This European city has been named best in the world for expats

Moving abroad has exploded over the last couple of years, with loads more of us considering life as a digital nomad or an expat. It was revealed this week that Cape Town is the most affordable city for expats – but affordability isn’t everything. 

The annual, super-comprehensive study by InterNations evaluates a tonne of factors, from healthcare and travel to the friendliness of locals and job security. And according to the Expat Insider Report, the best all-round city in the world for expats is actually the Spanish coastal city of Malaga. 

It has the friendliest locals (unsurprisingly, it’s also considered an easy place to make friends), but was also recognised for its pleasant climate and leisure options, as well as its transport and healthcare offerings. 

And Spain continued to score well across the board. In second place was Alicante, which has particularly affordable housing options – a whopping 92 percent of expats are happy with their life here – and in third, it was Valencia (the city that topped the ranking last year). 

Way down at the other end of the league table are two major Italian cities: Rome and Milan.  The former scores particularly poorly for expats’ happiness with their pay, whereas the latter aren’t satisfied with their career opportunities. 

These are the best cities for expats, according to InterNations’ Expat Insider Report.

1. Malaga
2. Alicante
3. Valencia
4. Ras Al Khaimah
5. Abu Dhabi
6. Madrid
7. Mexico City
8. Kuala Lumpur
9. Bangkok
10. Muscat

And these are the worst…

1. Milan
2. Rome
3. Vancouver
4. Hamburg
5. Berlin
6. Dublin
7. Istanbul
8. London
9. Paris
10. Seoul

To read the Expat Insider Report in more detail, you can do so right here. 

Considering moving to an exciting new city? Take a look at our guide to the world’s best cities right now, or check out all the countries offering digital nomad visas. 

Did you see that these are the safest (and most dangerous) countries for driving in Europe?

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news.