Want a happier life abroad? Best countries to move to
New survey reveals which nations offer the best quality of life for expats.
Thinking about living abroad?
Here’s a run down of the top 10 best places to emigrate to, according to NatWest's Quality of Life Index.
10th – Portugal
Portugal has long been a popular destination for British expats, in particular those who are looking to retire to the sun. But recent years have seen the number of people heading to the country explode. UN figures show that back in 2000 there were just short of 10,000 Brit living in Portugal, by 2013 that number had almost doubled to 19,000.
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9th – USA
America is home to over 750,000 Brits who are seeking the American dream. The reasons for emigration vary a great deal and across the age groups. While a huge number head to America for work, plenty go there to study. In 2011 over 9,000 British students attended university in the US, according to the Institute of International Education.
Many pensioners also head to the Eastern sunshine states to enjoy a sunny retirement and the cheaper house prices.
8th – South Africa
This African nation has held a steady position in NatWest’s Quality of Life survey since 2009. The attractions are obvious: great weather, English is widely spoken and you get a lot more house for your money.
In fact it has the 5th biggest British population outside of the UK with 305,000 of us calling South Africa home.
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7th – Australia
In terms of sheer numbers Australia is still number one, with over a million Brits living on the other side of the globe. The figure has remained steady for decades. UN stats show that 1.2 million British people called Australia home in 1990 - the figure now is 1.3 million.
However, the reasons for heading to Australia have changed in recent years, with ‘lifers’ heading abroad for sun, sea and a fresh start now vastly outnumbered by ‘temporary’ expats, taking a short term contract to head over to Oz to work.
6th – Canada
Canada has long been a popular destination for expats - while the weather isn't always much better than the UK, they do speak English and Canada is still part of the Commonwealth.
5th – Hong Kong
This Asian powerhouse has climbed sharply in terms of expat popularity.
There has been a big rise in the number of temporary expats living in Hong Kong, according to NatWest’s research, due to growing demand for British professional skills following rapid economic growth.
The country also offers the opportunity for a better lifestyle with 78% of British expats reporting that they had a larger disposable income after emigrating to Hong Kong.
4th – New Zealand
The lure of wide open spaces and a break from the rat race has kept New Zealand towards the top of the rankings. Over 300,000 Brits have made the move and it remains a popular choice.
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3rd – China
A booming economy, and a greatly improved standard of living, has seen China jump in popularity among expats.
It is one of the key destinations for those wanting to boost their career with a temporary move abroad, with a 34% increase in temporary expats over the past year.
2nd – United Arab Emirates
The opportunity to make a large amount of money with a minimal tax bill has seen Brits heading to the UAE in their droves.
Back in 2000 there were just 20,000 Brits in the Middle Eastern country, but that number has now increased by a third.
1st – Singapore
Top choice with British emigrants is Singapore, having risen from 4th position last year. When surveyed the vast majority of expats said they had seen an overall increase in their quality of life since moving to the Far Eastern nation.
An impressive 86% reported that their health had improved, with a similar number saying they were drawn by the sunny weather and better job conditions.
The Singapore Government has shown that it is keen to encourage Brits to move there, with a raft of tax exemptions and flexible immigration policies introduced. But it is the cash that is really luring people in. More than half of British expats (68%) living in Singapore earn more than £125,000 a year, compared to the global average of 21%. Of the British expats working in Singapore the most popular industries are finance, construction and manufacturing.
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