Saudi Arabia outranks US for expat life, Kuwait ranks worst

DUBAI — The United States ranked two spots below Saudi Arabia in a survey that asked expatriates for the best place to live in a global report published this week. Kuwait ranked the worst out of 53 countries. 

Saudi Arabia was considered the 28th best country to live in as an expat and the United States ranked 30th, according to the Expat Insider 2023: The World Through Expat Eyes, by InterNations. 

Just south of the United States, Mexico topped the list as the most desirable place for expatriates to live globally, followed by Spain and then Panama. From the Middle East and North Africa, Bahrain (ninth) was the only country to make the top-10 list, and the United Arab Emirates and Oman placed 11th and 12th, respectively.

Here are the top places in the MENA region for expats to live, according to InterNations' global ranking: 

1. Bahrain, 9th

2. UAE, 11th 

3. Oman, 12th 

4. Saudi Arabia, 28th

5. Qatar, 31st 

6. Turkey, 51st

7. Kuwait, 53rd

In February, the survey was sent to more than 12,000 expatriates living in 172 countries with an online questionnaire organized into five categories. Participants were asked to rate 56 factors in the categories of quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finance and expat essentials. Only countries with a sample size of at least 50 participants were considered. 

The United States ranked high with expatriates for job opportunities and career growth, but the nation performed lowest for personal finance (42nd) and quality of life (44th). Under quality of life in the subcategory of health care, the United States ranked second to worst in 52nd place, only ahead of Ireland. These factors helped pull the US ranking down to 30th on the overall index below China (26th) and Saudi Arabia (28th).  

Mexico achieved its first-place position, and a top-five place since the survey began in 2014, by leading in multiple subcategories including local friendliness and ease of getting used to Mexican culture.  

Bahrain, the MENA winner and ninth best place for expatriates globally, ranked first for expat essentials globally and moved up 19 positions since last year in the subcategory of personal finance. It rose from the bottom 10 in 2022 to 27th position this year. The cost of living in the island kingdom received a positive rating from nearly half of expatriates surveyed in 2023, up from one-third 2022.

Kuwait ranked as the worst country for expatriates globally and has performed consistently low over the past 10 years of the survey. Expatriates are particularly unhappy with their quality of life (53rd) and their leisure options (53rd). Almost half of those surveyed said they feel they cannot openly express their opinions and found it difficult to find friends.

Turkey ranked 51st in the overall index and the worst worldwide for working abroad. About 30% of expatriates in the country, nearly twice the global average, are unhappy with their working hours. They do not feel secure or believe there are many career opportunities, and nearly one in four are not satisfied with their jobs in general. 

The UAE just missed the top 10 by one spot, falling to 11th place overall, likely due to its lowest subcategory score of environment and climate at 22nd. Expats expressed dissatisfaction with the natural environment of the Emirates, whose arid desert climate has only two extreme seasons, high temperatures and humidity levels that can reach nearly 100%. It ranked very high, defending its second place from last year, in the expat essentials category that covers expatriate digital life, housing and language.

Oman, which followed one step behind the UAE overall in 12th place, also fell one spot behind the emirates in the expat essentials category and the housing subcategory under it, achieving third place in both. Three in five expatriates in Oman said they found housing relatively affordable. 

Saudi Arabia earned lower scores in the categories of quality of life (40th) and ease of settling in (32nd), but excelled in other categories including working abroad (14th). The kingdom earned its highest category ratings and rank of ninth in expat essentials. 

Under this category, Arab countries made up half of the top-10 list for the subcategory of essentials for seamless life abroad, with respondents expressing how easy it is to get around without speaking the local language. Saudi Arabia was the only Arab country not in the top 10 of the subcategory in 17th place.