FOUR SPANISH CITIES LEAD THE RANKING OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CITIES IN THE WORLD TO LIVE AS AN EXPATRIATE IN 2023.
The Expat City Ranking 2023 Reveals the Best & Worst Cities around the World
- The Expat City Ranking 2023 includes 49 cities from across the globe.
- In 2023, Málaga (1st), Alicante, Valencia, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Madrid, Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Muscat (10th) receive the best ratings from expats worldwide.
- However, Milan (49th), Rome, Vancouver, Hamburg, Berlin, Dublin, Istanbul, London, Paris, and Seoul (40th) are considered the worst cities for expats.
Munich, 14 November 2023 — Málaga (1st), Alicante (2nd), and Valencia (3rd) are the top 3 destinations in the Expat City Ranking 2023 by InterNations, the world’s largest expat community with around 5 million members. What these three Spanish cities have in common are top 10 ratings in the indices Ease of Settling In, Quality of Life, and Personal Finance. This translates into welcoming cultures that allow for an enjoyable and affordable life. Málaga and Alicante also make it into the top 10 for Expat Essentials such as housing.
On the other end of the spectrum, Milan (49th), Rome (48th), and Vancouver (47th) are the worst destinations in 2023. Expats in the two Italian hubs share many of the same problems. They get bottom 10 rankings in four out of five of the survey’s indices. Expats are especially disappointed by the low Quality of Life and poor work conditions. Vancouver, on the other hand, is the place where expats are unhappiest (49th) and where they struggle most with their Personal Finance (49th).
The Expat City Ranking is based on the annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations. With 12,065 participants in 2023, it’s one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys about living and working abroad. In total, 49 cities around the world are featured in this year’s ranking, which provides in-depth information about five areas of expat life: Quality of Life (e.g., Healthcare, Leisure Options), Ease of Settling In (e.g., Finding Friends, Culture & Welcome), Working Abroad, Personal Finance, and Expat Essentials (e.g., Admin Topics, Housing).
The Top 10 Cities for Expats in 2023
1 | Málaga: Expats’ Favorite City
Málaga places 1st out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. According to the respondents, Málaga is the best-rated city worldwide for Local Friendliness (1st): 89% say that the locals are particularly friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 65% globally). It’s maybe not surprising, then, that the city also ranks 2nd for Finding Friends.
The Quality of Life Index (2nd) is another highlight for Málaga. It claims first place for its well-known and highly popular climate and weather (1st), and its natural environment (8th) also makes it into the top 10. Luckily, there seem to be a lot of opportunities to enjoy this, as the city ranks 2nd for its Leisure Options. Additionally, Málaga features among the top 10 in the Travel & Transit (8th) and Healthcare (10th) Subcategories.
The city’s lowest (but still above average) index ranking is its 13th place for Working Abroad. On the downside, it ranks 41st for the local job market. But Málaga pulls ahead in the Work & Leisure Subcategory (1st), claiming the top spot for work-life balance (1st). In the Expat Essentials Index (7th), expats are also especially happy with the Housing (6th) situation in Málaga: accommodation is not only easy to find for expats (11th), but also easily affordable (5th).
Indeed, the city seems to be a good destination for expats on a budget. It ranks 1st in the Personal Finance Index, where it also tops the list for general cost of living (1st). Overall, 88% of expats are happy with their life in Málaga, compared to 72% globally.
2 | Alicante: Where Expats Find Housing the Most Affordable
Alicante places 2nd out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. The city misses the top spot largely due to its bottom 10 ranking in the Working Abroad Index (40th). Expats report that the local business culture does not promote creativity (39th), independent work (40th), or flexibility (41st). The ratings for their personal career opportunities (40th) aren’t any better. Alicante excels in the Ease of Settling In Index (2nd), claiming the top spot in the Culture & Welcome Subcategory (1st). Expats feel both welcome (1st) and at home (1st) there and are very happy with their social lives (1st).
And their lifestyle doesn’t seem to be restricted by costs: Alicante ranks 3rd in the Personal Finance Index. The majority of expats (78%) is happy with the general cost of living, compared to only 44% globally. In the Expat Essentials Index (9th), the city even ranks 1st globally for affordable housing.
The Quality of Life Index (5th) is another highlight for Alicante. Healthcare (5th) is both affordable (6th) and easily available (8th). Expats also enjoy the excellent local Leisure Options (7th), made sweeter by the great air quality (7th) and climate and weather (3rd). Overall, 92% of expats are happy with their life in Alicante, compared to 72% globally.
3 | Valencia: The Place with the Best Healthcare
Valencia places 3rd out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. It even comes 1st globally in the Quality of Life Index. Its Leisure Options (3rd) are a major highlight: the city places 1st for its opportunities for recreational sports. Both the affordability (1st) and availability (3rd) of healthcare also rank among the best worldwide. Getting out and about isn’t a problem either: it’s easy to get around Valencia on foot and by bicycle (3rd), and public transportation is affordable (9th).
However, Working Abroad (36th) in Valencia is not so great. Its Career Prospects (47th) for expats are the worst rated among the Spanish cities included in the ranking. And if expats do manage to get a job there, the lack of job security (47th) causes more concerns. It may still be worth it, though, as 79% are happy with their work-life balance (vs. 63% globally).
Expats praise the general cost of living (3rd) in Valencia, which leads to a top 10 place in the Personal Finance Index (6th). They also highlight economical living in the Expat Essentials Index (15th), where they vote the city 7th for affordable housing. Beyond these practical concerns, expats are also well connected in Valencia. Most feel welcome there (vs. 67% globally), and the same share considers the local residents to be friendly (89% vs. 67% globally for both factors). It’s hardly surprising, then, that 80% are happy with their social life in Valencia, compared to only 56% globally. These above-average results lead to a 6th-place ranking in the Ease of Settling In Index. Overall, 91% of expats are happy with their life in Valencia, compared to 72% globally.
4 | Ras Al Khaimah: Where Job Satisfaction Is Highest
Ras Al Khaimah places 4th out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. With a 1st place ranking in the Expat Essentials Index, it’s the city where it’s easiest for expats to get started: 78% had no issues getting a visa to move there (vs. 57% globally). And about seven in ten say that housing is both affordable (68% vs. 38% globally) and easy to find (72% vs. 49% globally).
What’s more, expats in Ras Al Khaimah enjoy the highest overall job satisfaction (1st) and the 2nd best personal career options, making it one of the best cities for Working Abroad (2nd). Respondents are also happy with their financial situation, placing the city in the top 10 for Personal Finance (8th).
Another aspect that makes living in Ras Al Khaimah an enjoyable experience is its tight-knit social life. This can be seen in the Ease of Settling In Index (9th), where almost two-thirds (63%) say that making local friends is easy there (vs. 43% globally). In addition, 76% feel at home (vs. 62% globally), and 74% are happy with their social life (vs. 56% globally).
On the downside, Ras Al Khaimah offers very limited public transportation services (44th), disappointing culture and nightlife options (42nd), few opportunities for recreational sports (40th), and an unattractive natural environment (43rd). Although expats are happy with the infrastructure for cars (3rd) and their personal safety (12th), Ras Al Khaimah has an average result in the Quality of Life Index (25th).
5 | Abu Dhabi: The Desert City with the Best Quality of Life
Abu Dhabi places 5th out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. Among the Gulf State cities compared in this ranking, Abu Dhabi offers the highest Quality of Life (6th). It has the best infrastructure for cars in the world (1st), and expats rate Abu Dhabi among the top 3 for medical services: 88% are happy with the quality (vs. 70% globally) and 90% with the availability of healthcare (vs. 71% globally). On top of that, 94% value their personal safety (vs. 83% globally) and 84% the political stability (vs. 63% globally).
Abu Dhabi also offers expats one of the smoothest transition phases, according to the Expat Essentials Index (3rd). Admin Topics (2nd) are easy to handle, from getting a visa (2nd) to opening a bank account (5th). According to 86% (vs. 60% globally), government services are easily available online, but 18% are dissatisfied with the restricted access to other online services like social media (vs. 6% globally). The city also offers great Housing (8th), and is the easiest place in the world for expats to get by without speaking the local and/or official language (1st).
Abu Dhabi also claims a top 10 rank for Working Abroad (9th): 55% say that moving there has improved their career prospects by a lot (vs. 32% globally), and another 86% are happy with the state of the local economy (vs. 62% globally). What’s more, 68% say that the local business culture encourages creativity and thinking outside the box (vs. 51% globally).
However, Abu Dhabi’s expats are less satisfied with their Personal Finance (23rd): 25% believe that they’re not paid fairly for their work (vs. 19% globally), and 34% say that their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 27% globally).
6 | Madrid: A Cultural Hotspot
Madrid ranks 6th out of 49 in the Expat City Ranking 2023. Digital Life (10th) in Madrid is a particular highlight. Expats find it easy to pay without cash (6th), get high-speed internet access at home (6th), and have unrestricted access to online services (7th). However, 51% say it’s difficult to live in Madrid without speaking the local language(s) (vs. 32% globally), which leads to a somewhat mediocre ranking in the Expat Essentials Index (19th).
When it comes to Working Abroad (38th), job security (42nd) and the state of the local economy (41st) leave a lot to be desired. On the positive side, Personal Finances (10th) cause few problems for expats. Like the other Spanish cities in the ranking, the Quality of Life (3rd) in Madrid is voted among the best globally. Both public transportation (5th) and healthcare (2nd) are seen as affordable. The city even rises to the top of the ranking for its Leisure Options (1st): its culture and nightlife (1st) can’t be beat. The culinary variety and dining options (4th), paired with the many opportunities for recreational sports (7th), further enrich expats’ free time.
This may be one reason why, in the Ease of Settling In Index (8th), 77% say that it’s easy to get used to the local culture (vs. 62% globally). Four in five (80%) also describe the local residents as generally friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 65% globally). Overall, 85% of expats are happy with their life in Madrid, compared to 72% globally.