Many people dream of having a fresh start in a new country, and with the world in turmoil amid conflicts, political division and spiralling living costs, more and more are looking to turn those dreams into a reality.
Upping sticks and moving abroad is a big commitment, so it’s important to be sure that you’ve picked the right place.
Factors such as cost of living, safety, healthcare, education and lifestyle are all crucial to consider, and now new analysis has ranked potential destinations according to these criteria.
Global consulting firm Mercer rated cities for their expat appeal in its latest Quality of Living report, which it says ‘highlights the cities that stand out for their exceptional living standards, robust infrastructure and vibrant cultural scenes.’
Eight European cities dominate the top 10 spots in the rankings, with Auckland and Vancouver the only top contenders outside the continent.
Zurich took the top spot, commended for its ‘outstanding public services, low crime rates, lively cultural scene and commitment to sustainability’.
The global banking hub was pushed up the rankings this year due to its increased airport connections, with more services between the city and other continents.
But the cost of living in the Swiss city is also high, with a survey done by the EIU last year showing it was the most expensive city in the world tied with Singapore.
Number one: Zurich was commended for its ‘outstanding public services, low crime rates, lively cultural scene and commitment to sustainability’
Number two: Vienna, the capital of Austria, was highly rated in Mercer’s Quality of Living report
Number three: Geneva rose three places in the Mercer rankings from last year
Number four: Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is known for its vibrant culinary scene
Switzerland occupied four positions in the top 10, with Geneva coming in third – going up three places from last year – while Bern was in ninth place and Basel tenth.
For those looking to go further afield, the New Zealand city of Auckland, is in fifth place.
North America is represented in the upper rankings by Vancouver, which is joint seventh with Frankfurt due to its offering of a unique blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan living, according to Mercer.
The top Asian city for foreigners to move to is Singapore, ranked at number 20 – the only city on the continent to make the top 50.
In the Middle East, Dubai came out in 83rd position, followed closely by Abu Dhabi at number 85.
Port Louis in Mauritius maintained a similar position to last year at number 88 – the highest of any African city.
Meanwhile Uruguay’s capital Montevideo was the highest ranking South American country, coming in at 92nd place.
London climbed five places up the rankings to gain 40th position, while elsewhere in the UK Edinburgh and Glasgow were not far behind in 50th and 53rd position respectively.
| Best | Worst |
|---|---|
| 1. Zurich, Switzerland | 1. Khartoum, Sudan |
| 2. Vienna, Austria | 2. Baghdad, Iraq |
| 3. Geneva, Switzerland | 3. Bangui, Central African Republic |
| 4. Copenhagen, Denmark | 4. Sanaa, Yemen |
| 5. Auckland, New Zealand | 5. Port-Au-Prince, Haiti |
| 6. Amsterdam, Netherlands | 6. N’djamena, Chad |
| 7. Frankfurt, Germany | 7. Damascus, Syria |
| 7. Vancouver, Canada | 8. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo |
| 9. Bern, Switzerland | 9. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso |
| 10. Basel, Switzerland | 10. Tripoli, Libya |
Australian cities performed well, with Sydney ranking at number 12 ahead of Melbourne at 20 and Canberra at 29.
Boston was the highest-performing US city at number 32, while New York lagged behind at 45.
Los Angeles was the biggest climber from Mercer’s 2023 rankings, moving up by 26 places on the table to number 44.
The worst-ranked places include cities in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean – the majority of which are plagued by political turmoil or conflict.
Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, where a civil war has been raging since last year, was the lowest ranked.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
