With global mobility ever increasing, more and more people want to move abroad and explore the world. However, there is a lot to consider when it comes to quality of life and the easy of life.
A report by Expat Insider — one of the largest expat surveys worldwide — has offered an in-depth analysis of everyday expat life in more than sixty countries across the globe.
It reached out to members of the global community and other expats worldwide, asking them to share their motivations for moving and evaluate their life abroad.
More than 14,300 respondents representing 174 nationalities and 191 countries or territories took part and rated their experiences on moving, living and working abroad.
The most important factors for satisfaction in life abroad include Quality of Life (Leisure options, personal happiness, travel and transport, health and well-being, safety and security); Ease of Settling in (Feeling welcome, friendliness, finding friends, language); Working Abroad ( Job and career, work-life balance, job security); Personal Finance; and Family Life (Cost of childcare and education, quality of education, and family well-being).
Healthcare, safety, and the cost of living are crucially important, but so is the quality of education available to expat families looking to give their children the best start in life.
For education, Finland tops all four rankings: availability of education, costs, quality, and education options in general. The latter ranking factor is given a positive rating by 94 percent of parents, compared to just 66 percent globally.
Australia is another country performing well in the education rankings. The country is second for both availability of education and education options in general.
Unfortunately for Greece, the country comes in the bottom three as 59 percent of expat parents overall disagree that education options are numerous and easy to get.
Education in the countries listed below can come at a price, but the quality of education in these nations is considered the best in the world.
13. Czech Republic
Education is highly affordable with close to three-quarters (74%) of expat parents “overall agreeing that education is easy to afford in the Czech Republic compared to the global average of 45%.
12. Austria
“The quality of education is also rated favorably by 85% of expat parents, which is 21 percentage points more than across the globe,” InterNations says.
11. India
Education in India is of a high standard, but it comes at a price for expats. “48% of expat parents think education in India is pricey,” the survey says.
10. Australia
“Education is deemed easy to afford by 64% of expats, compared to 45% globally. The quality of education is also appreciated by an impressive 84% of respondents.”
9. Netherlands
While the low-lying European nation is only ranked as the 24th best country overall in InterNations’ survey, it is well ahead when it comes to education, just cracking the top 10.
8. Taiwan
Taiwan ranked as the best country for expats overall, and part of that was down to the quality of education. However, “for both childcare and education, only 3% of expat parents completely agree that these are easy to afford,” InterNations says.
7. Belgium
“This year, a third of expat parents consider the quality of education in Belgium very good. Last year, just about one-sixth (17%) said the same.”
6. Israel — 84% of expat parents living in Israel consider the educational standards to be favourable, according to the InterNations survey.
5. Hong Kong — Hong Kong is in “the bottom three for both availability of education and its costs,” InterNations says, but the quality is top notch.
4. South Korea — Education quality in South Korea appears to have increased this year, and “47% of expat parents in South Korea rate the quality of education as excellent this year compared to just 22% last year.
3. Switzerland — “The quality of education is among the best in the world,” according to parents surveyed by InterNations.
2. Singapore — Expats in Singapore are not particularly happy with the cost of education in the city-state, but “53% of expat parents also rate the quality of education as excellent.”
1. Finland — The top country for expat education, “an impressive 70% say the quality of education there is excellent compared to the global average of just 21%,” InterNations says.
