What are the best cities in the world to move to?

What are the best cities in the world to move to? The 2023 ranking of the InterNations expatriate network allows us to see what expats think and what candidates for a big move should prepare for.

The ranking is based on various criteria, such as professional opportunities, availability and price of housing, quality of life and the environment, or contact with local populations.

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One amazing conclusion is that Spanish cities score the highest. The country occupies the top 3 and has 4 representatives in the top 10 cities.

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Number 1 in the ranking is Málaga, a city located on the southern Spanish coast in Andalusia.

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In the category 'quality of life', Málaga comes second, while it tops the ranking when it comes to 'climate' and interactions with the population. It is also in the top 10 for its natural environment.

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The beach town is also well-ranked for the cost of living and housing, the ease of accommodation, and the much sought-after balance between private and professional life.

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A little further up the Spanish coast, Alicante takes the second place in the ranking. Despite having an environment that InterNations considers 'unfavorable for creativity and independent work,' 92% of respondents said they were happy with their life in this city.

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Indeed, Alicante has a lot going for it. The city takes first place in the ranking for housing prices, social life, and the feeling of being welcome and at home.

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Number 3 in the world is also a Spanish city! Another coastal town, but more in the middle of the Mediterranean coast, Valencia ranks first on the criteria of 'quality of life' and 'opportunities to play sport.' People have mixed reactions about 'career prospects' though.

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Valencia has especially high quality when it comes to its health system. The Spanish metropolis is ranked first for 'the price of care' and third for 'availability of health care'.

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The top 5 is completed by two cities from the United Arab Emirates: Ras-el-Khaimah (4) and Abu Dhabi (5). The sunny climate and very high incomes in certain sectors have a lot to do with it!

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In addition to Madrid (6), the world's top 10 is completed by several Asian cities, such as Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia, 8), Bangkok (Thailand, 9) and Muscat (Oman, 10).

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Mexico City ranks seventh, while Nairobi and Luxembourg are surprisingly found in the top 20, with fifteenth and nineteenth place, respectively.

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Capitals of European cities score remarkably low, on the other hand. Paris is placed 41, London 42, and Berlin 45. The high cost of living and the difficulties of finding accommodation have a negative impact on the quality of life of expatriates in these cities.

North American cities are not that much better off in the ranking, with Toronto barely reaching 35, New York 39. and Vancouver 47.

Italy may be a wonderful country for holidays, but according to the survey, it's not so great for expats. Rome is in the penultimate spot of 48, despite its advantageous climate and the beauty of its heritage. Salaries and career prospects are low in the city and it's very difficult to integrate if you don't know the country's language.

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Another surprising, beautiful Italian city at the bottom of this list is number 49 for Milan. The northern Italian metropolis is criticized for insecurity, difficulties finding accommodation, and, as in Rome, finding good professional prospects and integrating without speaking Italian fluently.

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