-habitual residency (NHR) program allows you to receive foreign income with zero tax for up to 10 years, making it ideal for expats who want to live and work in a great European location with minimal tax burden.
Many other countries also offer special tax regimes for digital nomads and business owners, reducing or even eliminating taxes on foreign income and dividends.
Our Country Guides will help you compare residency options, giving you the tools to decide which country allows you to live, work, and play the way you want, with minimal tax hassle.
Step 4: Evaluate bureaucracy & ease of doing business.
Now that you have your tax and residency preferences in mind, it’s time to think about bureaucracy. No one wants to deal with endless paperwork and red tape! But don’t worry—there are countries with easy company formation and a business-friendly environment, including:
- 🇪🇪 Estonia – Known for its super-fast digital company incorporation process and minimal bureaucracy.
- 🇺🇸 Delaware – A jurisdiction with quick and easy setup and low fees for incorporation.
- 🇲🇹 Malta – A clear and efficient registration process for companies with transparent regulations – but does require quite a bit of paperwork.
These are countries where bureaucracy is minimal, and setting up your business is a smooth process—perfect for entrepreneurs who want to focus on growing their business, not dealing with mountains of paperwork.
Step 5: Use the Nerdy.Money country guides.
Ready to dive into the specifics? We’ve made it easy for you! In the Country Guides, you’ll find everything you need:
- Detailed tax breakdowns (including corporate, personal, and capital gains taxes)
- Step-by-step guides on how to incorporate your company
- Residency and visa options for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and investors
- Legal frameworks, including protections for your assets and business
Simply browse through the countries in our guides and find the one that best matches your priorities. You’ll find all the info you need to make an informed decision and take the next step toward building your international business empire.
Step 6: Use our help & start your journey.
Once you’ve chosen your ideal country (or countries), it’s time to take action. If you want a little extra guidance, Nerdy.Money is here to help! We offer:
- Consultations to tailor the perfect solution for your business.
- Support with setting up your company through our trusted partners.
- Access to our full digital platform, where you can manage your company’s legal aspects, KYC, document management, tax advisory, and more—all from one dashboard.
Ready to make your entrepreneurial dreams come true? Explore our Country Guides, get all the info you need, and let’s make it happen!

Feeling overwhelmed? We're here to help.
We get it—moving abroad and setting up shop in a new country can feel like trying to solve a 10,000-piece puzzle with missing pieces. But don’t worry, we’ve got the roadmap! Visit our services to book a consulting session or use our full digital platform to seamlessly set up your company, with all the legal, tax, and accounting support you need.
Need more information first?
We get it—sometimes you just need to geek out on the details before making a big move! Lucky for you, we’ve got tons of resources to help you level up your knowledge. Check out our Nerdy Insights for in-depth blog posts covering everything from tax strategies to the best business hubs around the globe. Or tune in to our #NerdyTalk podcast, where we dive deep into all things tax, business, and migration. The knowledge is free, so go ahead, binge away!