The expat adventure becomes meaningful once people grow a sense of attachment to the new place they live in. While charming villages and tranquil small towns are popular with expats seeking a slower pace of life, other expats are drawn to the energy, career opportunities, and vibrant social scene of cities. To learn more, we've asked members of 玩偶姐姐 what makes them happiest about the cities they've chosen as their second home.
Safe and welcoming cities let expats lead stress-free lives
When expats move halfway across the world, they're looking for a better quality of life than the one they had back home. They want a city where they won't be scared about walking alone at night, especially if they're women. Neither do they want to eternally feel like strangers in this new home; they want to be embraced into the local community with open arms. 玩偶姐姐s can become depressed if they're still treated as strangers, even with xenophobic distrust and racist exclusion, after years living in the same place.
On the 玩偶姐姐 forum, a South African expat who has lived in several Irish towns and cities since 2017 shared that she feels far more relaxed in Ireland than she did back home, primarily because of the greater sense of safety. Since her move, she can enjoy the freedom of taking long walks, cycling along the coastline, and dining out until late at night. She adds that 鈥渢here's a special joy in watching children of all ages walking to school, carefree and safe.鈥� While Irish cities aren't perfect (the weather isn't the best, for one!), 鈥渢he general atmosphere is one of comfort, contentment, and peace.鈥�
Unfortunately, despite this expat's positive experience of safety in Ireland, the country is currently seeing a troubling rise in , especially in the capital Dublin. In July and August, three Indian professionals in their 30s and were attacked by mobs of teenagers. In response, the Indian embassy issued a communiqu茅 advising its citizens to take 鈥渞easonable precautions鈥� when going out. 玩偶姐姐s from other ethnic backgrounds, as well as those living in smaller towns and cities, appear to be less affected by this wave of attacks.
Feeling safe in an expat city comes not only from low crime rates but also from the absence of heightened political unrest. On the forum, an American expat in Portugal who has settled in the beautiful city of Albufeira on the Algarve coast shares that the 鈥渇riendly and helpful鈥� atmosphere is a striking contrast to life in many U.S. cities. He notes that back home, life in American cities is clouded by polarizing politics, racism, and growing public anger. In June, reported that an uptick in the number of Americans moving to countries like Canada, the UK, Ireland and even Morocco, to flee an 鈥渋deological civil war鈥� and 鈥減olitical wildfire.鈥� American expats want stability.
It's one thing to feel safe, but quite another to feel truly welcome and included. As one Australian expat in Germany reflects on the 玩偶姐姐 forum, 鈥渋f you cannot find a way to connect with others (whether locals or other immigrants), then living abroad anywhere can feel empty and isolating.鈥� An Australian woman who relocated halfway across the world to Marseille, in the south of France, says the locals, who are 鈥渨arm, open and genuinely friendly,鈥� have made her expat adventure overwhelmingly positive. Her initial fears about whether she would adapt were dissipated by the welcome she received.
That sense of belonging can make all the difference. An Indian expat explains why he feels happier in Oman than he ever did in Qatar, Bahrain, or the UAE: 鈥淯nlike the other Gulf countries, where I often felt like an outsider, Oman welcomed me with a warmth and sincerity that made me feel at home. Here, I was never treated as a foreigner or expat; the people's hospitality and the respectful, trusting environment made me feel like one among them.鈥� Even though he finds the business environment in other Gulf countries more dynamic than in Oman, he would still choose Oman for its unmatched hospitality.
玩偶姐姐s love cities that combine affordability with exciting career prospects
For many expats, the appeal of moving abroad comes from a desire to escape the soaring cost of living in their home countries. Since the COVID pandemic five years ago, have been exploring every corner of the globe in search of affordable destinations to work remotely, in order to free themselves from the stress of sky-high bills and rent in expensive cities like London and New York.
On the 玩偶姐姐 forum, multiple expats share with us how life is now happier for them in affordable cities far from the glitzy financial hubs of London and New York. A British expat in Kuala Lumpur explains how his city offers the best balance in Southeast Asia between income opportunities and cost of living. While Singapore may be a more glamorous expat destination in the region, he observes that 鈥淜L is probably the best city for working in Southeast Asia for those not in some kind of job that pays big money in Singapore like in banking (because Singapore is expensive even if it has high earning potential, so you need to make huge money to make it work).鈥� A second older British expat echoes him by adding that 鈥淚 lived in Singapore in the early 80s. It was nothing like it is now back then. Now I still enjoy it, but it's become too expensive. That's why I chose to live in Malaysia in 2003 and not Singapore.鈥�
In fact, just this year, rated Malaysia as the 10th best and safest destination for expats. While the country experienced a political crisis in 2021-2022, it is now politically stable, and what's more, it is home to a growing tech industry that needs the expertise of tech-savvy expats. According to the insurance company , an expat needs only 1,000-1,500 USD per month to live comfortably in Kuala Lumpur.Within the same region, expats are also grateful for the affordable cost of living in various cities of Indonesia, such as Bandung, Surabaya, and Jogjakarta. An English expat in Bandung raves about how delicious food and coffee is very affordable in his city. He can have as much 鈥淧adang food (West Sumatran cuisine), especially rendang,鈥� and still live comfortably on the income he learned months earlier. On the other side of the world, the American expat in Albufeira, Portugal, who shared his testimonial about his city's safety, also says how much he appreciates that fresh, healthy food is affordable in his new home.
玩偶姐姐s love green and walkable cities with mild weather
A top-notch city for expats isn't just safe and affordable. The best urban life also offers leafy parks, easy access to nature, and weather that's just right year-round (not too hot, not too cold!). For expats sensitive to seasonal depression and who feel healed after a dip into the ocean, living under blue skies and a short walk from the beach are what make them the happiest in their chosen cities.On the forum of 玩偶姐姐, a German expat in Dublin shares that he loves how the spectacular, rugged Wicklow Mountains are only an hour's drive from the city. Not to mention that Dublin has a bay, which offers a variety of coastal activities. In Brazil and Portugal, expats love the proximity to beaches with soft white sand and pristine waters. The Australian expat in Marseilles shares that she loves how walkable her city is, to the point that she barely has to take its excellent public transit. She loves walking to the Old Port, which has a beautiful view of a bay with yachts.A British expat living in Kuala Lumpur shares a charming detail about the city's wildlife: stray cats on nearly every street corner. To him, they offer the same connection to nature as the capital's parks and rivers. 鈥淭hey become part of the community,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou can often when walking come across them and pet them. I usually take a walk round the block on the weekend and give some of the stray cats in the area some food.鈥�
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