Taiwan tops best expatriate destinations in the world

Taiwan has regained its top position as the best place for expatriates to work and live in the world in a global survey.

Often considered "the hidden gem of Asia," the country offers visitors and expatriates the whole package, including unbelievable sights and food, extremely welcoming locals, and diverse experiences, according to the Expatriate Insider Survey conducted among more than 20,000 people.

The survey, one of the most extensive analysis on expat life in 64 destinations, offers in-depth information about satisfaction of expatriate with the quality of life, ease of settling in, working life, personal finance, cost of living, and family life in their respective country of residence.

Taiwan has a low cost of living compared to most Western countries and foreigners in Taiwan typically rate their job satisfaction and job security highly. They also report excellent work/life balance, thanks to their solid personal finances.

Besides, the tropical island is covered in sweeping landscapes: forested mountains, deep gorges, and rolling plains that stretch as far as the eye can see. It has miles of sparkling coastline dotted with beaches and hot springs.

Taiwan utilises world-class transport systems that rival well-developed countries like Switzerland and Japan. On the one side, Taiwan offers delicious food, while on the other, its people are some of the nicest in the world. They are extremely welcoming, friendly, and helpful towards foreigners.

The last time Taiwan took the top spot in the survey was in 2016, the first year it was included. Since then the country has maintained a spot in the top five every year.

Other Attractive Destinations

Coming in just behind Taiwan is its neighbour Vietnam, indicating the Southeast Asian country as an increasingly attractive destination for people resettling abroad. The third spot in the survey went to Portugal, which has consistently scored well with expats living there.

These three countries were followed by Mexico, Spain, Singapore, Bahrain, Ecuador, Malaysia and the Czech Republic as the best expat destinations: all of them attract expats with their ease of settling in and good personal finances.

While expats in Portugal are also extremely satisfied with the quality of life, those in Vietnam appreciate their great work life.

Also, Bahrain remains the best place for expatriates to work and live in the Middle East region.

At the other bottom of the ranking, Kuwait, Italy, and Nigeria are the worst destinations for expats in 2019. While Kuwait is the country where expats find it hardest to settle in, Italy offers the worst work-life, and Nigeria the worst quality of life in the world, the study found.