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The 53 most expensive and cheapest countries to be an expatriate have been revealed, with an Asian country taking first place and a “very expensive” nation on the North American continent taking last place.
The table has been put together by an expat guide based in Switzerland. InterNationsbased on an expatriate survey in which respondents were asked about their satisfaction with their financial situation and whether a disposable household income is sufficient to lead a comfortable life.
Read on for full results. Where would you most like to move to? Head to the comments section.
The most affordable countries.
1.Vietnam
Vietnam takes first place for the third time in a row, with one American expat telling InterNations: “The people are very friendly and the cost of living is very low.”
More than four in five expats (86 percent) living in Vietnam are happy with the country’s cost of living, while 68 percent say disposable household income is more than enough to live a comfortable life.
In total, 65 percent of expats say they are satisfied with their financial situation in Vietnam, and this is not just due to the low cost of living. Just under one in five expats in Vietnam say they earn $150,000 (£118,000) a year.
The 53 most expensive and cheapest countries to be an expat have been revealed, with Vietnam ranked as the most affordable in the world. More than four in five expats living in Vietnam are happy with the country’s cost of living. In the photo, Ho Chi Minh City.
An expat living in Colombia, which comes in second, says he enjoys the country’s “affordable cost of living.” In the photo, Bogotá.
Indonesia comes third on the list, with just under three-quarters of expats satisfied with their financial situation. In the photo, Jakarta.
2.Colombia
On the other side of the world, Colombia ranks second for affordability, with one Maltese expat telling InterNations: “I’m enjoying the relaxed way of life and the affordable cost of living.”
Nearly nine in ten expats in Colombia (85 percent) are satisfied with the South American country’s low cost of living, while 91 percent say their disposable income is more than enough to live a comfortable life.
Just under 90 percent of expats (89 percent) say they are satisfied with their financial situation in Colombia.
3.Indonesia
Indonesia comes in third on the list, and one Canadian expat revealed to InterNations: ‘What do I like about Indonesia? The climate, the safety and tranquility, the friendliness, the clean air and nature and the low cost of living!’
More than two-thirds of expats (69 percent) living in Indonesia are happy with the country’s cost of living, while 86 percent said their disposable income was enough to live a comfortable life.
Just under three-quarters (72 percent) of expats in Indonesia are satisfied with their financial situation.
The least affordable countries
Canada is the least affordable country in the world to be an expat, with one foreign resident describing the country as “very expensive.” In the photo, Toronto.
Finland comes second to last on the list, with one in five expats dissatisfied with their financial situation. Helsinki appears in the photo.
The UK ranks in the bottom three for price, with one expat saying he was “incapable” of living on his own on his current salary. London appears in the photo
53. Canada
Last place among the 53 countries is Canada, where a Spanish expat reveals to InterNations: ‘The cost of living is incredibly expensive. Going out to eat or drink feels like a luxury.”
More than half of expats (53 percent) say their disposable income is not enough to live a comfortable life in Canada.
And 66 percent of expats living there rate the country as expensive, while more than a quarter of foreign residents (26 percent) say their financial situation is “very bad.”
52. Finland
Second to last in affordability is Finland, where one in five expats (20 percent) say they are not at all satisfied with their financial situation.
Just over half (51 percent) are unhappy with the Nordic country’s high cost of living and, making the country’s high prices painful, just under seven in ten (69 percent) expats say their annual income in Finland are less than $50,000 (£39,500).
51. United Kingdom
The UK falls into the bottom three, with one American expat telling InterNations: ‘I wish our salaries matched the cost of living. I can manage, but ideally I would like to be able to live on my own and I can’t do that on my current salary.’
More than half of expats (58 per cent) are unhappy with the high cost of living in the UK, while two in five (43 per cent) say disposable household income is not enough to live a life comfortable.
Overall, 37 percent of expats living in the UK are unhappy with their financial situation.