Bangkok ranked 5th among the world’s top 10 cities for expats to live and work according to the global expat index published by the online language learning platform Preply.
The cost of living as an expat is also relatively high in Bangkok at £1,725, and the average monthly salary after tax is £492. However, after Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok has the most affordable monthly rent for a 1-bedroom city centre property at £451, and a meal costs just £2.11.
Kuala Lumpur is the best city for expats to work and live in 2022
With an overall expat relocation score of 6.62, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia ranks as the best city for expats. Monthly living costs for relocators in Malaysia’s largest city amount to around £903 and with the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom property in the city centre being £363, this leaves plenty of disposable income leftover to enjoy all that Kuala Lumpur has to offer.
Georgia’s Tbilisi is the second-best city for expats to relocate to
Tbilisi in Georgia follows closely behind in second place with an expat relocation score of 6.58.
Tblisi is more expensive for expats compared to Kuala Lumpur, with the average person bringing home a monthly salary of £372 after tax and a 1-bedroom apartment
in the city centre costing around £580. Food is more expensive too, with a meal at an inexpensive restaurant costing an average of £7.38.
Lisbon in Portugal is the third best city for expats in 2022
Lisbon ranks third overall, with a higher cost of living (£1,367) and average rent cost (£865) than the two cities ranked above it and an average salary of £959.
Internet speeds are much faster in Lisbon, however, at 29 Mbps – which is great for remote workers who need a high-speed connection to work. The lively city also boasts 476 activities to enjoy in the local area, such as city tours and river cruises. In terms of safety, Lisbon has a city safety index score of 70.87 out of 120 so it’s one of the safer destinations for expats in our ranking.
Dubai and Bangkok round up the top 5 cities for expats
Other high-ranking cities include Dubai and Bangkok in 4th and 5th place with expat relocation scores of 6.45 and 6.35 respectively.
Famous for its luxury lifestyle, Dubai’s cost of living for expats is higher than any other city in our analysis at £2,674. but to balance things out, the average monthly salary after tax is £4,082, which is the second highest on the list after Bern in Switzerland (£4,907). Another feature that makes Dubai attractive is its tax laws, with those earning more than £50,000 paying nothing in tax.
