New York City ranks 48th out of 57 global cities for expats wishing to live and work abroad in 2021, according to the latest report from InterNations, an online expat community with over 4 million members worldwide. As the only US city included in the report, New York comes just above Moscow, Paris, Cairo and Tokyo.
The survey, conducted in January 2021, asked more than 12,000 expats to rate their satisfaction in four main categories, including quality of life (such as a healthy environment and robust WiFi infrastructure), ease of installation ( such as language barriers and friendliness of residents), personal finances (such as access to affordable health care) and working abroad (such as job security and a stable local economy).
Expats living in New York City are the most satisfied with their jobs and career prospects in the city, and say it’s relatively easy to settle down, feel welcome, make friends, and overcome challenges. language barriers. Over 8 million people in the city speak some 700 dialects, according to an estimate.
Incoming New Yorkers appreciate what the city has to offer, with 84% saying they are happy with their local leisure options.
But the city’s many perks are largely overshadowed by the stressors of living in a crowded and expensive city. New York’s ranking drops dramatically due to its high housing costs, poor work-life balance, unstable security and politics, and poor health and environmental standards, notes the report. Three-quarters of expats in New York are unhappy with the local cost of living, compared to just 34% of expats globally who feel the same.
Overall, 63% of expats living and working in New York City say they are satisfied with life in general, compared to 75% of expats living elsewhere in the world.
The top three global cities for expats are Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia; Malaga, a port city in southern Spain; and Dubai of the United Arab Emirates.
Here’s what expats think about living in New York City compared to people living overseas around the world.
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