are there countries that are more patent-friendly than others?

Yes, some countries are more patent friendly then others, from an enforcement point of view. It may be a consideration, but the real consideration is: "where is the market for your goods" There is no need, and it is certainly a cost issue, to garner patent protection in countries that you do not intend to market within. When you file a PCT patent application, you have 30 months to decide which countries that you want to designate as countries to seek patent protection. That time frame should be sufficient to at least narrow down the primary markets for your goods. So as you approach the 30 month deadline, you can tailor patent strategy accordingly.