Your Personal “Best Place to Live”
By Russell Jones, moderator
Once a global nomad, always a global nomad? Some will say that a global nomad’s quest for home is never-ending. Even if that is so, there are times when we might be really tired of moving…at least for a while. At certain milestones in life such as marriage, having children, when your children reach school age, or any other personal event, the question often emerges: Where should I settle down?
As an expatriate, this decision is often made for you. In the form of “an irresistible international assignment,” you may feel pressure to accept for the sake of the company’s global growth and because “you are the best man/woman for the job”? On the other hand, if you are an “independent” global nomad, you need to make this choice on your own and it may not be an obvious one. If you are a dual national or a citizen of a country that is part of a union, such as the EU, or has cross-border agreements, such as NAFTA, having too many choices can be as frustrating as having none at all. You may want to return to your country of origin or that of your spouse (if different). You may also want to stay in the country of your current or a former international assignment. Or, you may have an entirely different country in mind. In making that decision, there are a multitude of factors to consider and re-consider as your personal/family requirements and a country’s political/economic realities change.
Appearing to help you with your decision are countless immigration promotion agencies with websites on how to “restart your life overseas,” touting their scenic retirement havens and sunny offshore paradises. Many of these are targeted at retirees or singles wanting to drop out for a while. Other websites will list gorgeous real estate at unbelievable prices, second-passport deals and developing economies with low or no taxes [see ref. 1]. Indeed, there are countries, for example the Philippines that have immigration deals for foreign retired couples bringing a certain amount of capital into the country. But, if you are not a retiree, what are going to do about an income? Are there any employment opportunities in those countries? More often than not, these offshore havens are suffering from a sluggish economy and high unemployment themselves, which has led them to create these special incentives. As a solution to the employment dilemma, the concept of telecommuting is mentioned. While this could be a workable alternative, such telecommuting positions are the exception and usually only feasible for certain professions, typically freelancer type of work, such as graphic designer, author, sales representative etc. Even if you have managed to secure gainful employment that is location independent, the decision whether or not to relocate to these “paradise” countries is still not obvious, especially if you examine the quality of medical care, security issues, child education etc.
To take a more objective approach, you could consult some of the indices and rankings for best country or best city to live in. Every year, in its annual Human Development Report [see ref. 2], the United Nations, as part of its Development Programme (UNDP) ranks nearly 200 countries by livability. This is 400+ page detailed analysis. As an example, Norway [see ref. 3] was ranked as no. 1 in 2006. Runner-ups were Iceland, Australia, Luxembourg and Canada. Further, Mercer Human Resource Consulting [see ref. 4] conducts a yearly study of best cities to live in, in which it ranks 215 cities according to 39 determinants such as social, economic, environmental and personal safety factors, and publishes the results in its “Quality-of-Living Report.” The winner for 2006 was Zurich [see ref. 5]. Runner-up was Geneva, followed by Vancouver [see ref. 6] and Vienna. According to another survey which has been conducted for more than 20 years, last year, the International Living (IL) website selected France as the best place to live in [see ref. 7]. And Argentina reached the top ten list for the first time. The European Commission’s EuroBarometer [see ref. 8] looks at the local perceptions of the quality of life in 31 European cities. If you are an entrepreneur thinking or relocating or starting your business, Cushman & Wakefield annually publish the European Cities Monitor [see ref. 9], in which they analyze various European locales in terms of the pertinent business considerations.
In the end, the choice of the best place to live depends on a numerous personal factors including how you measure quality of life [see ref. 10], and the decision is only yours. Your requirements may be so unique that professional advice and any rankings are of limited help. Therefore, make your own list of determinants and prioritize them. Then, if possible, visit the top 3 places you are considering. The longer you can stay, the better. While it may only give you a tourist’s perspective, if you dig a bit deeper, such as making inquiries with the municipal authorities and talking to other expats or global nomads whose move was – or wasn’t – successful, you could get closer to reaching a decision you are comfortable with.
