Malaga is ranked the second-best city to live in for foreigners. After getting chosen as the best city to live as an expat by Forbes, now Malaga is also one of the top cities in the Expat City Ranking of 2021.
Expat City Ranking is a survey of Expat Insider by InterNations, since the first time in 2017. In 2021, more than 12.000 participants from 174 nationalities living in 186 countries participated to determine the best cities in 25 different aspects.
In the Expat City Ranking 2021, the top 3 destinations are Kuala Lumpur, Malaga, and Dubai. Malaga impressed expats mainly with its ideal climate and wide leisure options.
Malaga is in First Rank in Various Subcategories
Overall, Malaga is the second-best city for expats. But, the survey has also other subcategories, Such as leisure and climate. In the first place, living in Malaga for expat offers great climate conditions and leisure facilities.
Starting from San Julian, which is the best beach in Malaga city, there are numerous leisure activities to do in the beautiful city. Things to do in Malaga are countless, and when the wide range of activities merges with the ideal climate, Malaga shows why it is the perfect place to live in.
Participating in activities individually has its own unique experience, but doing them with a group has things to offer differently. As the survey shows that Malaga is the first city with the best social environment, and it is really easy to meet new people in this city, as a foreigner. According to the participants of the survey, over three of four expats in Malaga are happy with their social life, and more than two-thirds state that it is easy to make new friends in the city.
As it is a tradition, most of the Mediterranean countries have welcoming locals. Survey also shows that Malaga is one of the most friendly cities in the world. Malaga ranked the fourth city in feeling welcome and third in local friendliness.
A participant from South Africa says about Malaga: “If you make an effort and respect the local community, it is returned more than equal to you.”.
While living in another country as a foreigner, sometimes it can be really hard to orientate to the new environment. As mentioned before that Malaga is one of the best cities with welcoming locals, the city is also ranked third in the getting settled category.
Malaga is in Top Three Cities for Housing and the Best City for the Local Cost of Living
After choosing the right place for you to live, the next step to consider is housing. In the housing category, Malaga became the third city, among the 57 cities which entered the ranking.
More than two-thirds of the participants rated the affordability of housing in Malaga favorably. Also, close to half of them (48%) completely agree that it is easy for expats to find housing in Malaga. It is equal to twice the global average (24%).
If you are asking "where are the best neighborhoods in Malaga city?", the survey also has the answer. The survey showed that four in five participants feel at home in Malaga, which makes it the third-best city in the world. So, you may find an area suitable for you, but you must know that everywhere is the best place to stay in Malaga.
The next category shows also it is ideal for living in Malaga for foreigners. Malaga is in first place for local cost of living. It is a famously known fact that Malaga offers clearly the best costs of living among the other European cities.
Having a holiday or spending a short period of time in Malaga is a good choice. But, it won’t be enough to experience and explore the benefits of this magnificent city and country. So, if you are willing to buy a second house abroad, Spain is one of the very best places in the world. You may take a look at our blog to read more about the advantages of buying property in Spain.