Over 87 million folks are estimated to stay as expats throughout the globe, and plenty of of them have moved abroad in quest of a greater high quality of life.
Worldwide consulting agency Mercer not too long ago ranked Zurich as one of the best location for expats primarily based on financial, social, and environmental elements.
The corporate launched its annual High quality of Dwelling Metropolis Rating, evaluating cities with one of the best residing situations for worldwide employees. Mercer considers elements corresponding to political stability, well being care, training, infrastructure, and cultural atmosphere.
“This yr, Zurich, Switzerland, takes the highest place, fueled by its excellent public providers, low crime charges, and a energetic cultural scene, all backed by environment friendly infrastructure and a dedication to sustainability,” the report reads, declaring that the Swiss metropolis has added a number of new direct flight routes to and from different continents enhancing its connectivity.
Switzerland’s largest metropolis serves as a world monetary hub the place over 400,000 folks, or about 28 % of its inhabitants, are foreign-born. It’s divided into 12 districts, with the Outdated City courting again over 2,000 years at its coronary heart.
Earlier this yr, Zurich was additionally named the world’s smartest metropolis for its progressive integration of recent applied sciences, which improves city life. The celebrated Economist Intelligence Unit highlighted it because the third most livable metropolis in 2024, with excellent scores within the training and healthcare classes.
Nonetheless, for those who’re contemplating transferring there, remember the fact that it has additionally repeatedly ranked as one in all the priciest cities on the earth. Mercer identifies it because the third most costly place to stay, behind Hong Kong and Singapore.
Switzerland has probably the most cities — 4 — among the many high ten in Mercer’s 2024 report. Geneva climbed two spots this yr to 3rd place, whereas Bern and Basel improved their standing by 4 and are actually ninth and tenth, respectively.
Vienna, which topped the rating final yr, dropped to second place in 2024. Nonetheless, the Austrian capital presents a very good steadiness of high quality of life and affordability, because it ranked twenty fourth for value of residing.
Auckland (fifth) and Vancouver (seventh) are the one non-European cities within the high ten. Boston (thirty second) is the highest-ranking American metropolis on the checklist, which highlights 241 cities worldwide.
The worst cities for expats this yr are Bangui, Central African Republic (239th), Baghdad, Iraq (240th), and Khartoum, Sudan (241st).
You may learn the entire report and its findings on mercer.com.