The pandemic has heightened our appreciation for where we live, with many reconsidering their hometowns. Coupled with the flexibility of remote work and international borders slowly opening up, now might be the time to consider that relocation you've long dreamed of. To determine the ideal places to call home, U.K. finance site money.co.uk studied the best cities to move around the world in its Relocation Report, released this week.
Austin came in first, thanks in part to its average temperature of 68.7 degrees and average monthly salary of £3,984 (or $5,378), as well as its internet speed of 87.5 Mbps. Next up was the most populous city in the world, Tokyo, for its plethora of restaurants and parks, as well as its high life expectancy at age 84. Charleston landed in third place, also noted for its lightning fast internet speed of 106.5 Mbps — the fastest of any city on the list — and average monthly salary of £3,147 (or $4,248).
Rounding out the top 20 list was Dubai in fourth, followed by Los Angeles; Abu Dhabi; Miami; Muscat, Oman; San Francisco; Las Vegas; Manama, Bahrain; Doha; Washington, D.C.; Istanbul; Bangkok; São Paulo; Chicago; Alicante, Spain; Valencia, Spain; and Cape Town. Other American cities on the list included New York City (in 21st place) and Boston (in 67th).
To arrive at the results, the company narrowed down cities to a list of 84 major places with significant data in various categories, including gathering weather stats from climate-data.org, property prices from Numbeo, green spaces and restaurants from Tripadvisor, life expectancy from The World Bank and internet speeds from Bandwidth Place.
The study also looked at the most expensive cities to relocate, with a trio of Swiss destinations costing the highest. Basel was in first, where the annual cost of living averages £53,748 (or about $72,573); followed by Zurich, where it's £53,458 (or about $72,181); and Lausanne, where it's £51,648 (or about $69,745). On the other end of the scale, Istanbul was the most affordable, with an annual cost of living of £12,753 (or about $17,221), followed by Buenos Aires at £13,802 (or about $18,638) and Kuala Lumpur at £15,240 (or about $20,577).
If warm weather is top of mind, the Middle East beckons, with Dubai in first boasting an average of 82.8 degrees Fahrenheit and only 68 millimeters of rainfall, trailed by Abu Dhabi, which has an average temperature of 82.2 degrees with 42 millimeters of rain. The region is also the best for those looking to be near the shore, with Doha in first, Abu Dhabi in second, and Dubai in third for best coastal cities.
While these cities may top this study, other incentives may also help sway the decision, like cities that are willing to pay its new residents for moving there.
Source: Travel + Leisure
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