The incredible Spanish city that's 'friendliest for expats' - with 25C heat in May
A stunning Spanish holiday hotspot which sees balmy 25C temperatures in May was named the most "expat-friendly" city in the world. InterNations, a global network set up by - and for - expats, asked people living outside their country of citizenship around the world to rate their city on various factors to establish an Ease of Settling In Index.
The Ease of Settling In Index is made up of three subcategories with two to three factors each, including:
- Whether expats feel at home and welcome in a city, and how easy it is to get used to the culture there
- The friendliness of the local population, (in general and especially towards foreign residents)
- Whether respondents feel that they have a personal support network in their new city; if they're happy with their social life; and how easy they find it to make local friends
You can find out more about the methodology of the study, which was carried out in early 2024 here.
Málaga, the capital of the province which shares its name within the autonomous community of Andalusia defended its place in 1st in terms of Ease of Settling In, ranking among the top five for every single underlying factor, the firm said.
Expats there regarded local residents as both friendly (84% positive ratings compared with 63% globally) and easy to make friends with (67%).
Malaga finished in pole position in scores for both personal support networks and respondents' happiness with their social life, InterNations said.
Expats also said they found it easy to get used to the local culture (78%) compared to the 59% global average. Meanwhile 84% said they felt at home (compared to 58% globally).
Four out of five (80%) also said they felt welcome in Málaga (vs. 63% globally).
The firm noted that the Expat Insider survey was carried out in February, before the city saw large-scale demonstrations against overtourism, as did other Spanish cities.
Malaga's dreamy climate and vast coastline has seen it dubbed the "Miami of Europe" by some visitors, and with its array of beautiful beaches its easy to see why.
Among the best are the 3,500-metre-long San Julian beach, Guadalmar, Misericordia, San Andres, La Malagueta and Los Banos del Carmen.
The city also has a rich cultural scene for those looking to cool off.
It was famously the home of celebrated artist Pablo Picasso, and has various museums including Picasso Museum, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the Saint Petersburg Russian Museum and the Centre of Contemporary Art.
Daily Express
