The Best (& Worst) Cities for Expats in 2023

Spanish cities dominate the top 3 of the Expat City Ranking 2023.

Top Findings

Friendly locals, affordable living, and a great quality of life — #1 Málaga seems to have it all.
Work’s not great in #2 Alicante. But other factors more than make up for that.
#3 Valencia triumphs with great healthcare and affordable living.

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. 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. 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.

49 | Milan: Expats’ Least-Favored Destination

Milan comes 49th out of 49, placing last overall. One reason for the city’s less than desirable rank is its low standing in the Expat Essentials Index (46th). Dealing with bureaucracy (48th), opening a local bank account (44th), and securing a visa (48th) all pose challenges for expats. And over three in five expats in Milan say it’s difficult to find housing (63% vs. 31% globally) or to live there without speaking the local language (61% vs. 32% globally).

The city doesn’t perform much better in the Working Abroad Index (46th), where it also ranks in the bottom 5. Regarding job security (49th) and feeling paid fairly for their work (49th), Milan even comes in last. About one-third of expats (34%) aren’t satisfied with their personal career opportunities in Milan (vs. 22% globally). In addition to that, less than half (49%) are satisfied with their job in general (vs. 64% globally). They also struggle immensely with their financial situation (48th).

A third of expats in Milan (33%) aren’t happy with their social life (vs. 25% globally) and don’t feel at home (vs. 20% globally), respectively. However, 63% at least think the locals are friendly, which isn’t too far off the global average of 67%. It’s somewhat easy to get used to the local culture (23rd), although Milan still comes in the bottom third of the Ease of Settling In Index (35th).

In the Quality of Life Index (43rd), Milan is back among the worst 10 cities worldwide. While expats appreciate the Leisure Options (28th) and especially the opportunity to travel (9th), they don’t feel safe (43rd) and aren’t satisfied with the urban environment (45th). A shocking 56% are dissatisfied with the air quality as well (vs. 17% globally).

48 | Rome: Where Working Abroad Is a Real Struggle

Rome comes 48th out of 49, only beating one other Italian city: Milan (49th). The results seem hardly surprising, as Rome ranks in the bottom 10 in four of the five indices.

This includes the Working Abroad Index (49th), where it places last. Expats living in Rome don’t feel paid fairly for their work (48th) and aren’t satisfied with their jobs (49th). About two in three (63%) think that the local job market isn’t promising (vs. 26% globally). When it comes to the Personal Finance Index (40th), expats are not satisfied with their financial situation (49th), even though nearly half of them (46%) think the general cost of living is within their means (vs. 44% globally).

Rome doesn’t perform much better in the Quality of Life Index (48th) either. Although around nine in ten expats (93%) appreciate the climate and weather in Rome (vs. 62% globally), the urban environment (48th) fails to meet expectations. And while 74% express their enthusiasm for the city’s vibrant culture and nightlife (vs. 68% globally), challenges in Travel & Transit (48th) leave them less than satisfied.

In the Expat Essentials Index (45th), expats rank the city as the least favorable when it comes to Admin Topics (49th) such as dealing with the local bureaucracy and authorities (49th) and opening a local bank account (49th). Also, around three in five (59%) think it’s difficult to live in Rome without speaking the local language (vs. 32% globally). At least when it comes to the affordability of housing (26th), Rome offers more ease — though 42% of respondents express concerns about its availability (vs. 31% globally).

Looking at the bright side, the Ease of Settling In Index (25th) gives a little breather. Finding friends (21st) seems not to be as challenging as other aspects. And three in five expats (60%) agree that locals are generally friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 65% globally).

47 | Vancouver: Where Expats Face Financial Challenges

Vancouver comes 47th out of 49 — and it’s the place where expats feel unhappiest (49th). A shocking 35% aren’t satisfied with their social life (vs. 25% globally), and 39% don’t have a personal support network (vs. 24% globally). Close to three in five (59%) also say it’s hard to make local friends (vs. 36% globally), leaving Vancouver in the bottom 10 of the Ease of Settling In Index (42nd).

Apart from feeling lonely, expats also struggle immensely with their Personal Finance (49th), where Vancouver ranks last. Over four in five (84%) find the general cost of living too high — well over twice the global average (35%). And almost half (49%) say that their disposable household income is not enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 27% globally). In addition, expats feel they’re not paid fairly for their work (44th). Apart from another bottom 10 ranking for its local job market (40th), Vancouver at least shows some highlights in the Working Abroad Index (27th), ranking 3rd for working hours and 15th for work-life balance.

Vancouver also shows ups and downs in the Expat Essentials Index (28th). While learning the local language (6th) and opening a local bank account (4th) are easy, Housing (46th) poses huge problems. Nearly nine in ten (86%) find housing unaffordable (vs. 42% globally). And 65% say it’s difficult to find (vs. 31% globally). Expats appreciate Vancouver’s natural environment (6th), its air quality (9th), and the availability of green goods and services (9th). But its bad results for culture and nightlife (49th), the availability (47th) and quality (41st) of medical care, and missing travel opportunities (47th) place Vancouver in the bottom third (36th) for Quality of Life.