27 Cities Around the World Where Expats Are Happy, Rents Are Affordable, and Jobs Are Plentiful

2017-11-14
by Elena Holodny

  • InterNations recently released its 2017 list of the best cities for living and working abroad.
  • City rankings are based on survey responses from nearly 8,000 people in 40 countries.
  • For each city, we also compiled cost-of-living estimates from Numbeo's database

If you're thinking about living abroad, the best people to ask for tips might be the people who have already done it: expats.

InterNations, an expatriate network and global guide, put together a list of the best cities for living and working abroad, according to expats they surveyed.

To compile the data, InterNations surveyed 7,985 expats living in 40 countries. A city had to be mentioned at least 45 times to be included. City rankings were determined based on the quality and cost of urban living, quality of work life and finances, and ease of settling into the city.

We also noted the cost of necessities (and beer) there, based on figures from Numbeo. All amounts are in US dollars and are current as of November.

Here are the best overall cities for expats in 2017.

27. Stockholm, Sweden

Cost of living compared with New York City: 12.8% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,406.43 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $74.58

     Commuter pass: $98.96

     Cappuccino: $4.33

     Domestic beer: $7.15

 

26. Cape Town, South Africa

Cost of living compared with New York City: 59.1% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $716.30 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $58.33

     Commuter pass: $24.20

     Cappuccino: $1.62

     Domestic beer: $2.07

 

25. Kampala, Uganda

Cost of living compared with New York City: 65.4%

Monthly:

     Rent: $234.87 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $51.57

     Commuter pass: $29.90

     Cappuccino: $2.10

     Domestic beer: $1.10

 

24. Munich, Germany

Cost of living compared with New York City: 21.8% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,057.55 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $257.57

     Commuter pass: $75.83

     Cappuccino: $3.36

     Domestic beer: $4.43

 

23. Zurich, Switzerland

Cost of living compared with New York City: 36.4% higher

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,842.98 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $167.61

     Commuter pass: $84.36

     Cappuccino: $4.93

     Domestic beer: $7.03

 

22. Vienna, Austria

Cost of living compared with New York City: 25.8% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $922.85 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $195.74

     Commuter pass: $52.51

     Cappuccino: $3.64

     Domestic beer: $4.20

 

21. Seoul, South Korea

Cost of living compared with New York City: 17% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $824.89 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $149.51

     Commuter pass: $49.11

     Cappuccino: $4.10

     Domestic beer: $3.13

 

20. Hamburg, Germany

Cost of living compared with New York City: 23% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $854.88 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $259.92

     Commuter pass: $102.92

     Cappuccino: $3.34

     Domestic beer: $4.43

 

19. The Hague, Netherlands

Cost of living compared to New York City: 18.7% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $987.94 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $149.17

     Commuter pass: $81.67

     Cappuccino: $3.10

     Domestic beer: $4.67

 

18. Berlin, Germany

Cost of living compared with New York City: 29.7% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $874.85 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $270.39

     Commuter pass: $94.49

     Cappuccino: $3.06

     Domestic beer: $3.62

 

17. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Cost of living compared with New York City: 28% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,882.28 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $172.85

     Commuter pass: $66.66

     Cappuccino: $4.45

     Domestic beer: $10.67

 

16. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Cost of living compared with New York City: 8.8% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,610.99 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $268.13

     Commuter pass: $46.67

     Cappuccino: $3.71

     Domestic beer: $5.83

 

15. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Cost of living compared with New York City: 34.5% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,816.94 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $103.92

     Commuter pass: $21.78

     Cappuccino: $4.90

     Domestic beer: $9.53

 

14. Auckland, New Zealand

Cost of living compared with New York City: 17% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,208.88 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $131.34

     Commuter pass: $138.01

     Cappuccino: $3.11

     Domestic beer: $6.04

 

13. Budapest, Hungary

Cost of living compared with New York City: 52.2% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $499.23 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $180.43

     Commuter pass: $35.56

     Cappuccino: $1.51

     Domestic beer: $1.68

 

12. Muscat, Oman

Cost of living compared with New York City: 48.5% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $755.79 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $59.87

     Commuter pass: $25.97

     Cappuccino: $4.39

     Domestic beer: $7.79

 

11. Mexico City, Mexico

Cost of living compared with New York City: 62.8%

Monthly:

Rent: $482.29 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $39.07

     Commuter pass: $15.70

     Cappuccino: $2.02

     Domestic beer: $1.57

 

10. Frankfurt, Germany

Cost of living compared with New York City: 21.2%

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,059.52 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $242.30

     Commuter pass: $101.23

     Cappuccino: $3.28

     Domestic beer: $4.67

 

9. Basel, Switzerland

Cost of living compared with New York City: 29.9% higher

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,351.15 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $208.64

     Commuter pass: $80.30

     Cappuccino: $5.29

     Domestic beer: $8.03

 

8. Bangkok, Thailand

Cost of living compared with New York City: 45.8% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $636.70 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $83.45

     Commuter pass: $30.25

     Cappuccino: $2.18

     Domestic beer: $2.01

 

7. Johannesburg, South Africa

Cost of living compared with New York City: 56.9% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $480.83 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $68.83

     Commuter pass: $34.50

     Cappuccino: $1.67

     Domestic beer: $2.07

 

6. Barcelona, Spain

Cost of living compared with New York City: 34%

Monthly:

     Rent: $990.58 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $153.77

     Commuter pass: $58.35

     Cappuccino: $2.00

     Domestic beer: $3.27

 

5. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cost of living compared with New York City: 16.1% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $1,646.41 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $179.19

     Commuter pass: $104.92

     Cappuccino: $3.18

     Domestic beer: $5.25

 

4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Cost of living compared with New York City: 55.6% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $540.08 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $52.45

     Commuter pass: $29.85

     Cappuccino: $2.53

     Domestic beer: $3.58

 

3. Madrid, Spain

Cost of living compared with New York City: 35.2%

Monthly:

     Rent: $919.92 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $138.04

     Commuter pass: $63.65

     Cappuccino: $1.97

     Domestic beer: $3.26

 

2. Prague, Czech Republic

Cost of living compared with New York City: 49.5% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $703.08 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $184.45

     Commuter pass: $25.09

     Cappuccino: $2.12

     Domestic beer: $1.60

 

1. Manama, Bahrain

Cost of living compared with New York City: 42.1% lower

Monthly:

     Rent: $940.43 for a one-bedroom in the city center

     Utilities: $84.00

     Commuter pass: $39.74

     Cappuccino: $4.59

     Domestic beer: $9.27

 

http://uk.businessinsider.com/best-places-to-live-world-cities-expats-living-abroad-2017-11