This European City Is the No. 1 Destination for Expat Quality of Life — and It Gets 300 Days of Sunshine a Year

Ever thought about packing it all up and moving abroad? If you need a little help deciding exactly where, the experts at InterNations have an idea. 

Each year, the pros at InterNations, a website that connects expats around the world, release their Expat City Ranking, showcasing the top destinations for quality of life. The ranking is based on data collected from the Expat Insider 2024 survey, which asks expats worldwide to rate up to 53 factors, including personal satisfaction in their new home, cost of living, healthcare, safety, housing, and more. It also asks expats to answer the question, “All things considered, how happy are you with your life abroad in general?”

In 2024, the team gathered responses from 12,543 expats representing 175 nationalities. After tallying their responses, the researchers named Valencia, Spain, the top destination for those looking for a new life abroad. 

“After a minor slip to 3rd place in 2023, Valencia returns to 2022 form by regaining first place in the 2024 Expat City Ranking. It also ranks first in the Quality of Life and Personal Finance Indices,” the team shared in its findings. “No respondent in Valencia (0 percent) had anything negative to say about the affordability of public transportation (vs. 15 percent globally), opportunities for recreational sport (vs. 11 percent), or their personal safety (vs. 8 percent). In fact, more than nine in 10 expats rated these factors favorably, up to 96 percent for public transportation costs (vs. 70 percent). More than three in four expats (77 percent) are also satisfied with the general cost of living (vs. 40 percent globally) and their financial situation (vs. 54 percent).” 

However, the research noted one drawback: According to local expats, “working abroad” can be difficult in Valencia. Expats aren’t impressed by the local job market (46 percent negative responses vs. 31 percent globally). Nevertheless, they feel that they’re paid fairly for their work and enjoy their work-life balance.” And, of course, it doesn’t hurt that Valencia experiences 300 days of sunshine per year.

Another Spanish city, Alicante, came in second place for best expat quality of life, followed by Vienna, Austria, and two more Spanish destinations rounding out the top five, with Madrid and Malaga taking fourth and fifth place, respectively. So if you need a little direction on where to go, it sure sounds like Spain is the spot to be.

See the full rankings at internations.org.