Global survey has Thailand on top, followed by Bahrain, China.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: India has placed seventh in a recently commissioned study that researched where the best places in the world are for expatriates to live.
The study, which was done by HSBC Expat – a branch of HSBC that handles banking for expatriates all over the world – and the independent research firm YouGov, evaluated the quality of life of 37 countries. As it turns out, several of the top 10 countries are in Asia. Thailand came out on top, with China at #3, Singapore at #6, and Taiwan at #8. The rest of the top 10 was filled out by Bahrain at #2, the Cayman Islands at #4, Australia at #5, Spain at #9, and Brazil at #10.
The study asked over 7,000 expats worldwide (a new record for the annual study) specific questions about how life was in their respective countries of residence. The study does not specify which cities specifically are the most lived-in, it only provides information and rankings for the countries as a whole.
Those who live in India said that the positivity of the local residents and the active social life, among other elements, were the main reasons that they are so satisfied with life in the world’s most populated democracy.
Seventy-three percent of those surveyed from India said that it is an “up and coming destination” for expats, meaning that the country could see an uptick in immigration. In terms of making friends in their new locations, 57% said it was easy in India. While only 7% of those worldwide relocated to a foreign country because of work, as much as 25% of the expats in India are their because of their jobs, meaning it’s becoming a popular destination for companies around the world to send employees.
On the slightly negative side, however, about 47% of expats in India said that adjusting to the climate was a challenge, compared to the 26% of expats worldwide who said the same thing about where they’re living. In terms of food, only 20% of those worldwide said that adjusting to the local cuisine was difficult, but 39% of expats in India said they had difficulty.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com