Expats Love the Excellent Healthcare in Taiwan
Taiwan ranks 5th out of 53 destinations in the Expat Insider 2023 survey, even coming 2nd worldwide in the Quality of Life Index. Expats are especially happy with their Health & Well-Being (1st), as well as Travel & Transit (3rd). They are also highly satisfied with their job security (2nd) and rate their working life in general very positively (1st). However, Taiwan only shows a mediocre performance when it comes to Expat Essentials like housing or language (22nd). Overall, 78% of expats are happy with their life in Taiwan, compared to 72% globally.
Excellent Healthcare & Amazing Travel Opportunities
Since 2016, when Taiwan first appeared in the Expat Insider survey, it has always ranked in the top 5 for healthcare-related factors. The majority of expats are happy with both the affordability (91% vs. 62% globally) and the quality (86% vs. 70% globally) of medical care in Taiwan. About nine in ten expats (93%) are also happy with its availability, compared to a global average of 71%. In fact, 88% say that it is easy to access all the healthcare services they need (vs. 65% globally). The result: first place in the Healthcare Subcategory.
In the Quality of Life Index (2nd), there is even more that expats appreciate about Taiwan. Scoring 3rd in the Travel & Transit Subcategory, Taiwan pleases expats with its affordable public transportation (5th) and its travel opportunities (10th). Additionally, almost all expats (98%) feel safe there (vs. 83% globally).
“The country is peaceful, and the travel infrastructure is too good, helping us to explore. The job opportunities for engineers are high, and the people over here are welcoming in nature.” – US American expat
Expats Feel Welcome in Taiwan
Taiwan still ranks clearly above the average in the Ease of Settling In Index (17th). Many expats feel welcome there (78% vs. 67% globally) and have a personal support network in Taiwan (66% vs. 58% globally). However, adjusting to the local culture is a different matter altogether — the destination ranks poorly when it comes to getting used to the local culture (38th).
Ups & Downs for Working Expats
Working in Taiwan is a great choice for expats — mostly. More than one in three (34%) are completely satisfied with their job security, ten percentage points more than the global average (24%). In addition to job security (2nd), the destination also makes it into the top 10 for the state of the local economy (8th) and fair pay at work (9th). Overall, Taiwan ranks among the top 5 of the Salary & Job Security Subcategory (3rd).
However, 31% of expats miss flexibility in the local business culture (vs. 18% globally). And another 40% believe that the work culture does not promote independent work or flat hierarchies (vs. 26% globally). Although 73% of expats are actually happy with their working hours (vs. 64% globally), Taiwan only comes 31st for work-life balance.
Still, despite some downsides, the destination has the highest level of overall job satisfaction (1st) worldwide.
The Essentials Show Room for Improvement
Taiwan performs worst — but still better than average — in the Expat Essentials Index (22nd). While it is easy to get high-speed internet access at home (3rd) and to freely access all online services (7th), paying without cash is still a big challenge (45th). However, language woes weigh on expats. While only 19% find it difficult to live in Taiwan without speaking the local language(s), compared to 32% globally, more than half (55%) say that the language is hard to learn (vs. 38% globally).
No Financial Worries for Expats in Taiwan
Taiwan just misses out on a spot in the top 10 of the Personal Finance Index (11th) — financial matters do not seem to trouble expats much. In fact, 63% are happy with the general cost of living in Taiwan, compared to just 44% globally. Unsurprisingly, 62% are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 58% globally). Another 83% describe their disposable household income as enough or even more than enough to lead a comfortable life abroad (vs. 73% globally).
