Mexico City among top 6 new cities for young expats

Mexico City is alluring to young expats. Photo: File

Bloomberg has named Mexico City one of the world’s six best places to be a young expat whose location is independent. Some would call such a vast megalopolis an unlikely choice, but here’s why it made the list.

For workers, the oldest capital in the Americas has been rapidly gaining attention as a center of entrepreneurs and startups in Latin America. Mexico topped the global ranking in InterNations’ 2022 Expat Insider ranking of the best countries to live. Its high-altitude capital is home to foreigners from all over the world. Blending seven centuries of history with some of the region’s most progressive policies — the city was the first in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriages — the capital is also home to one of the most vibrant restaurant scenes in the Americas.

Here are the others on Bloomberg’s list.

Kuala Lumpur

Long overshadowed by neighboring Singapore, the Malaysian capital is becoming increasingly attractive to global businesses because of its large English-speaking workforce, easy flight connections around the region, and relative affordability. In 2021, the city ranked first in a worldwide survey of some 12,000 expats by InterNations, scoring top for housing.

Lisbon

One of the oldest cities in Europe, Lisbon has reinvented itself as a hipster destination within easy reach of some of Europe’s most spectacular beaches. As described by expat website Dispatches as “arguably the most popular expat destination in Europe at the moment,” Lisbon is enjoying a boom that has seen property prices rise as an influx of wealthy immigrants buy houses in the capital or along the fabled Algarve coast.

Dubai

The desert state has been challenging Hong Kong and Singapore for expat traffic for over a decade. The combination of the pandemic and war in Europe has made the Emirate even more popular. With the jagged spire of the Burj Khalifa soaring over a collection of futuristic architecture, Dubai has invested billions in creating a city of the future.

Bengaluru (Bangalore)

Bengaluru, or Bangalore as it’s still called locally, is one of the world’s fastest-growing tech hubs, home to thousands of startups and software firms. Venture capital flows into the southern Indian city faster than to London or San Francisco, at least by one estimate. A growing expat community has been followed by international schools and bars and bistros serving everything from craft beers to pork ribs. Still, Bengaluru can be challenging to westerners, Bloomberg notes. “Many things in Bangalore seem unfinished, including the roads and buildings,” said one expat.

Rio de Janeiro

Steeped in glamour for much of the last century, Rio boasts an iconic backdrop of tree-covered mountains surrounding one of the world’s most spectacular natural harbors. Even after a massive financial collapse in the 1990s, its laid-back vibe and world-famous beaches have continued to hold an allure for foreigners moving to South America’s largest economy. For Europeans, the city feels particularly familiar.

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