Asia comes through as a clear favourite for expats in the InterNations Expat City Ranking 2020, although cities in Spain and Portugal make up the top three destinations in the list of 66 cities.
Out of 66 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2020, Singapore ranks 5th, followed by Kuala Lumpur (8th), Ho Chi Minh City (19th), Shanghai (21st), Bangkok (30th), Tokyo (53rd), Beijing (55th), Hong Kong (57th), and Seoul (64th).
The top 10 worldwide is:
1. Valencia
2. Alicante
3. Lisbon
4. Panama City
5, Singapore
6. Málaga
7. Buenos Aires
8. Kuala Lumpur
9. Madrid
10. Abu Dhabi
On the other hand, expats consider Salmiya in Kuwait (66th), Rome, Seoul, Milan, Nairobi, Paris, Johannesburg, Santiago, Dublin, and Hong Kong (57th) the world's worst cities to live in, according to the study, which was carried out in March this year..
Nine Asian cities, with two in the top 10 and two in the bottom 10, make it in the Expat City Ranking 2020 by InterNations, the world's largest expat community with around 4 million members.
Singapore (5th) and Kuala Lumpur (8th) are both in the top 10, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (19th), Shanghai (21st), Bangkok (30th), Tokyo (53rd), Beijing (55th), and lastly Hong Kong (57th) and Seoul (64th) coming in the bottom 10.
Singapore is by far the most popular city in the region, ranking well for all indices aside from the local cost of living. Expats living in Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok are also highly satisfied with their finances and housing, while Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul come top for the quality of urban living.
The Expat City Ranking is based on the annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations, which is one of the most extensive surveys about living and working abroad, with more than 15,000 respondents in 2020. This year, 66 cities around the globe are analyzed in the survey, which offers in-depth
As the data was collected in March 2020, just before covid-19 turned into a global pandemic, one question, however, remains: Will these cities still come out on top in the post-covid world?
Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul come top for the quality of urban living."
