Cities in Europe
- 2. Málaga, Spain
- 7. Prague, Czechia
- 9. Basel, Switzerland
- 10. Madrid, Spain
- 14. Vienna, Austria
- 18. Lisbon, Portugal
- 19. The Hague, Netherlands
- 20. Aachen, Germany
- 21. Lausanne, Switzerland
- 22. Tallinn, Estonia
- 23. Brussels, Belgium
- 26. Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- 28. Rotterdam, Netherlands
- 29. Barcelona, Spain
- 30. Copenhagen, Denmark
- 31. Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 32. Budapest, Hungary
- 34. Zurich, Switzerland
- 35. Munich, Germany
- 36. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- 37. Warsaw, Poland
- 38. London, United Kingdom
- 39. Berlin, Germany
- 40. Dusseldorf, Germany
- 42. Hamburg, Germany
- 43. Stockholm, Sweden
- 45. Dublin, Ireland
- 47. Geneva, Switzerland
- 49. Moscow, Russia
- 50. Maastricht, Netherlands
- 51. Paris, France
- 56. Milan, Italy
- 57. Rome, Italy
2. Málaga, Spain
Málaga comes 2nd out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021 — and even 1st in the Local Cost of Living Index: 86% of expats rate this factor positively (vs. 48% globally). It also does very well in the Finance & Housing Index (5th), far ahead of Madrid (25th) and Barcelona (38th). This is mainly due to the Housing Subcategory (3rd). Expats say that housing is both affordable (67% vs. 42% globally) and easy to find (70% vs. 60% globally).
Following right behind Kuala Lumpur (1st) and Mexico City (2nd), Málaga ranks 3rd in the Getting Settled Index and 1st in the Friends & Socializing Subcategory: 69% find it easy to make new friends (vs. 48% globally), and 78% are happy with their social life (vs. 57% globally). “The locals are friendly and cheerful people,” says an expat from the UK. Many expats describe the local population as friendly in general (86% vs. 69% globally) and towards foreign residents in particular (82% vs. 67% globally).
Coming 15th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, Málaga earns another top rank in the Leisure & Climate Subcategory. Not a single expat (0%) is unhappy with the weather (vs. 17% globally), and 86% rate the local leisure options favorably (vs. 72% globally). “Málaga has everything to offer for downtime,” says an Australian expat. However, expats are less happy with the transportation system (35th) and the urban environment (34th).
Lastly, Málaga lands among the bottom 10 worldwide in the Urban Work Life Index (51st). While it ranks in an average 32nd place in the Work-Life Balance Subcategory, it performs poorly in both the Job & Career (56th) and the Job Security (50th) Subcategories: 55% rate the local career opportunities negatively (vs. 33% globally), and 30% are unhappy with their job security (vs. 20% globally).
7. Prague, Czechia
Prague not only makes it into the global top 10 of the Expat City Ranking (7th) but also into the top 5 for two indices. It ranks 4th in the Urban Work Life Index, after Munich (1st), Aachen (2nd), and Dublin (3rd). Expats are particularly happy with the local career opportunities (60% vs. 45% globally), work-life balance (79% vs. 66% globally), and working hours (82% vs. 66% globally). The city also comes 5th in the Quality of Urban Living Index. “I enjoy the great opportunities for socializing, activities, and traveling, and personal growth,” states a female expat from Ukraine. In fact, 83% of expats rate the local leisure options favorably (vs. 72% globally), and 91% are happy with the transportation system (vs. 69% globally). Healthcare is not only easily available (87% vs. 76% globally) but also easy to afford (85% vs. 61% globally).
When it comes to housing, things look a little different: while it is easy to find for expats (73% vs. 60% globally), 43% find it hard to afford (vs. 39% globally). Despite this, Prague ranks 14th in the Finance & Housing Index, and nearly two-thirds (66%) are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally). It does even better in the Local Cost of Living Index (11th): 61% rate this factor positively (vs. 48% globally).
The Getting Settled Index (38th) shows some rather mixed results. Expats find the local residents generally unfriendly (32% vs. 16% globally), as well as unfriendly towards foreign residents (35% vs. 18% globally), ranking the city 53rd in the Local Friendliness Subcategory. “The culture can be a bit brusque,” says a female expat from Canada. However, 72% are happy with their social life (vs. 57% globally) and feel at home in Prague (vs. 65% globally).
9. Basel, Switzerland
Making it into the top 10 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Basel (9th out of 57) places the highest among the Swiss cities in the report. It even ranks 2nd in the Quality of Urban Living Index, including a 1st place in the Transportation Subcategory and a 3rd rank in the Safety & Politics Subcategory. All expats in Basel (100%) are satisfied with the public transportation system (vs. 69% globally) — 85% very much so (vs. 37% globally). An Australian expat notes: “The public transportation system is excellent — there is no need to own a car.” Nearly all expats (97%) also feel safe in Basel (vs. 84% globally), and 90% are happy with the political stability (vs. 64% globally).
The city also performs very well in the Urban Work Life Index (6th), particularly for the state of the local economy (1st) and the working hours (8th). No expat (0%) rates the state of Basel’s local economy negatively (vs. 19% globally), and 75% are happy with their working hours (vs. 66% globally).
Coming 23rd in the Finance & Housing Index, Basel ranks ahead of Zurich (37th), Lausanne (39th), and Geneva (53rd). It even places 5th in the Finance Subcategory. More than four in five expats (84%) find their disposable household income enough or more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally), and 77% are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally). Nevertheless, the city ranks 48th in the Local Cost of Living Index: 69% of expats in Basel are dissatisfied with the cost of living, more than double the global average (34%). The Getting Settled Index (39th) is another of Basel’s weak points. Expats especially struggle with getting used to the local culture: more than one in four respondents (26%) state that they find this difficult (vs. 18% globally).
10. Madrid, Spain
Ranking 10th out of 57 in the overall Expat City Ranking 2021, Madrid performs best in the Quality of Urban Living Index (7th). It lands among the top 10 in both the Leisure & Climate (4th) and the Health & Environment (5th) Subcategories: expats are very happy with the climate (92% vs. 66% globally) and the local leisure options (87% vs. 72% globally). “I like the good access to entertainment, cultural activities, and various food options,” says an expat from the UK. Expats also rate the affordability (86% vs. 61% globally) and availability (90% vs. 76% globally) of healthcare positively. They are happy with the quality of medical care (89% vs. 71% globally) as well.
Madrid ranks nearly as well in the Getting Settled Index (8th): 85% of expats find it easy to get used to the local culture (vs. 65% globally) — only expats in Mexico City (93%) find this even easier. More than four in five (81%) also feel at home in Madrid (vs. 65% globally), and 73% are happy with their social life (vs. 57% globally). It might help that expats describe the local population as both friendly in general (85% vs. 69% globally) and towards foreign residents in particular (79% vs. 67% globally). “The locals are quite friendly to foreigners, even when they struggle with the local language,” says a British expat.
While Madrid still does well in the Local Cost of Living (14th) and Finance & Housing (25th) Indices, it performs poorly in the Urban Work Life Index (44th). More than one in five expats in Madrid (22%) are unhappy with their job in general (vs. 16% globally). They are particularly dissatisfied with their working hours (25% vs. 16% globally), the state of the local economy (24% vs. 19% globally), and the local career opportunities (38% vs. 33% globally).
14. Vienna, Austria
Ranking 14th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Vienna is the only German-speaking city to make it into the global top 15. It is rated best in the Quality of Urban Living Index, with top results in the Transportation (3rd) and Health & Environment (1st) Subcategories. More than nine in ten expats (92%) are happy with the availability of healthcare (vs. 76% globally), and 88% find it affordable (vs. 61% globally). They are also satisfied with the quality of medical care (92% vs. 71% globally) and the urban environment (94% vs. 71% globally).
The city also does well in the Urban Work Life Index (12th), with expats there particularly happy with their work-life balance (74% vs. 66% globally) and working hours (76% vs. 66% globally). “I like that I have a good job with a great work-life balance and that it is fairly paid,” states a female expat from Russia. In fact, 69% of expats are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally), and 84% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover all expenses (vs. 77% globally). While slightly more than half (51%) also find housing affordable (vs. 42% globally), it can be a little hard to find. Just 54% of expats say it is easy (vs. 60% globally). Overall, Vienna ranks 15th in the Finance & Housing Index and even better in the Local Cost of Living Index (12th).
The Getting Settled Index (50th) is the city’s only sore point, and Vienna even comes last in the Local Friendliness Subcategory (57th). Expats describe the locals as generally unfriendly (43% vs. 16% globally), as well as unfriendly towards foreign residents (39% vs. 18% globally). This might be a reason why they find it hard to get used to the local culture (28% vs. 18% globally) and struggle to make new friends (44% vs. 32% globally).
18. Lisbon, Portugal
Out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Lisbon comes in 18th place. It performs best in the Getting Settled Index (7th) and ranks 1st worldwide for expats feeling at home (80% vs. 65% globally). Expats find it easy to get used to the local culture (84% vs. 65% globally) and describe the local people as generally friendly (80% vs. 69% globally). “Many people here are warm, good-natured, respectful, friendly, and welcoming,” says a US American expat. Indeed, expats find it easy to make friends (62% vs. 48% globally) and are happy with their social life (68% vs. 57% globally).
Lisbon also performs very well in the Quality of Urban Living Index (12th). Expats are particularly satisfied with the climate (87% vs. 66% globally) and leisure options (85% vs. 72% globally). “There is good food, great weather, and plenty to see and do,” says a British expat. They also feel safe (96% vs. 84% globally) and rate the urban environment positively (81% vs. 71% globally). While Lisbon ranks well in the Local Cost of Living Index (10th), it only lands in 28th place in the Finance & Housing Index: 26% are dissatisfied with their financial situation (vs. 19% globally), and 33% say that their disposable household income is not enough to cover their expenses (vs. 23% globally).
Lastly, Portugal’s capital ends up in the bottom 10 of the Urban Work Life Index (50th). Expats rate the state of the local economy (40% vs. 19% globally) and the job security (22% vs. 20% globally) negatively. They are also unhappy with the local career opportunities (49% vs. 33% globally) and their job in general (26% vs. 16% globally). In fact, Lisbon ranks among the bottom 10 for all factors of this index, except for work-life balance (18th).
19. The Hague, Netherlands
The Hague comes 19th out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, the highest rank among the Dutch cities included in this report. The city places 14th in the Urban Work Life Index, narrowly missing out on the top 10 in both the Job & Career (12th) and the Job Security (11th) Subcategories. Expats are happy with the local career opportunities (55% vs. 45% globally), the state of the local economy (84% vs. 62% globally), and their work-life balance (75% vs. 66% globally). “I like the balance between work and your private life, as well as the flexibility of working hours,” says a female expat from Italy.
Compared to the other Dutch cities, The Hague seems to be more affordable, placing 26th in the Local Cost of Living Index and 27th in the Finance & Housing Index. In fact, 71% are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally), and 85% say that their disposable household income is enough or even more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally). The Hague ranks 23rd in the Getting Settled Index, easily beating Amsterdam (30th), Rotterdam (33rd), and Maastricht (42nd). It even places 5th for the ease of living there without speaking the local language, something that 91% of expats in The Hague agree with (vs. 54% globally).
Lastly, the city lands in a mediocre 30th place in the Quality of Urban Living Index but performs very well in the Transportation Subcategory (9th). An Italian expat says that “the transportation system is excellent — you do not even need a car!”. However, similar to other Dutch cities, the local climate and weather drag down The Hague’s results, leading to a place among the bottom 10 for this factor (51st): 42% rate this factor negatively (vs. 17% globally).
20. Aachen, Germany
Ranking 20th out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Aachen does best out of the six German cities featured in the survey. It is also the only German city in the top 10 of the Local Cost of Living Index (4th): close to four in five expats (79%) rate this factor positively, compared to 48% globally. What is more, 91% state that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover all expenses (vs. 77% globally), and 70% are generally satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally). With a high share of expats that find housing in Aachen affordable (68% vs. 42% globally), the city ranks 11th worldwide in the Finance & Housing Index. However, while housing is affordable, 52% say it is hard to find as an expat in the first place (vs. 23% globally).
Aachen ranks even better in the Urban Work Life Index (2nd), where it is only beaten by Munich: Expats are particularly happy with their job security (81% vs. 61% globally) and their working hours (78% vs. 66% globally), and 85% are satisfied with their job in general (vs. 68% globally). “I like how much Germans value the balance between life and work,” shares a female expat from Spain.
While Aachen still ranks in a decent 31st place in the Quality of Urban Living Index, it only comes 46th in the Getting Settled Index. “It is difficult to make friends outside of work,” says a female expat from India. In fact, 27% of expats are unhappy with their social life in Aachen (vs. 25% globally), 16% even extremely so (vs. 8% globally). This might be why three in ten (30%) do not feel at home there, compared to 19% globally. Only expats in Stockholm (34%) and Dusseldorf (36%) feel even less at home in their respective city.
21. Lausanne, Switzerland
Out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Lausanne comes in 21st place. It ranks 8th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, performing best for political stability (7th) and the urban environment (6th). In fact, 90% of expats are satisfied with the former (vs. 64% globally), and 91% are happy with the latter (vs. 71% globally). “It is stunningly beautiful and topographically diverse, and every season is interesting in a different way,” says a US American expat. However, the city only lands in 31st place in the Health & Environment Subcategory. This is mainly due to the affordability of healthcare (54th), which 43% of expats rate negatively (vs. 21% globally).
With an above-average result in the Urban Work Life Index (21st), Lausanne scores especially high for the state of its local economy (8th): 88% are satisfied with this factor (vs. 62% globally). Interestingly, it seems to be much easier for expats to get settled in Lausanne than in other Swiss cities: Lausanne ranks 25th in the Getting Settled Index, followed by Basel (39th), Geneva (43rd), and Zurich (48th). For example, 47% find it easy to make friends in Lausanne — slightly less than the global average (48%) but a better result than in Basel (42%), Geneva (37%), and Zurich (25%).
Lausanne does a lot worse in the Local Cost of Living Index (51st): two-thirds of expats (67%) are dissatisfied with this aspect (vs. 34% globally). An Italian expat shares: “The food at supermarkets, restaurants, and cafés is insanely expensive.” Still, 72% of expats are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally). However, while this affords Lausanne a 10th place in the Finance Subcategory, a competitive housing market means it only lands on a below-average 39th place in the Finance & Housing Index.
22. Tallinn, Estonia
Coming 22nd out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Tallinn receives mixed results in the Quality of Urban Living Index (26th). On the one hand, it ranks 10th for personal safety. Nearly all respondents (97%) report being happy with this factor (vs. 84% globally). Additionally, 84% are satisfied with the urban environment (vs. 71% globally). “It is peaceful, clean, and safe,” a Mexican expat says. On the other hand, Tallinn performs poorly for local leisure options (43rd) and the availability of healthcare (42nd).
The city places slightly below the global average in the Getting Settled Index (32nd), faring especially poorly in the Local Friendliness Subcategory (40th). In fact, less than half the expats (47%) find the local residents generally friendly (vs. 69% globally). “People here are not welcoming and quite closed off,” shares a Ukrainian expat. Consequently, 36% find it hard to make new friends (vs. 32% globally).
Tallinn performs a lot better in the Finance & Housing Index (18th). Expats describe housing as affordable (50% vs. 42% globally) and quite easy to find (60% vs. 60% globally). “My partner and I were even able to purchase a flat here, which was a rather easy process,” a Lithuanian expat explains. Lastly, Tallinn ranks above the global average in the Local Cost of Living (16th) and Urban Work Life (18th) Indices. The city even makes it into the top 5 for working hours (4th): 73% of survey respondents are satisfied with this factor (vs. 66% globally). They are also happy with the job security (72% vs. 61% globally) and local career opportunities (55% vs. 45% globally).
23. Brussels, Belgium
Ranking 23rd out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Brussels performs worst in the Quality of Urban Living Index (46th). It ranks among the bottom 10 for the local climate and weather (55th) and for personal safety (50th). In fact, close to one in five expats (19%) do not feel safe in Brussels, compared to 8% globally.
Brussels also has a rather mediocre result in the Local Cost of Living Index (33rd): 40% are unhappy with the local expenses (vs. 34% globally). However, it performs considerably better in all other indices. When it comes to the Finance & Housing Index (17th), 66% of expats in Brussels are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally), and 81% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover all expenses (vs. 77% globally). However, while 66% report that it is easy to find housing as an expat (vs. 60% globally), 43% find it unaffordable, which is more than the global average (39%).
Ranking 19th in the Urban Work Life Index, Brussels even makes it into the top 5 for job security (2nd) and overall job satisfaction (5th). More than half (54%) are also happy with the local career opportunities (vs. 45% globally), while just 62% rate the state of the local economy positively, the same as the global average (62%). Lastly, Brussels also ranks 19th in the Getting Settled Index. Expats describe the locals as generally friendly towards foreign residents (72% vs. 67% globally) and find it easy to make new friends (57% vs. 48% globally). A female expat from Germany mentions “the friendliness and manners of the Belgian people” as one of the things she likes best about life in Brussels.
26. Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Frankfurt am Main ranks 26th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021. Like most of the six German cities featured in the survey, it lands among the global top 10 in the Urban Work Life Index (8th). Expats appreciate their job security (79% vs. 61% globally) and local career opportunities (71% vs. 45% globally). “Frankfurt is very international and has a lot of job opportunities,” says a male expat from Sweden. But they seem to come at a price — more than one in five are unhappy with their work-life balance (22% vs. 17% globally) and working hours (21% vs. 16% globally). Expats in Frankfurt work an average of 42.6 hours per week (full-time and part-time jobs combined), considerably longer than the global average (39.9 hours) and the longest of all six German cities.
Other than its great results in terms of working life, Frankfurt is a fairly average city according to expats: they rank it 25th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, followed by the Local Cost of Living Index (32nd), the Getting Settled Index (34th), and the Finance & Housing Index (35th). So, even Frankfurt’s worst index ranking is still not bad: more than three-quarters (76%) rate their financial situation positively (vs. 64% globally), and 84% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover all expenses (vs. 77% globally). In fact, 29% of expats in Frankfurt have a yearly income of 100,000 USD or more (vs. 20% globally), the highest share among the six German cities.
However, Frankfurt’s performance in the Finance & Housing Index is affected by the housing situation: 40% find it hard to find housing (vs. 23% globally), and 62% say it is unaffordable (vs. 39% globally).
28. Rotterdam, Netherlands
Rotterdam ranks 28th out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, with rather mixed results in the Getting Settled Index (33rd). The majority of expats (84%) finds it easy to live in Rotterdam without speaking the local language (vs. 54% globally). However, 46% find it hard to make new friends (vs. 32% globally), and 38% are unhappy with their social life (vs. 25% globally). “Everyone speaks English, which makes it easy to adjust,” says a Belgian expat, while a US American expat shares that she is “struggling to make new friends and have a healthy social life”. Therefore, the city ends up in the bottom 10 of the Friends & Socializing Subcategory (51st).
While the results in the Quality of Urban Living Index (24th) are also mixed, Rotterdam is the best ranking out of the Dutch cities here. On the one hand, it comes 6th in the Transportation Subcategory since nearly all expats (98%) are happy with the public transportation system (vs. 69% globally). On the other hand, the local climate and weather are particular lowlights for expats in Rotterdam, just like in the other Dutch cities: only 32% of expats are satisfied with this factor, compared to 66% globally.
Lastly, Rotterdam has an average performance in the Local Cost of Living (29th) and Finance & Housing (34th) Indices but gets good results in the Urban Work Life Index (17th). The city ranks 9th in the Job Security Subcategory: 93% of expats are content with the state of the local economy (vs. 62% globally), and 67% are satisfied with their job security (vs. 61% globally).
29. Barcelona, Spain
With a mediocre 29th place out of 57, Barcelona is the only Spanish city in the Expat City Ranking 2021 that does not rank among the top 10. It performs best in the Getting Settled Index (14th). Nearly three-quarters of expats (73%) feel at home in Barcelona, eight percentage points more than the global average (65%). “I love the culture of enjoying life,” says an Italian expat. In fact, another 73% find it easy to get used to the local culture (vs. 65% globally), and 67% are happy with their social life (vs. 57% globally).
While the city also does well in the Quality of Urban Living Index (18th), it gets some mixed results. Barcelona comes 2nd worldwide in the Leisure & Climate Subcategory, beaten only by Málaga (1st). The majority of expats is satisfied with the leisure options (89% vs. 72% globally), as well as the climate and weather (94% vs. 66% globally). However, the city ends up in the bottom 10 of the Safety & Politics Subcategory (50th), since 13% of expats do not feel safe in Barcelona (vs. 8% globally). A Polish expat notes that she “has not felt very safe or secure in the last few years”.
When it comes to finance, Barcelona is the worst Spanish city in the report: it ranks 22nd in the Local Cost of Living Index, while Madrid ranks 14th and Málaga even 1st. And it places 38th in the Finance & Housing Index, far behind Madrid (25th) and Málaga (5th). Barcelona even lands among the bottom 10 worldwide in the Finance Subcategory (48th): 30% are unhappy with their financial situation (vs. 19% globally). Barcelona also has a below-average performance in the Urban Work Life Index (45th): 39% of expats are dissatisfied with the local career opportunities (vs. 33% globally), and 20% rate their working hours negatively (vs. 16% globally).
30. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen ranks 30th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, landing in the top 10 for two indices — but in the bottom 10 for another one. It performs best in the Urban Work Life Index (7th), placing 1st in the Work-Life Balance Subcategory. Most expats in Copenhagen (88%) are satisfied with their working hours (vs. 66% globally), and 82% are happy with their work-life balance (vs. 66% globally). The city also does well in the Quality of Urban Living Index (9th). It even comes 1st for the affordability of healthcare: 86% rate it positively (vs. 61% globally). The vast majority is also happy with the public transportation system (99% vs. 69% globally) and the urban environment (85% vs. 71% globally). However, 49% rate the local climate and weather negatively (vs. 17% globally).
However, Copenhagen lands in the bottom 10 of the Getting Settled Index (54th), as well as in the Local Friendliness (54th), Feeling Welcome (53rd), and Friends & Socializing (56th) Subcategories — only Stockholm (57th) does worse in the latter. Expats find it difficult to make new friends (63% vs. 32% globally) and are unhappy with their social life (37% vs. 25% globally). “It is extremely difficult to make friends or build relationships,” a British expat explains. It might not help that 41% of expats describe the local population as generally unfriendly towards foreign residents (vs. 18% globally).
The Danish capital does not fare much better in the Local Cost of Living (45th) and Finance & Housing (42nd) Indices. It ranks among the bottom 10 in the Housing Subcategory (49th): 47% of expats state it is difficult to find housing (vs. 23% globally). A British expat says: “I have been searching for a reasonably-priced rental for two-and-a-half years without any luck.”
31. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ranking 31st out of 57 destinations in the overall Expat City Ranking 2021, Amsterdam is the best-rated Dutch city in the Urban Work Life Index (9th). Expats are particularly satisfied with their work-life balance (80% vs. 66% globally), their working hours (81% vs. 66% globally), and the local career opportunities (66% vs. 45% globally). An Indian expat highlights the “healthy work environment” as one of the things he enjoys most about life abroad in Amsterdam.
The city has a fairly average performance in the Getting Settled (30th) and the Quality of Urban Living (34th) Indices. Regarding the latter, it even ranks among the bottom 10 of the Leisure & Climate Subcategory (50th): while expats are satisfied with the local leisure options (81% vs. 72% globally), they are unhappy with the climate and weather (52% vs. 17% globally). A similar contrast can be found in the Health & Environment Subcategory (40th): expats appreciate the urban environment (88% vs. 71% globally) but rate the quality of medical care negatively (34% vs. 14% globally). A Lithuanian expat living in Amsterdam says: “The quality of healthcare scares me. Most of the time I prefer to do my health check-ups in my home country instead.”
Lastly, Amsterdam performs poorly in the Finance & Housing Index (44th). It even ranks 50th in the Housing Subcategory: only 11% of expats are satisfied with the affordability of housing options, 31 percentage points less than the global average (42%). Moreover, the city ranks 41st in the Local Cost of Living Index since 62% are dissatisfied with the general cost of living in Amsterdam (vs. 34% globally).
32. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest ranks 32nd out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021 but lands in the top 10 of the Local Cost of Living (6th) and Finance & Housing (9th) Indices. Over two in three expats (68%) are satisfied with the cost of living in Budapest (vs. 48% globally), and 80% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally). Housing is not just affordable (57% vs. 42% globally) but also easy to find (70% vs. 60% globally).
While Budapest lands in an average 35th place in the Quality of Urban Living Index, it only ranks 51st in the Health & Environment Subcategory. “Healthcare services are weak, and emergency healthcare is especially poor,” notes a British expat. In fact, 35% are unhappy with the quality of medical care (vs. 14% globally), and 21% rate the availability of healthcare negatively (vs. 11% globally). The city also receives below-average results in the Urban Work Life Index (39th), where expats are particularly unhappy with the state of the local economy (32% vs. 19% globally). On the other hand, job security (65% vs. 61% globally) and local career opportunities (50% vs. 45% globally) are rated positively. Overall, 73% are satisfied with their job in general, compared to 68% globally.
However, Budapest performs poorly in the Getting Settled Index (45th), and expats consider Hungarian the hardest local language to learn. Close to nine in ten (86%) find this difficult (vs. 42% globally), 56% even very much so (vs. 16% globally). “It is a language that takes years to be able to speak at an elementary level,” shares a Venezuelan expat. Despite this, expats find it easy to make new friends (51% vs. 48% globally) and feel quite at home in Budapest (66% vs. 65% globally).
34. Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich (34th out of 57) has rather mixed results in the Expat City Ranking 2021. It comes 48th in the Getting Settled Index, the lowest ranking out of the four Swiss cities in the report. It ends up in the bottom 10 in the Local Friendliness (51st), Feeling Welcome (51st), and Friends & Socializing (55th) Subcategories. Just 25% of expats in Zurich find it easy to make new friends (vs. 48% globally), while 37% are unhappy with their social life (vs. 25% globally). They describe the locals as unfriendly towards foreign residents (39% vs. 18% globally) and find it hard to get used to the local culture (27% vs. 18% globally).
Like all Swiss cities, Zurich ranks among the bottom 10 in the Local Cost of Living Index (49th): 69% of expats rate this aspect negatively (vs. 34% globally). Still, 68% are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally), and 85% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover expenses (vs. 77% globally). However, with housing being unaffordable (58% vs. 39% globally) and hard to find (45% vs. 23% globally), Zurich only ranks 37th in the Finance & Housing Index.
The city performs best in the Quality of Urban Living Index (6th), ranking 5th in both the Safety & Politics and the Transportation Subcategories. The majority of expats is satisfied with the public transportation system (96% vs. 69% globally), political stability (89% vs. 64% globally), and personal safety (94% vs. 84% globally). “It is very safe for a lone woman,” notes a female expat from Finland. Another 86% are happy with the urban environment (vs. 71% globally). A Cuban expat says that “the proximity to forests, as well as the lack of billboards and highways within the city” are some of the aspects he likes best about Zurich.
35. Munich, Germany
Ranking 35th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Munich makes it into both the top and the bottom 10 in different indices.
It is voted the best city worldwide in the Urban Work Life Index (1st). Expats are particularly happy with their job security (76% vs. 61% globally), local career opportunities (72% vs. 45% globally), and the state of the economy (94% vs. 62% globally). Close to four in five are also satisfied with their working hours (79% vs. 66% globally) and work-life balance (78% vs. 66% globally). The latter might be influenced by the high quality of life: Munich ranks 4th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, the only German city in the global top 20. The urban environment plays a major role here — 94% rate it positively (vs. 71% globally). Other contributing factors are the availability of healthcare (90% vs. 76% globally), personal safety (96% vs. 84% globally), and local leisure options (85% vs. 72% globally). A female expat from the US sums it up: “I like the great balance between city and nature, between working and enjoying your life.”
On the downside, Munich ranks 56th in the Finance & Housing Index, only ahead of Dublin, and even last in the Housing Subcategory (57th). “Apartment rental prices are ridiculously high for the quality you are getting,” shares a female expat from the Philippines. In fact, 83% find housing unaffordable (vs. 39% globally), and 72% say it is hard to find (vs. 23% globally). Lastly, expats in Munich struggle to settle in, ranking it 51st in the Getting Settled Index. They find it hard to get used to the local culture (25% vs. 18% globally) and to make new friends (48% vs. 32% globally). Just 44% are happy with their social life (vs. 57% globally).
36. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Luxembourg City comes below the global average in the Expat City Ranking 2021 (36th out of 57), with particularly poor results for costs and finances. More than three in five expats (62%) find the local cost of living too high (vs. 34% globally), ranking the city 52nd in the Local Cost of Living Index. The city ranks the same in the Finance & Housing Index (52nd), even coming 53rd in the Housing Subcategory. Expats describe housing as unaffordable (83% vs. 39% globally) and hard to find (47% vs. 23% globally). A French expat says that “the housing costs for both renting and buying are a nightmare”.
The city receives mixed results in the Urban Work Life Index (24th). It ranks 2nd out of 57 in the Job Security Subcategory, placing just behind Munich (1st). Expats are satisfied with the state of the local economy (90% vs. 62% globally) and their job security (69% vs. 61% globally). However, Luxembourg City ends up in the bottom 10 of the Work-Life Balance Subcategory (48th): 22% of expats are unhappy with their working hours (vs. 16% globally), and just over half (56%) are satisfied with their work-life balance (vs. 66% globally).
The Quality of Urban Living Index (20th) is where the city performs best, but even here, it places second to last in the Leisure & Climate Subcategory (56th). Only Riyadh (57th) does worse. Expats are unhappy with the climate and weather (44% vs. 17% globally) and the local leisure options (17% vs. 14% globally). “The small size of Luxembourg makes social and cultural activities very limited,” shares a British expat. However, expats are satisfied with the public transportation system (94% vs. 69% globally), the political stability (90% vs. 64% globally), and the affordability of healthcare (74% vs. 61% globally).
37. Warsaw, Poland
Ranking 37th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Warsaw makes it into both the top and the bottom 10 worldwide in different indices. The city performs worst in the Getting Settled Index (49th), with particularly poor results for Local Friendliness (49th) and Local Language (50th): three in four expats (75%) have difficulties learning the local language (vs. 42% globally), and 36% describe the people in Warsaw as generally unfriendly towards foreign residents (vs. 18% globally). “People seem cold, and it is difficult to socialize and make friends,” shares a Portuguese expat. Maybe this why only 46% of expats feel at home in Warsaw (vs. 65% globally).
Warsaw performs poorly in the Quality of Urban Living Index (42nd) as well, even ending up in the bottom 10 of the Health & Environment Subcategory (48th). Expats are unhappy with the quality of medical care (26% vs. 14% globally) and its availability (15% vs. 11% globally). “I do not like the quality of public healthcare, which is why I have private medical insurance,” shares a Ukrainian expat. What is more, 39% worry about the political stability (vs. 16% globally). Results are also below the global average in the Urban Work Life Index (36th). While expats are dissatisfied with their job in general (51st), job security (10th) seems to be high: 69% rate this factor positively (vs. 61% globally), and another 55% are happy with the local career opportunities (vs. 45% globally).
On the upside, Warsaw performs very well in both the Finance & Housing and the Local Cost of Living Indices (8th for both). A German expat even says that the “affordable standard of living” is one of her favorite aspects of life in Warsaw. In fact, 69% of expats rate the local cost of living positively (vs. 48% globally).
38. London, United Kingdom
London ranks 38th out of 57 destinations in the Expat City Ranking 2021. The UK capital performs worst in the Local Cost of Living Index (50th), with 70% of expats rating this factor negatively (vs. 34% globally). “It is too expensive to live here,” says an Italian expat. This is also reflected in the Finance & Housing Index (46th): 28% of expats are dissatisfied with their financial situation (vs. 19% globally), and 78% find housing unaffordable (vs. 39% globally). “I am not able to afford living alone and cannot even dream of owning property,” shares a Polish expat. In fact, 33% say that their disposable household income is not enough to cover their expenses (vs. 23% globally).
The city gets rather mediocre results in the Quality of Urban Living Index (38th), placing second to last for the local climate and weather (56th) — only ahead of Amsterdam (57th). A Brazilian expat says: “I miss the sun as much as I miss my family!” What’s more, just 75% feel safe in London, which is below the global average of 84%. On the bright side, 80% rate the local leisure options positively (vs. 72% globally). London ranks a lot better in the Urban Work Life Index (23rd), even ranking 3rd out of 57 for the local career opportunities. “I believe there are amazing opportunities for work here,” says an Austrian expat. Nearly three-quarters (72%) are happy with the career opportunities in London (vs. 45% globally); only those in New York (2nd) and Dublin (1st) rate this factor better. However, this seems to come at a cost — 22% rate their work-life balance negatively (vs. 17% globally).
London performs best in the Getting Settled Index (22nd): expats find it easy to get used to the local culture (72% vs. 65% globally), and 68% feel at home there (vs. 65% globally).
39. Berlin, Germany
Berlin lands in a mediocre 39th place out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021. In the Urban Work Life Index, it does worst out of the six German cities featured in the survey, but it still lands in a good 20th place. It even comes 10th for the local career opportunities. Close to two in three expats (64%) rate the latter positively (vs. 45% globally). They are also happy with their work-life balance (72% vs. 66% globally) and working hours (70% vs. 66% globally): with an average of 38.3 hours (full-time and part-time jobs combined), expats in Berlin have the shortest working week of the German cities and a shorter one than the global average (39.9 hours).
Their income still seems to be enough for life in Berlin: 84% state that their household income is enough or more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally). It probably helps that Berlin ranks 13th worldwide in the Local Cost of Living Index: more than three in five (63%) rate this factor positively (vs. 48% globally). However, housing is an issue: 44% find it unaffordable (vs. 39% globally), and 63% say it is hard to find (vs. 23% globally). Berlin ranks 55th for the ease of finding housing as an expat, only ahead of Stockholm (56th) and Munich (57th). Overall, it places 40th in the Finance & Housing Index.
Similar to most other German cities, Berlin’s sore spot is the Getting Settled Index (47th): 31% find the local residents generally unfriendly (vs. 16% globally). Only in Paris (55th), Vienna (56th), and Stockholm (57th) are they perceived as less friendly. It is hardly a surprise that 45% of expats in Berlin find it hard to make new friends (vs. 32% globally) and just 56% feel at home there (vs. 65% globally).
40. Dusseldorf, Germany
Ranking 40th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Dusseldorf follows right behind Berlin (39th). While expats struggle to get settled in all German cities featured in the ranking, they find it hardest in Dusseldorf. It ranks 56th in the Getting Settled Index, only ahead of Tokyo, and is voted worst worldwide in the Feeling Welcome Subcategory (57th). Close to two in five (36%) do not feel at home there (vs. 19% globally), 37% find it hard to get used to the local culture (vs. 18% globally), and 40% are unhappy with their social life (vs. 25% globally). “Everyone seems to be primarily focused on themselves. This is a stark contrast to my experience in Canada,” says a male Canadian expat. In fact, 51% each find it hard to make new friends (vs. 32% globally) and are mainly friends with other expats (vs. 32% globally). Just 36% describe their social circle as a fairly mixed group of expats and local residents, which is the smallest share in Germany and considerably lower than the global average (48%).
Housing is another sore point in Dusseldorf. More than half the expats say it is unaffordable (51% vs. 39% globally) and hard to find (52% vs. 23% globally). However, Dusseldorf still lands in an average 33rd place in the Finance & Housing Index since it ranks 9th in the Finance Subcategory. More than seven in ten (72%) are happy with their financial situation (vs. 64% globally), and 86% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally).
On the bright side, Dusseldorf ranks 15th in the Urban Work Life Index. Expats are particularly happy with their job security (75% vs. 61% globally) and the local career opportunities (60% vs. 45% globally).
42. Hamburg, Germany
Out of the six German cities featured in the survey, Hamburg (42nd out of 57) does worst in the Expat City Ranking 2021. Still, it ranks 5th worldwide in the Urban Work Life Index. Expats are happy with their job security (76% vs. 61% globally), the state of the economy (89% vs. 62% globally), and their work-life balance (77% vs. 66% globally). “Work-life balance and job security in Germany are really unparalleled,” a male expat from Egypt believes. Among the German cities, Hamburg also has the highest share of expats working full time (78%) and the second-highest share of expats with a yearly income of 100,000 USD or more (28%). This is just one percentage point less than in Frankfurt (29%) but eight more than the global average (20%).
Despite this, just 63% of expats are happy with their financial situation, about the same as the global average (64%). Housing is also a bit of an issue: 68% find it hard to afford (vs. 39% globally), and 55% say it is hard to find (vs. 23% globally). This lands Hamburg in a low 49th place in the Finance & Housing Index.
The city ranks a lot better in the Quality of Urban Living Index (29th). Expats feel safe (99% vs. 84% globally) and like the urban environment (82% vs. 71% globally), but the local climate takes its toll. More than half (51%) are unhappy with the weather (vs. 17% globally). Regarding the Getting Settled Index (52nd), expats find it hard to make new friends (45% vs. 32% globally) — 21% very much so (vs. 11% globally). “It takes a long time before Germans become social and open,” says a female expat from Belgium. In fact, 30% are unhappy with their social life (vs. 25% globally), and 24% do not feel at home in Hamburg (vs. 19% globally).
43. Stockholm, Sweden
In the Expat City Ranking 2021, Stockholm ranks 43rd out of 57, performing especially poorly in the Getting Settled Index (53rd). It ends up among the bottom 5 in the Local Friendliness (55th), Feeling Welcome (56th), and Friends & Socializing (57th) Subcategories. Expats do not find the local residents either friendly in general (46% vs. 16% globally) or friendly towards foreign residents specifically (34% vs. 18% globally). “People here seem suspicious of foreign residents, as if they do not know how to relate to them,” shares a South African expat. Just 46% of expats feel at home in Stockholm (vs. 65% globally), while another 63% have trouble making friends (vs. 32% globally).
Stockholm’s results in the Finance & Housing Index (50th) are not much better. It ranks 56th for the ease of finding housing, only ahead of Munich (57th). In fact, 62% find this difficult (vs. 23% globally), and 65% say that housing is unaffordable (vs. 39% globally).
On the upside, Stockholm performs well in the Urban Work Life Index (16th), ranking 4th in the Work-Life Balance Subcategory: 77% are satisfied with their work-life balance (vs. 66% globally), and 75% rate their working hours positively (vs. 66% globally). A German expat even cites “the cultural attitude towards work-life balance” as one of her favorite things about Stockholm. Expats are also satisfied with the job security (80% vs. 61% globally) and local career opportunities (57% vs. 45% globally). Lastly, Stockholm ranks 17th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, even coming 1st for its urban environment: 93% of expats rate this factor positively (vs. 71% globally). They are also happy with the public transportation system (96% vs. 69% globally), and 79% find healthcare affordable (vs. 61% globally).
45. Dublin, Ireland
Out of 57 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Dublin comes in a low 45th place. It ranks last in the Finance & Housing Index (57th) and second to last in the Housing Subcategory (56th), only ahead of Munich (57th). Expats find housing in Dublin neither affordable (79% vs. 39% globally) nor easy to find (62% vs. 23% globally). “The housing crisis is a real problem; the rent is simply too high,” a Dutch expat explains. Close to four in five (79%) also rate the local cost of living negatively (vs. 34% globally), with Dublin landing in 55th place in the Local Cost of Living Index.
The Irish capital does not fare much better in the Quality of Urban Living Index (54th), where it ranks last worldwide for both the availability and the quality of healthcare. More than one-third (34%) find the quality poor (vs. 14% globally), and 14% even say that it is not good at all (vs. 3% globally). Expats also rate public transportation negatively (37% vs. 20% globally), and nearly three times the global average are unhappy with the climate and weather (45% vs. 17% globally).
Dublin does considerably better in the Getting Settled Index (13th). Close to nine in ten (86%) describe the local residents as generally friendly (vs. 69% globally), and 77% find it easy to get used to the local culture (vs. 65% globally). “Ireland’s best asset is the Irish people themselves,” shares a US American expat. “They are kind, friendly, and open.” Maybe this is why 55% also find it easy to make new friends (vs. 48% globally). In the end, Dublin performs best in the Urban Work Life Index (3rd), even coming 1st for both local career opportunities (79% happy vs. 45% globally) and job security (84% vs. 61% globally). Expats are also satisfied with their work-life balance (75% vs. 66% globally).
47. Geneva, Switzerland
Narrowly avoiding the bottom 10, Geneva comes 47th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021. It has the worst results among the Swiss cities included in the report and is the only one that does not rank in the global top 10 of the Quality of Urban Living Index (21st). Similar to the other Swiss cities, Geneva ranks among the top 10 for political stability (1st) and in the bottom 10 for the affordability of healthcare (56th). However, it lags behind for all other factors in this index, with expats particularly unsatisfied with the local leisure options (23% vs. 14% globally).
Interestingly, the comparably low quality of life does not make Geneva any easier to afford: on the contrary, it is the worst-ranking city worldwide in the Local Cost of Living Index (57th) and by far the worst-rated Swiss city in the Finance & Housing Index (53rd). While Geneva comes 26th in the Finance Subcategory, it ranks 55th in the Housing Subcategory, only ahead of Dublin (56th) and Munich (57th). Expats find housing in Geneva unaffordable (87% vs. 39% globally) and hard to find (63% vs. 23% globally).
Geneva has a fairly average performance in the Urban Work Life Index (28th) — actually, 79% are happy with their job in general (vs. 68% globally) — but receives worse results in the Getting Settled Index (43rd). It ends up in the bottom 10 of the Feeling Welcome (52nd), Local Friendliness (50th), and Friends & Socializing (48th) Subcategories. “It is certainly not easy to integrate into the local culture and community,” says a Malaysian expat. In fact, 35% find the locals generally unfriendly (vs. 16% globally). Maybe this is also why they find it hard to get used to the local culture (32% vs. 18% globally) and do not feel at home (33% vs. 19% globally).
49. Moscow, Russia
Moscow (49th out of 57) lands in the bottom 10 of the Expat City Ranking 2021. The Urban Work Life Index (48th) is the city‘s sore spot, especially in the Work-Life Balance Subcategory (50th): 27% of expats are unhappy with their work-life balance (vs. 17% globally), and 22% are dissatisfied with their working hours (vs. 16% globally). What is more, only 34% are happy with the state of the local economy (vs. 62% globally). And according to 41% of expats, Moscow could also offer better career opportunities (vs. 33% globally). “It is difficult to get a job without having local citizenship,” says a Danish expat.
Moscow also lands in a low 41st place in the Getting Settled Index. Expats find it hard to learn the local language (60% vs. 42% globally), which is an issue since just 25% find it easy to live in Moscow without speaking it (vs. 54% globally). More than a quarter (27%) perceive the local residents as generally unfriendly (vs. 16% globally), and 23% do not feel at home in Moscow (vs. 19% globally). Still, 57% find it easy to make new friends (vs. 48% globally), and 63% are happy with their social life (57% globally).
The city receives mediocre results in the Quality of Urban Living (37th) and the Finance & Housing (31st) Indices. About three in ten expats are unhappy with their financial situation (29% vs. 19% globally) and say that their disposable household income is not enough to cover expenses (32% vs. 23% globally). Moscow performs best in the Local Cost of Living Index (21st). Still, just 36% of expats rate the local cost of living positively, compared to a global average of 48%.
50. Maastricht, Netherlands
Ranking the lowest among the Dutch cities included in the report, Maastricht (50th out of 57) ends up in the bottom 10 worldwide. It performs worst in the Getting Settled Index (42nd), where it places in the bottom 10 of the Friends & Socializing Subcategory (50th). Expats find it hard to make new friends (45% vs. 32% globally) and are unhappy with their social life (36% vs. 25% globally). “It is almost impossible to meet and befriend locals. They are not looking to make friends with you as they already have their own groups,” explains a US American expat. It probably does not help that close to three in ten expats (28%) perceive the locals as generally unfriendly (vs. 16% globally).
In the Urban Work Life Index, Maastricht (41st) shows a much poorer performance than Amsterdam (9th), The Hague (14th), and Rotterdam (17th). It even ranks 50th for local career opportunities: 45% of expats are not satisfied with this factor (vs. 33% globally). Exactly one in five (20%) is unhappy with their job in general (vs. 16% globally). The city also ranks 41st in the Finance & Housing Index, mainly due to the housing situation: half the expats (50%) say it is hard to find housing (vs. 23% globally), and 57% find it unaffordable (vs. 39% globally).
The results in the Quality of Urban Living Index (39th) are not much better. Maastricht ranks among the worst cities worldwide in the Health & Environment Subcategory (49th). In fact, it ends up in the bottom 10 for every healthcare-related factor: availability of healthcare (51st), affordable healthcare (48th), and quality of medical care (54th). Moreover, it does rather poorly in the Leisure & Climate Subcategory (54th): 32% are unhappy with the local leisure options in Maastricht (vs. 14% globally).
51. Paris, France
Ranking 51st out of 57, Paris is among the worst-rated cities in the Expat City Ranking 2021. It places 55th in the Getting Settled Index, only ahead of Dusseldorf and Tokyo. Expats describe the Parisians as the unfriendliest locals towards foreign residents worldwide. Exactly two in five (40%) describe them as unfriendly (vs. 18% globally), and 53% find it hard to make new friends (vs. 32% globally). The city does not perform much better in the Finance & Housing Index (51st): housing is hard to find (59% vs. 23% globally) and to afford (77% vs. 39% globally). Despite this, 79% say that their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to cover their expenses (vs. 77% globally). Another 60% are satisfied with their financial situation, just slightly less than the global average of 64%.
While Paris lands in an average 33rd place in the Quality of Urban Living Index, two factors affect its performance: one in five expats (20%) does not feel safe in Paris (vs. 8% globally), ranking it just ahead of Mexico City (55th), Cape Town (56th), and Johannesburg (57th). Additionally, Paris comes 49th for its urban environment, with 23% of expats rating this factor negatively (vs. 16% globally). On the other hand, the city makes it into the top 10 for two factors. It ranks 2nd for affordable healthcare (85% happy vs. 61% globally) and 8th for the local leisure options (86% happy vs. 72% globally).
Lastly, it performs quite well in the Urban Work Life Index (22nd), even ranking 4th for job security. Close to four in five expats (79%) rate the latter positively (vs. 61% globally). About three in five (59%) are also satisfied with the local career opportunities (vs. 45% globally), and 71% are happy with their job in general (vs. 68% globally).
56. Milan, Italy
Coming 56th out of 57 in the Expat City Ranking 2021, Milan performs poorly in each and every index. The city lands in 55th place in the Urban Work Life Index and among the bottom 10 for all factors in this index. Nearly half the expats (47%) rate the local career opportunities negatively (vs. 33% globally), and 38% are unhappy with the state of the local economy (vs. 19% globally). What is more, they are unsatisfied with their work-life balance (22% vs. 17% globally) and working hours (25% vs. 16% globally). Interestingly enough, though, the average weekly working hours (full-time and part-time jobs combined) in Milan are actually shorter than the global average (38.1 vs. 39.9 hours).
Milan also ranks 55th in the Finance & Housing Index, coming last worldwide in the Finance Subcategory (57th). Close to one-third (32%) are unhappy with their financial situation (vs. 19% globally), and 39% say that their disposable household income is not enough to cover expenses (vs. 23% globally). What is more, housing is considered both unaffordable (68% vs. 39% globally) and hard to find (45% vs. 23% globally).
The city does just slightly better in the Local Cost of Living (46th) and Quality of Urban Living (47th) Indices. Regarding the latter, expats are particularly unhappy with the urban environment (23% vs. 16% globally), and 14% worry about their personal safety (vs. 8% globally). On the bright side, the city ranks 32nd for the local leisure options, which are rated positively by 76% (vs. 72% globally).
Lastly, Milan ranks best in the Getting Settled Index (44th). Even so, 27% describe the locals as generally unfriendly (vs. 16% globally), and 30% do not feel at home there (vs. 19% globally).
57. Rome, Italy
Rome is rated the worst city (57th out of 57) in the overall Expat City Ranking 2021, as well as in the Urban Work Life Index (57th). It also lands among the bottom3 in all of this index’s subcategories: Job & Career (57th), Job Security (55th), and Work-Life Balance (55th). A male expat from the UK sums it up: “The economy is terrible, and salaries are low.” Expats are unhappy with the career opportunities (60% vs. 33% globally), job security (45% vs. 20% globally), and working hours (27% vs. 16% globally).
The city ranks 55th in the Quality of Urban Living Index, only ahead of Cairo (56th) and Johannesburg (57th). The local climate and weather, rated positively by 86% of expats (vs. 66% globally), is the only highlight. Expats are unhappy with the transportation system (47% vs. 20% globally) and the political stability (34% vs. 16% globally), as well as the availability (16% vs. 11% globally) and quality (20% vs. 14% globally) of medical care.
Rome only does slightly better in the Finance & Housing Index (45th): 32% are unhappy with their financial situation (vs. 19% globally), and 41% say that their disposable household income is not enough to cover expenses (vs. 23% globally). Moreover, housing is neither affordable (47% vs. 39% globally) nor easy to find (33% vs. 23% globally). At least, 43% rate the local cost of living positively (vs. 48% globally), which is still good enough for the city to rank 20th in the Local Cost of Living Index — far ahead of Milan (46th).
Lastly, Rome comes 40th in the Getting Settled Index. While 66% find it easy to get used to the local culture (vs. 65% globally), 46% still struggle to make new friends (vs. 32% globally). It probably does not help that 31% consider the locals generally unfriendly towards foreign residents (vs. 18% globally).
