Top destinations for expats to live and work

A new ranking of top destinations for expats has been revealed, and Mexico, Indonesia, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and Singapore have taken the top spots.

Mexico | Expats find it extremely easy to get settled in Mexico and are happy with their personal finances, the report says. Voting Mexico first in the survey overall, expats are wowed by the friendliness of its residents: it comes first in the Local Friendliness, Finding Friends, and Culture & Welcome Subcategories. Exactly nine in ten expats (90%) describe the local residents as friendly (vs. 66% globally), and 75% find it easy to make friends among them (vs. 42% globally). In fact, 28% have mainly local friends, which is eleven percentage points more than the global average (17%).

Indonesia | Expats in Indonesia find it easy to get settled in but are unhappy with the low quality of life, the report says. Overall, Indonesia ranks second in the survey and performs best in the Ease of Settling In Index (2nd): 90% of expats describe the Indonesian population as friendly in general (vs. 66% globally), as well as friendly towards foreign residents in particular (vs. 65% globally). Close to half (46%) even think that they could not be any friendlier to expats, compared to 27% globally.

Taiwan | In Taiwan, expats are particularly happy with the high quality of life, the ease of settling in, and their personal finances, the report says. Taiwan does best in the Quality of Life Index (2nd), only beaten by Spain, and makes it into the top 10 for many related factors. The Health & Well-Being Subcategory is a particular highlight since Taiwan ranks first overall and first for all its factors. Expats find healthcare affordable (100% vs. 61% globally) and widely available (98% vs. 73% globally), and 88% say that they have access to all the healthcare services they need (vs. 67% globally).

Portugal | Expats enjoy the high quality of life, find it easy to settle in, and are happy with their personal finances in Portugal. Ranking 4th out of 52 destinations overall, Portugal also comes fourth in the Quality of Life Index. In fact, 24% of expats moved to Portugal for a better quality of life, the most common reason for relocating there. And the country did not disappoint: more than nine in ten (94%) enjoy the climate and weather (vs. 62% globally), and 89% are happy with the air quality (vs. 65% globally).

Spain | Expats are extremely happy with the quality of life and find it easy to get settled in. Ranking 5th out of 52 destinations in the survey, expats vote Spain the best in the Quality of Life Index (1st). The country lands among the top 10 for four out of the five subcategories featured in this index, even coming first worldwide in the Leisure Options Subcategory. Expats love the variety of culinary and dining options on offer (91% vs. 77% globally), the opportunities for recreational sports (90% vs. 75% globally), and the culture and nightlife (85% vs. 67% globally).

Vietnam | Expats find it very easy to get settled in but struggle with the local language and the environment. Vietnam excels when it comes to Personal Finance, ranking first worldwide in this index. The majority of expats (80%) is happy with the general cost of living, compared to only 45% globally. There is no stress when it comes to their financial situation: about four in five (79%) are satisfied with this factor (vs. 60% globally), and 92% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 72% globally).

Thailand | Finance and leisure options are no trouble for expats, but they struggle with their working life. Personal finances are a breeze for expats in Thailand, and they vote the country fourth in the Personal Finance Index. In fact, most expats (85%) feel that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 72% globally).

Australia | Expats love the environment, business culture, and employment prospects in Australia. The country ranks second worldwide in the Working Abroad Index, only beaten by Denmark (1st). Expats are especially happy with their Career Prospects (5th): 62% are satisfied with the local job market (vs. 47% globally), and 64% rate their personal career opportunities positively (vs. 58% globally). When it comes to the Work & Leisure Subcategory, the country scores another fifth place. Expats in Australia work fewer hours per week than the global average (35.9 hours vs. 40.2 hours globally), which might explain why three in four (75%) are satisfied with their working hours (vs. 63% globally).

Singapore | Expats love the transit options and career opportunities with no language barriers. Singapore performs best in the Expat Essentials Index (3rd), only beaten by Bahrain (1st) and the UAE (2nd). Expats vote Singapore fifth in the Admin Topics Subcategory, and 63% find it easy to deal with the local bureaucracy/authorities, compared to 40% globally. According to more than four in five expats (81%), it is also easy to open a local bank account (vs. 64% globally).