The 25 best cities to live in the world, according to expats

There’s a lot to consider when deciding on the best city to live in. From career opportunities and cost of living to personal safety and social scene, settling on the right city is a big decision, especially if it means moving countries too. Luckily, InterNations – an expat networking community with more than 5 million members – is here to help.

The organisation has released its annual Expat City Ranking for 2024, an in-depth report on the best cities for expats to live in. More than 12,543 people in 175 nations and territories were polled on questions spanning five categories: quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finance and an expatriate essentials index, covering digital life, administration topics, housing and language.

Spanish cities featured most highly in the rankings, with Valencia, Málaga and Alicante making up the top three. Valencia scored highly for its affordable public transportation, opportunities for recreational activities and personal safety.

Several Middle Eastern cities also feature in the top 20, with three UAE cities making the top 10. Ras Al Khaimah was ranked in 6th place, scoring highly for affordable housing, ease of settling in and easy administration. Abu Dhabi and Dubai were ranked in 9th place and 10th place, credited for their work opportunities, safety and quality of life.

Two major Saudi cities – Riyadh and Jeddah – made the list, as did Qatar’s capital, Doha and Oman’s capital, Muscat, which also made Condé Nast Traveller‘s list of the Best Places to Go in 2025.

The 25 best cities to live in the world

1. Valencia, Spain
2. Málaga, Spain
3. Alicante, Spain
4. Panama City, Panama
5. Mexico City, Mexico
6. Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
7. Madrid, Spain
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Abu Dhabi, UAE
10. Dubai, UAE
11. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
12. Muscat, Oman
13. Nairobi, Kenya
14. Melbourne, Australia
15. Vienna, Austria
16. Doha, Qatar
17. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
18. Brussels, Belgium
19. Sydney, Australia
20. Warsaw, Poland
21. Barcelona, Spain
22. Hong Kong
23. Copenhagen, Denmark
24. Tokyo, Japan
25. Amsterdam, Netherlands

The 10 lowest-ranked cities to live in the world

1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Hamburg, Germany
3. Toronto, Canada
4. Munich, Germany
5. Istanbul, Turkey
6. Cologne, Germany
7. Milan, Italy
8. Berlin, Germany
9. Frankfurt, Germany
10. Rome, Italy