Spanish cities dominate the top ten destinations for migrants in 2023.
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If you are considering moving to another country or city in Europe, now is a good time to make the move.
There are plenty of remote working employment opportunities and dozens of countries have introduced targeted digital nomad visas.
But deciding where to move is not an easy decision and it is important to find a place that suits your career ambitions and lifestyle.
Every year, Internations, a global community for people living and working abroad, conducts an Expat Insider survey – and it’s a great resource for people looking to move to a different country.
The organization has questioned more than 12,000 expatriates about the ease of settling, working abroad and leisure activities in 49 cities around the world.
The ranking also includes an Expat Essentials Index, which looks at digital services, bureaucracy, housing and language.
Here are the best (and worst) European cities for expats right now, according to their findings.
Málaga is the best city in the world for expats right now
The colour red Voted the best city in Europe and the world for expats in 2023.
According to survey respondents, Málaga is the top-rated city worldwide in terms of friendliness, with nearly 90 percent saying that locals are especially welcoming to foreign residents.
The city also came in second place globally in terms of finding friends and quality of life.
It claims 1st place for its pleasant climate and weather while its natural environment comes in 8th place. Málaga is in the top 10 for travel and transit and health care, and 13th for working abroad.
The downside is that the city ranks 41st in the local job market, although it leads in the work and leisure and work-life balance subcategories, claiming first place for both.
Expatriates are also very happy with this Accommodation Situation in Málaga: Accommodation is not only easy to find but also easily affordable.
In general, the city was voted a good destination for expats on a budget, ranking first in the personal finance index and topping the list for general cost of living.
Spanish cities lead as best destinations for expats
Two others got second and third place in the global ranking. spanish city:Alicante and Valencia, while madrid Came in sixth place.
Like Málaga, these cities performed well due to high scores in ease of settling in and quality of life, creating a welcoming culture and affordability.
Alicante missed out on the top spot by a narrow margin, finishing bottom 10th in the working abroad index. Expatriates report that the local business culture does not promote creativity, independent work or flexibility.
The rating for individual career opportunities is no better, coming in at 40th.
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However, Alicante excels in easily fitting into the index and claims the top spot in the culture subcategory.
Expats say they feel at home there and are very happy with their social life. Their lifestyle does not seem restricted by costs: Alicante ranks third in the personal finance index.
Most expats (78 percent) are happy with the general cost of living, compared to only 44 percent globally. This city also ranks first globally in terms of affordable housing.
Valencia is the best expat city for health care
In ValenciaWhich came third in the global ranking, leisure options are a major attraction and the city ranks first for its recreational sporting opportunities.
Both the affordability and availability of health care are among the best worldwide. Getting out is not a problem: getting around on foot or by bicycle is easy and public transport is affordable.
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However, working abroad Couldn’t score even in Valencia. It has the worst career prospects for immigrants (47th place) among the Spanish cities included in the ranking.
If migrants do manage to find employment, the lack of job security, even at 47th, is a cause for concern.
However, most expats feel welcome in Valencia and find local residents friendly. Eight out of ten people are happy with their social life, while globally this figure is only 56 percent.
Expats love Madrid for its culture
Coming in sixth, madrid Scores high in the Digital Life Index for its high-speed Internet access and unrestricted access to online services.
However, more than half of the migrants surveyed say it is difficult to live here madrid Without speaking the local language, a lot remains incomplete due to job security and the state of the local economy.
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On the positive side, personal finance poses few problems and the city ranks third in global rankings for quality of life.
Both public transport and healthcare are considered affordable and the city has reached the top of the rankings for its leisure options, culture and nightlife.
Migrants in Milan struggle for housing and job security
At the other end of the ranking, Milan Comes in last place for migrants. The Italian city scored particularly poorly when it came to dealing with bureaucracy, opening a local bank account and obtaining a visa.
More than three in five migrants in Milan say it is difficult to find housing or live there without speaking the local language.
The city does not fare much better in the working abroad index, where it also ranks in the bottom five. To have a sense of job security and fair pay, Milan Comes at last.
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While migrants appreciate leisure options, especially the opportunity to travel, they do not feel safe and are not satisfied with the urban environment. The worrying thing is that 56 percent people are dissatisfied with this air quality Also, compared to 17 percent globally.
Rome offers migrants pleasant climate but poor transportation
The Italian capital did not perform very well, finishing second. It ranks last in the working abroad index.
Migrants do not feel fairly paid for their work and are not satisfied with their jobs. They are also not satisfied with their financial condition.
However, nine out of ten expatriates appreciate the climate and weather Rome The urban environment fails to meet expectations.
And, while 74 percent expressed their enthusiasm for the city’s vibrant culture and nightlife, the city’s transportation system came in second place.
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Expats in Hamburg are most unhappy with their social life
hamburg Comes at 46th position out of 49 in Expat City Ranking 2023. And it is the place where migrants feel second most unhappy overall.
More than 40 percent are not satisfied with their social life and 35 percent have no personal support network. Nearly three in five also say it is difficult to make local friends.
Getting started in Hamburg is also not easy. The city ranks in the bottom ten in terms of ease of finding accommodation and surviving without speaking the local language.
Migrants’ unhappiness is also due to the rainy and cold climate and limited opportunities to travel
However, survey respondents in the city are more satisfied with their work lives. Hamburg received the only top ten ranking in terms of job security and 67 percent of people are impressed with the local job market, compared to 47 percent globally.
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What are the worst European cities for expats?
The sad thing is that the bottom ten of the ranking was dominated by European cities. After Milan, Rome and Hamburg came the capitals Berlin, Dublin, London and Paris.
berlin It is one of the hardest places for immigrants to find a full social life and residents are considered the second least friendly population in the ranking.
However, 90 percent of people enjoy Berlin’s cultural landscape, compared to 68 percent globally, and 85 percent appreciate the capital’s urban environment, compared to 67 percent globally.
dublin It offers excellent career prospects for expatriates, but it is hampered by high living costs and the inaccessibility and unavailability of health care.
In london, nearly three out of four expatriates struggle with the general cost of living, compared to only 35 percent globally. Almost half say their disposable household income is not enough to live a comfortable life in the UK capital.
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expats enjoy paris‘Rich cultural landscape but it is unfriendly, difficult and expensive to survive without speaking the language.
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