Hyderabad, Pune best cities for foreign workers in India: study

Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru rank higher than Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai in terms of quality of life for international employees in India, a study by global consulting firm Mercer said.

It’s another matter that the top three cities in India are ranked 153, 154, and 156 globally in Mercer’s Quality of Living City Ranking 2023.

Mercer’s data assesses the practicalities of daily life for expatriate employees and their families in assignment locations worldwide.

Vienna tops global ranking

Vienna topped the global rankings, followed by Zurich and Auckland.

This year, the top 10 cities providing a high quality of living include seven locations in Western Europe, two from Pacific and 1 from North America.

Copenhagen takes the fourth position in the rankings. Known for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure, Denmark’s capital offers a high quality of living with its emphasis on sustainability, green spaces, and excellent healthcare and education systems, the study said.

Germany has three cities in top 10

Germany has several cities that feature prominently at the top of the rankings, with Frankfurt, Munich, and Dusseldorf ranking sixth, seventh, and tenth, respectively.

In addition to the 7 European countries in the top 10, other notable cities with a high quality of living include Amsterdam, The Netherlands (14th), Oslo, Norway (24th), Stockholm, Sweden (26th), Paris, France (32nd), Helsinki, Finland (34th), and Dublin, Ireland (42nd).

The ranking considers various factors such as political stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. Each city has its unique charm and advantages, making Europe a diverse and appealing region for residents, international assignees, and visitors alike, Mercer said in the report.

In addition to the quality of living that a location can provide, the cost to live there influences how attractive a location is to employees and corporations.

In general, countries and cities are continuously striving to attract global businesses as well as digital nomads and mobile employees. The most successful locations are currently those combining flexible governance for mobile talent, a high quality of life and a reasonable cost of living.

London ranked 45th

In the United Kingdom, London secures the 45th position, followed by Aberdeen (49th), Edinburgh (51st), Glasgow (54th), Birmingham (60th), and Belfast (67th).

In the Pacific region, apart from Auckland at third place, Sydney in Australia secures the ninth spot with its world-renowned landmarks, thriving economy, and diverse lifestyle options which contribute to its top-tier quality of living.

In North America, Vancouver in Canada, which offers a blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan living, occupies the eighth place globally.

San Francisco is top-ranked US city

San Francisco is the top-ranked city in the US with the best quality of life for foreigners, the study showed.

In Asia, Singapore, which offers a clean and safe environment combined with highly efficient infrastructure, was the top-ranked city-country at 29.

Several cities in Japan made it to the list, with Yokohama being ranked at 47th, Tokyo at 50th, Osaka at 58th.

Seoul in South Korea, known for its fast-paced lifestyle and technological advancements, is ranked 81st on the list.

Shanghai in China is ranked at 109th, followed by Beijing which is ranked at 126th, and Guangzhou at 132nd.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi top-ranked in Middle East

In the Middle East, Dubai was ranked at 79th place, and Abu Dhabi 84th. The cities are renowned for their modern infrastructure and diverse expatriate communities.

Dubai, however, is seeing rapid construction and urbanization, which is leading to increasing traffic congestion and climate change concerns such as an increases level of air pollution.

In Africa, Port Louis, located in Mauritius, is ranked 88th globally with the best quality of living standards and safest in Africa. Port Louis is followed by Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, which holds the 98th position in the ranking.

The places with the least standard of living and those at feature at the bottom of the list are N’Djamena in Chad, Bangui in Central African Republic, and Khartoum in Sudan that rank 236th, 239th and 241st, respectively.