The best country for expats to move to offers a ‘laidback lifestyle’ and affordable living
Spain is a common destination for expats looking for a relaxed lifestyle, warm weather and delicious food and drink.
Research found it to be the best place for expats based on a number of factors.
Spain was compared to the UK and the United States and came up top for various reasons.
Overall, the European country got a higher livability score than the United Kingdom and the United States.
It is one of the most affordable places to live
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“Spain takes the top spot, with a livability score of 9.27 out of 10,” experts at Moving to Spain said.
“Spain tops the scores for many factors, including income inequality, healthcare, cost of living and safety.
“It’s a diverse, welcoming country that welcomes expats and has a laidback lifestyle.
“Spain’s education system is also excellent, emphasising languages and critical thinking to help students apply knowledge to real life situations.”
The UK followed with a rating of 8.64 and the US was ranked at 7.45 out of 10 for livability.
While Spain has the lowest salary – at $34,358 (£26,614) on average – it had a lower cost of living than other countries, with rent and utilities nearly half as much as in the States.
If considering a move to Spain, an expat has shared the biggest culture shocks she experienced when living there.
She explained things are generally later in Spain than she was used to – with people typically eating lunch and dinner later, which she found difficult to adapt to.
Even going on nights out begins later, with Spaniards staying out during the night, according to the expat.
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Spain is popular with tourists and expats alike
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She said: “If you go to Spain in the summer or in the hot weather, people tend to eat later. This is when the weather cools down and, just in general, it is a super late country.
“It’s really normal in Spain to eat dinner at 10pm or 11pm. You go out and restaurants will be full at midnight. It is something that was really different for me.
“[On a night out] you wouldn’t leave to go to a bar or club until 12.30am at the earliest and usually you would stay out until 6am to 8am. It is a crazy schedule.”
