Natalie So InterNations has released their survey results ranking the best cities in the world to live, and the results differ entirely from last year’s. This year is the 10th year they have run the survey, which is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive surveys on living and working abroad.
For this edition, 12,000 expats of 171 nationalities living in 172 countries answered questions on every aspect of living abroad in major cities for an average index score. The survey featured five main categories, including all the elements expats face when they head for new shores. They were
- Quality of Life: Travel & Transit, Environment, Climate, Leisure, Healthcare and Safety & Security.
- Ease of Settling In: Local Friendliness, Finding Friends, Culture Scene & Welcome
- Working Abroad: Career Prospects, Salary & Job Security, Work & Leisure, Culture & Satisfaction
- Expat Essentials: Digital Life, Admin Topics, Housing, Language
- Personal Finance
In a world characterized by diverse cultures, dynamic economies, and varied lifestyles, certain cities emerge as veritable paradigms of the ideal living experience. These cities stand out not only for their breathtaking skylines and architectural marvels but also for the quality of life they offer to their residents. If you seek, the pulsating energy of urban life, let’s find out which major cities, existing expats ranked as the best places to live.
Best Cities in the World to Live and Work
1: Vibrant Malaga in Spain
Málaga, ranked 1st out of 49 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2023, is highly rated for local friendliness, with 89% of respondents saying locals’ welcome foreign residents. Malaga City also ranks 2nd for finding friends and excels in quality of life, claiming first place for climate and weather. Regarding working abroad, Malaga ranks 13th overall but struggles in local job markets, ranking 41st.
However, the city excels in work and leisure, claiming the top spot for work-life balance. Expats in Málaga are satisfied with affordable and readily available housing, and Malaga City is also a budget-friendly destination, ranking 1st for personal finance. 88% of expats are happy with life, compared to 72% globally, and this is a remarkable result, but Malaga is one of those European cities that constantly ranks for expat satisfaction. (Reasons to move to Malaga in Spain.)
2: Alicante in Spain for Excellent Housing and Costs of Living
Spain is also rocking in at position 2, with the destination of Alicante, that ranked 2nd for affordable housing in a liveable city, but falls behind for working abroad, coming in at 40th place. Expats feel local businesses lack creativity and flexibility, and career opportunities also receive low ratings. On the other hand, Alicante excels in settling in, claiming the top spot in the culture and welcome subcategory. Expats feel welcome and at home in Alicante and like their social lives.
Despite the affordable cost of living, expats enjoy good lifestyles with good costs of living, and Alicante city ranks 1st globally for housing. The high life quality index indicates accessible, affordable healthcare and leisure choices. Air quality and climate are also great in Alicante. Overall, 92% of expats like their life in Alicante. (About living in Alicante – Spain.)
3: Plenty of Culture in Valencia Spain
Another win for Spain, with Valencia city achieving third place, with leisure choices, mainly recreational sports, as well as affordable and accessible healthcare. Getting around Valencia is easy on foot or by bicycle, and public transportation. However, working abroad in Valencia is not great, because career prospects are the worst in Spanish cities, and job security is also a concern.
Despite these challenges, expats in Valencia like their work-life balance. Living costs are praised, and Valencia ranks for finances and expat essentials. Thanks to friendly local residents and delighted social lives, expats feel welcome. Hence, for settling in, Valencia ranks 6th. (About the Valencia region in Spain.)
4: Daily Life in Ras Al Khaimah
The liveable City of Ras Al Khaimah in the Middle East is famous for nature, leisure, adventure, cultural scenes, and authentic experiences. Ras Al Khaimah’s downtown area, known as its beating heart, features a three-kilometre waterfront promenade. It runs alongside protected mangroves lined with luxury real estate and local cafes with the best culinary scene.
Most expats had no issues obtaining their visas (78% compared to 57% globally). Additionally, affordable and easy-to-find housing means living in Ras Al Khaimah is great for expats. They have high job satisfaction, good personal career options, and sound financial situation.
Making friends and feeling at home achieved top marks as did the social life and public spaces. However, public transportation cultural and nightlife options are limited. Opportunities for recreational sports are also few, and the natural environment is unattractive.
5: Abu Dhabi in the UAE
Abu Dhabi offers excellent public spaces and is easy to settle into. Expats in Abu Dhabi also have access to top-notch medical services, with 88% being happy with the quality of care and 90% satisfied with the availability of healthcare. Safety and political stability are highly valued, with 94% valuing their safety and 84% appreciating their stability.
Abu Dhabi city also provides smooth transitions, making administrative tasks easy to handle, from getting visas to opening bank accounts. Government services are readily available online, but limitations on other online services, like social media, lead to 18% dissatisfaction. Housing in Abu Dhabi is also highly rated, and it is the most accessible place for expats without knowledge of the official language.
6: Madrid – The Largest City in Spain
As a European capital, Madrid offers great weather, excellent healthcare, and plenty of leisure choices, including world-class museums. Expats in Madrid have high-speed internet access at home and unrestricted access to online services. However, many expats find it difficult to live in Madrid without speaking Spanish.
Job security and the local economy are not desirable, but personal finances cause few problems. Madrid ranks for public transportation and healthcare and stands out in culture, nightlife, culinary variety, and dining options. Expats also describe local residents as generally friendly. 85% of happy expats ranked Madrid city at number 10, for how far their monthly salary will stretch.
7: Mexico City for the Culture and Friendly Locals
Mexico City has the 2nd friendliest population and relatively low living costs. Expats feel at home due to the locals’ friendliness and ease of adapting to Mexican culture. However, Mexico City falls short for safety and quality of life, ranking last globally in personal safety and among the bottom 5 for life quality.
Indeed, the crime rate worries some, as does the availability and affordability of healthcare. On the bright side, Mexico City excels in culinary variety, dining options, culture, and nightlife. For expat essentials, dealing with local bureaucracy presents challenges, but finding housing is relatively easy. Expats like their working experiences, feeling fairly paid and seeing purpose, with good career opportunities available.
8: Kuala Lumpur For Housing
Kuala Lumpur performs best in finances, with expats satisfied with their financial situation and living costs. 86% of expats say their household income gives them comfortable lifestyles. However, Kuala Lumpur performs poorly in the Quality-of-Life Index, particularly for public transportation and safety.
It ranks 12th for settling in with expats enjoying extraordinary social lives and support networks. For working abroad, expats feel fairly paid, with Kuala Lumpur ranking 1st globally and excelling in housing and language subcategories.
9: Bangkok for Leisure and Pleasure
Often touted as an alternative to Hong Kong, Bangkok is highly rated for its Personal Finance Index, with foreigners finding the financial situation and living costs very satisfactory. They also report that their household income is enough. Bangkok ranks last in Environment and Climate Subcategories and performs poorly in Safety and security. But Expats praise leisure choices and healthcare in Bangkok while ranking Bangkok City 10th for settling in, with foreigners appreciating friendly local residents and thriving social lives.
Bangkok struggles in the Work Culture & Satisfaction Subcategory, with foreigners saying business cultures don’t encourage creativity or flexibility. The Expat Essentials Index shows that expats face challenges with government services online and the local bureaucracy. However, housing in Bangkok is ranked first globally, with expats finding it affordable.
10: Muscat for Affordable Housing
Muscat, the capital of Oman, excels in the Essentials Index, particularly in the Admin Topics Subcategory. Opening bank accounts and dealing with bureaucracy are easy in Muscat. It also ranks 2nd for housing. Regarding language, expats can easily live in Muscat without worrying about language barriers.
However, in the Quality-of-Life Index, Muscat ranks midfield. Public transportation is not readily available, but the road network is highly regarded. Air quality is good, and the government supports environmental policies. Expats feel safe but express disappointment with leisure options. On the other hand, Muscat excels in local friendliness and making new friends and is ranked at number 11 for making your monthly salary stretch.
11: Dubai for Work Prospects
Known for its architectural marvels, Dubai city centre is considered a liveable city for newcomers. Dealing with administrative tasks is simple, and obtaining a visa is easy. However, Dubai falls near the bottom for unrestricted access to online services. Many expats believe moving to Dubai improved their career prospects, and they like UAE’s business culture. Many businesses also have their corporate headquarters there.
Dubai city centre offers various culinary options and leisure activities, although expats express disappointment with the natural scenery. Dubai also excels in medical care, personal safety, and political stability. However, the weakest point is personal finances, as many expats feel their household income is insufficient. Overall, Dubai offers many advantages, but financial concerns remain challenging for some. Aside from that, this urban centre provides excellent public transport. (More about Dubai in the UAE.)
12: Lisbon for Feeling at Home
Lisbon’s city centre is considered easy for expats to settle in, create personal networks, and feel at home. The local job market is not strong, and moving to Lisbon does not improve expats’ career prospects. Despite this, Lisbon in Portugal has a great climate, green spaces, a natural environment, and good air quality. Freedom of speech and self-expression is also valued. Lisbon is known for its welcoming culture and is rated highly for its ease of settling in.
Expats have solid social lives and feel at home, but Lisbon ranks lower for working abroad. The local job market, economy, and working hours receive poor ratings. Dealing with local authorities and bureaucracy can be challenging. While living in Lisbon without speaking Portuguese is easy, learning the language is difficult, but expats are satisfied with personal finances. Reasonable living costs led many expats to say they have enough disposable income.
13: Barcelona Capital City in Spain
Expats appreciate the climate in Barcelona but don’t like the city’s air quality. Barcelona offers many leisure, cultural, and nightlife choices. However, they perform poorly when working abroad with expats, feeling underpaid and having low job security. Some expats think that moving to Barcelona has not improved their career prospects. Barcelona is ranked high for settling in with foreigners feeling at home with personal support networks. It also ranks decently for finances, with many expats satisfied with living costs, paying without cash and learning the local language.
Which City has the Highest Quality of Life?
Valencia is the highest-rated city for quality of life by performing well across all five subcategories: Environment and climate, Healthcare, Leisure Options, Safety and security, and Travel and transit. For healthcare, Valencia ranks second with affordability, availability, and quality of medical care. Spain’s healthcare system is internationally acclaimed, with the EU’s highest life expectancy and fewer social inequalities. Accessing healthcare services in Valencia is easy for 82% of the population.
Valencia also excels in travel & transit, ranking third. Almost all residents appreciate travel opportunities both within and outside Valencia City, and moving around is safe and easy, with 97% travelling on foot or by bicycle. Public transportation is affordable as well. Expats love Valencia’s relaxed lifestyle, economical travel opportunities, favourable weather, and good healthcare.
Valenicia’s superb weather is delightful for 95% of residents, and the urban environment is well-regarded by 94%. Valencia offers excellent leisure options as a tourist destination, ranking first worldwide for recreational sports opportunities, and 94% of residents say they like the culture and nightlife. Valencia is perceived as safe, with 94% rating their personal safety positively. Furthermore, 86% feel they can openly express their opinions. (What is Valenica famous for?)
Which City has the Best Cost of Living?
The Personal Finance Index is based on three factors: satisfaction with financial situations, general cost of living, and household income. In 2023, 49 cities made the threshold. Málaga ranks first, offering affordable living costs, along with that already ranking factor of culture & environment. Bangkok ranks second, with low expenses and a comfortable financial situation.
Alicante ranks third, with a low cost of living and satisfactory financial situation. Vancouver, New York City, and London rank at the bottom of the index, facing economic challenges. When looking at monthly costs and monthly salaries, real estate prices and high living costs make them the most expensive cities.
What were the Worst Cities?
Vancouver, one of the major Canadian cities, ranked 47th. For Swiss city destinations, Zurich and Geneva ranked 16th and 30th, respectively. For Australian city destinations, Sydney ranked at 27. Surprisingly, San Francisco didn’t appear anywhere on the list, and Seoul in South Korea ranked at number 40. For German cities, Hamburg and Berlin were at 45 and 46, and the Japanese City of Tokyo ranked at 26. Vienna, the Austrian capital, achieved a ranking of 36.
About Us
We are Spot Blue International Real Estate agents and sell properties in various countries worldwide. We hope this list of the best cities in the world to live in has given you inspiration. If you want to relocate abroad or invest in overseas real estate, call us today and chat with an agent. Alternatively, you can also see our real estate listings, and just use the contact details if you want to find out more.
More About Living and Working Abroad
Common Mistakes: On occasions, potential ex-pats ask us about common mistakes when moving abroad. As international real estate agents, who sell holiday homes and houses for permanent living abroad, we have seen many foreigners make the transition to living overseas. Most people make moving work, and only a few return, but primarily for family reasons. However, all ex-pats agree there are mistakes they wish they hadn’t made.
