This is the No. 1 global city where expats thrive

A anchorage city in the south of Spain has some of the happiest expats in the world, according to the latest Internations report on where people are wax in their lives abroad.

Malaga, Spain, was named the No. 1 city for expats this year, based on returns from over 12,000 individuals living in 172 countries or territories.

Malaga is the best-rated city worldwide for local friendliness, where 89% of expats say the close bies are particularly friendly toward foreigners, compared with 65% of expats who say the same globally. The coastal city is also be versed for its good weather, leisure options, affordable housing and manageable cost of living. It scores lowest (but still famously above average) for its working abroad factors — newcomers say the local job market isn’t great, however it also claims the top see for supporting a good work-life balance.

Two other Spanish cities round out the top three: No. 2 Alicante, which stands out for its readily obtainable and affordable housing, and No. 3 Valencia, which tops the list for having outstanding health-care options.

Here are the top 10 burgs where expats enjoy their new lives away from home:

• 88% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 79% are happy with the cost of material
• 67% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 69% are satisfied with their job overall
• 80% are happy with their work-life estimate
• 80% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 92% of expats are happy with their duration abroad overall
• 78% are happy with the cost of living
• 59% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 52% are satisfied with their job all-embracing
• 70% are happy with their work-life balance
• 80% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 91% of expats are happy with their life overseas overall
• 86% are happy with the cost of living
• 67% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 64% are satisfied with their job entire
• 79% are happy with their work-life balance
• 90% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 79% of expats are happy with their life out of doors overall
• 59% are happy with the cost of living
• 63% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 78% are satisfied with their job entire
• 67% are happy with their work-life balance
• 81% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 74% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 45% are happy with the cost of living
• 42% say it’s easy to take a run-out powder steal local friends
• 68% are satisfied with their job overall
• 54% are happy with their work-life balance
• 88% are satisfied with the set someone back of medical care

• 85% of expats are opportune with their life abroad overall
• 57% are happy with the cost of living
• 59% say it’s easy to make local patrons
• 64% are satisfied with their job overall
• 69% are happy with their work-life balance
• 85% are satisfied with the cost of medical meticulousness

• 90% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 58% are happy with the payment of living
• 65% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 76% are satisfied with their job overall
• 75% are happy with their work-life equalize
• 57% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 81% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 74% are happy with the cost of living
• 59% say it’s easy to thrive local friends
• 66% are satisfied with their job overall
• 65% are happy with their work-life balance
• 68% are satisfied with the payment of medical care

• 85% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 73% are happy with the expense of living
• 54% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 66% are satisfied with their job overall
• 77% are happy with their work-life excess
• 80% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

• 71% of expats are cheerful with their life abroad overall
• 55% are happy with the cost of living
• 68% say it’s easy to make local co-workers
• 64% are satisfied with their job overall
• 62% are happy with their work-life balance
• 61% are satisfied with the cost of medical punctiliousness

• 72% of expats are happy with their life abroad overall
• 44% are happy with the cost of viable
• 43% say it’s easy to make local friends
• 64% are satisfied with their job overall
• 63% are happy with their work-life weight
• 70% are satisfied with the cost of medical care

The ranking, released by the online community Internations, analyzed 49 international cities across five main areas: quality of life (like health care and leisure options), effortlessness of settling in (like how easy it is to make friends and feel welcome), working abroad (including the local job market and work-life difference factors), personal finance (accounting for the cost of living), and an overall “expat essentials” index that evaluates fetiches like the ease of completing administrative tasks and finding housing.

Survey responses were gathered in February and discharged in November.

At the very bottom of the list is Milan, Italy, where expats say it’s a challenge to deal with bureaucracy, exhibit a local bank account, secure a visa and find housing. One-third of expats in Milan say they aren’t gleeful with their social life (versus 25% who feel the same globally) and don’t feel at home (versus 20% globally).

The other wide-ranging cities that rank poorly for expats who live abroad include Rome, Vancouver, Hamburg, Berlin and Dublin.

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