Top 10 Cities are Happiest for Expats in 2021

People all throughout the world were affected by the coronavirus pandemic, but your experience may have been very different depending on where you live and the local response to prevention measures.

New Zealand, Australia, and Vietnam, which garnered headlines early in the epidemic for their courageous leadership in containing the coronavirus, also reach the top ten. Expats in Qatar, like those in Taiwan and New Zealand, said they were most pleased with the official communication they received about Covid-19 from leaders and health officials as the pandemic progressed over the previous year.

The survey, which took place in January 2021, asked expats to rate their satisfaction in four areas: quality of life (such as a healthy environment and reliable WiFi infrastructure), ease of settling in (such as language barriers and local residents' friendliness), personal finance (such as access to affordable health care), and working abroad (such as job security and a stable local economy). Locations with low living costs, higher social safety net investments, and an abundance of outdoor and leisure activities to balance work and life are also at the top of the list.

Taiwanese expats came out on top in a variety of categories, including quality of life, job opportunities, ease of settling in, and general happiness with life overseas. Taiwan, which has a population of roughly 23 million people, has confirmed 1,682 cases and 12 deaths from the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins data, and has effectively stopped local transmission by the summer of 2020. However, due to a recent spike in cases, officials in the country's capital upped the city's coronavirus alert level the prior week.

Taiwan

Taiwan. Photo: Getty

• 75% are happy with their job
• 74% are happy with their work-life balance
• 78% are happy with the cost of living
• 96% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 62% say making new friends is easy
• 80% are happy with life in general

Mexico

Mexico. Photo: Getty

• 80% are happy with their job
• 72% are happy with their work-life balance
• 79% are happy with the cost of living
• 68% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 77% say making new friends is easy
• 89% are happy with life in general

Costa Rica

Costa Rica. Photo: Getty

• 70% are happy with their job
• 69% are happy with their work-life balance
• 55% are happy with the cost of living
• 83% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 65% say making new friends is easy
• 88% are happy with life in general

Malaysia

Malaysia. Photo: Getty

• 69% are happy with their job
• 72% are happy with their work-life balance
• 82% are happy with the cost of living
• 82% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 66% say making new friends is easy
• 85% are happy with life in general

Portugal

Portugal. Photo: Getty

• 62% are happy with their job
• 70% are happy with their work-life balance
• 75% are happy with the cost of living
• 78% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 59% say making new friends is easy
• 84% are happy with life in general

New Zealand

New Zealand. Photo: Getty

• 78% are happy with their job
• 83% are happy with their work-life balance
• 29% are happy with the cost of living
• 78% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 54% say making new friends is easy
• 77% are happy with life in general

Australia

Australia. Photo: Getty

• 73% are happy with their job
• 76% are happy with their work-life balance
• 42% are happy with the cost of living
• 88% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 54% say making new friends is easy
• 80% are happy with life in general

Ecuador

Ecuador. Photo: Getty

• 72% are happy with their job
• 79% are happy with their work-life balance
• 78% are happy with the cost of living
• 73% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 68% say making new friends is easy
• 88% are happy with life in general

Canada

Canada. Photo: Getty

• 69% are happy with their job
• 72% are happy with their work-life balance
• 42% are happy with the cost of living
• 78% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 52% say making new friends is easy
• 76% are happy with life in general

Vietnam

Vietnam. Photo: Getty

• 86% are happy with their job
• 78% are happy with their work-life balance
• 85% are happy with the cost of living
• 57% are happy with the quality of medical care
• 67% say making new friends is easy
• 85% are happy with life in general

Expats Consider Vietnam as a "Second Home" For many foreigners, Vietnam is becoming a second home, and they show their special affection for this S-shaped land in many different ways.

Expats Keep Guard Up Against Covid-19 Foreigners living in Vietnam, though glad that authorities and most people act carefully, remain very watchful against Covid-19 and admittedly a bit worried

Expats to Enjoy Two Extra Days Off Compared to Vietnamese Workers are expected to enjoy 22 days off as national holidays next year, while foreign staff can have 24 days off