Workers around the world say it’s the best US city for expats

People all over the world agree that the best US city to try to live and work abroad is Miami, Florida.

South Florida’s beach and nightlife destination ranks 12th out of 50 global cities as one of the best places for expats to live and work abroad, according to a survey of more than 12 000 respondents from InterNations, an online expat community with over 4.5 million members worldwide. .

Not too far behind is New York, which ranks 16th out of 50.

Miami and New York are the only US cities considered for the ranking, which requires a sample of at least 50 survey participants living in the destination.

The survey, conducted in February 2022 and released at the end of November, asked expats to rate their satisfaction in five main categories, including quality of life (such as a healthy environment and robust public transport), ease of settlement (such as the friendliness of local residents), personal finances (such as access to affordable health care), working abroad (such as job security and a stable local economy), and Essentials for Expats,” which cover digital living, housing options, language barriers, and dealing with local government and administrative tasks.

Expats in Miami say it’s very easy to settle in, adapt to the local culture, find high-speed Internet access at home, pay without having to withdraw cash, and open a local bank account.

Miami has also become a growing hotspot for Americans: a handful of tech and financial firms have moved there during the pandemic, lured by warm weather and tax advantages. People also swapped major cities like New York and Los Angeles for Miami, where a Covid-fueled influx has boosted the housing market and made life more expensive.

The South Florida city didn’t rank as highly on the survey’s “working abroad” index. While newcomers benefit from many career opportunities and a creative business community, around 1 in 4 are unhappy with their working hours.

They also say they are unhappy with Miami’s public transportation and unaffordable, if not completely inaccessible, health care.

At #16, newcomers to New York say the city is ideal for their careers, with the majority saying they are happy with the local job market, satisfied with their personal career opportunities, public transit robust and an accessible digital life. The biggest downside to living there, however, concerns personal finances: 58% of expats living in New York are unhappy with the cost of living, compared to 35% who feel the same way around the world.

Overall, Miami and New York stand out for great recreation options, career prospects, a welcoming culture, and few language barriers, but are dragged down with a high cost of living and low scores. on InterNations’ “quality of life” index, including travel and public transport. , health and welfare, and safety and security.

Yet an overwhelming majority, 85%, of expats living in Miami are satisfied with their life in general, as well as 74% of expats in New York, compared to a global average of 71%.

Valencia, Spain is the top city where expats want to live and work abroad in 2022, followed by Dubai and Mexico City.

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