Foreigners who live and work in Malaga are clear: the city is the best place in the world to do so. This is what Forbes magazine has reported from this year’s InterNations survey, confirming that the city’s allure has skyrocketed in the last two decades.
The list totals and ranks 49 cities worldwide and is based on the subjective perception of expatriates. To compile the list, InterNations surveyed more than 12,000 people from around the world, representing 177 different nationalities who live in a total of 181 countries. The report took into account factors such as quality of life, ease of settling in, personal finances and others.
Malaga city, on the Costa del Sol, not only topped the overall ranking, but also shone in areas such as friendliness, climate, and work-life balance. Respondents valued safety, the cost of public transport, the ease of practising sports and the lively social life of the city. However, praise turned to criticism when it came to the local job market where the city was relegated to 41st place.
Spain is a clear favourite with the foreign community: second and third places went to Alicante and Valencia, respectively. In sixth place is Madrid, which was noted by the respondents for its digital and financial power and high quality of life. Barcelona was ranked in thirteenth place.
In this latest ranking, the United States experienced a collapse in appeal. In 2022 Miami and New York were the top cities to live in but the Big Apple has this year dropped to the thirty-ninth place. The high cost of living and the relentless pace of life and high prices on personal and family balance are behind this drop in appeal in spite of the labour boom.
Overall ranking ‘Top 20’
The top 20 in the overall ranking are: Malaga, Alicante, Valencia, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Madrid, Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Muscat, Oman, Dubai, Lisbon, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Nairobi, Zurich, Athens, Stockholm, Luxembourg and The Hague.