Best cities
Best Modern Cities for Expats
This ranking emphasizes modern-city signals, then uses category fit to keep the top results practical.
cityregioncost/mointernetverdictscore
01Kuala LumpurMalaysiaGo: food is a clear strength, walkability is the main watch-out, and our estimate is about $1,925/mo.🌴 Southeast Asia$1,925/mo116 MbpsGO10.002ViennaAustriaGo: healthcare is a clear strength, affordability is the main watch-out, and our estimate is about $3,445/mo.🏰 Western Europe$3,445/mo82 MbpsGO9.803QueretaroMexicoGo: safety is a clear strength, English friendliness is the main watch-out, and our estimate is about $1,925/mo.🗽 North America$1,925/mo51 MbpsGO9.504YokohamaJapanGo: Tokyo's harbour neighbour — cosmopolitan port city with Chinatown and a more relaxed pace. Our estimate: ~$3,100/mo.🏯 East Asia$3,100/mo126 MbpsGO9.405HamburgGermanyGo: Germany's port city — maritime culture, red brick beauty, and thriving media scene. Our estimate: ~$3,150/mo.🏰 Western Europe$3,150/mo56 MbpsGO9.406BrisbaneAustraliaGo: Subtropical river city on the rise — affordable Australian living with year-round warmth. Our estimate: ~$4,100/mo.🦘 Oceania$4,100/mo90 MbpsGO9.307SydneyAustraliaMaybe: Harbour city icon — beaches, brunch culture, and big-city energy in the sun. Our estimate: ~$5,400/mo.🦘 Oceania$5,400/mo117 MbpsMAYBE9.208KatowicePolandGo: cost of living is a clear strength, English-language ease is the main watch-out, and the estimate is about $1,600/mo.🏛️ Eastern Europe$1,600/mo117 MbpsGO9.109DaeguSouth KoreaGo: Korea-level internet, safety, food, subway access, and a $2,100/mo cost make Daegu strong if you can handle furnace summers.🏯 East Asia$2,100/mo128 MbpsGO9.110EindhovenNetherlandsGo: strong tech ecosystem, international community, lower costs than Amsterdam, and excellent Dutch infrastructure. ~$3,000/mo.🏰 Western Europe$3,000/mo123 MbpsGO9.111RotterdamNetherlandsGo: Bold, modern architecture and raw port-city energy — Amsterdam's cooler counterpart. Our estimate: ~$3,550/mo.🏰 Western Europe$3,550/mo123 MbpsGO9.112MilanItalyGo: Italy's business engine with fashion, design, and surprisingly good remote-work infrastructure. Our estimate: ~$3,600/mo.☀️ Southern Europe$3,600/mo61 MbpsGO9.113ParisFranceMaybe: food is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,520/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏰 Western Europe$4,520/mo247 MbpsMAYBE9.114TorontoCanadaMaybe: Canada's multicultural megacity — diverse, dynamic, and four-season. Our estimate: ~$4,900/mo.🗽 North America$4,900/mo183 MbpsMAYBE9.115CyberjayaMalaysiaMaybe: excellent internet and affordable modern housing, but soulless planned city with no walkability.🌴 Southeast Asia$1,200/mo89 MbpsMAYBE9.016RabatMoroccoMaybe: Rabat is organized, coastal, and calmer than Morocco's tourist hubs at $1,600/mo, but French and a quiet social scene are key limits.🌍 Africa$1,600/mo31 MbpsMAYBE9.017DaejeonSouth KoreaGo: at $2,050/mo, Daejeon pairs fast internet, KAIST tech energy, safety, and KTX access with a calmer Korean-city lifestyle.🏯 East Asia$2,050/mo128 MbpsGO9.018HsinchuTaiwanGo: Hsinchu's tech ecosystem, fast internet, safety, and $2,100/mo cost suit remote workers who can live with wind and a corporate feel.🏯 East Asia$2,100/mo143 MbpsGO9.019BilbaoSpainMaybe: food is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $2,295/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.☀️ Southern Europe$2,295/mo145 MbpsMAYBE9.020IncheonSouth KoreaMaybe: $2,350/mo brings safety, fast internet, Songdo, and quick Seoul access, but sprawl and weaker nightlife make neighborhood choice decisive.🏯 East Asia$2,350/mo128 MbpsMAYBE9.021FrankfurtGermanyMaybe: Germany's financial capital with skyscrapers, global connectivity, and surprising diversity. Our estimate: ~$3,250/mo.🏰 Western Europe$3,250/mo56 MbpsMAYBE9.022OsloNorwayMaybe: Fjord-side Scandinavian capital with design, nature, and eye-watering prices. Our estimate: ~$4,700/mo.❄️ Northern Europe$4,700/mo121 MbpsMAYBE9.023GwangjuSouth KoreaMaybe: exceptional food and culture at great prices, but remote location and thin English/nomad infrastructure.🏯 East Asia$1,850/mo128 MbpsMAYBE8.924AntwerpBelgiumMaybe: healthcare is the main reason to consider it, but weather and our $3,150/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏰 Western Europe$3,150/mo76 MbpsMAYBE8.925StockholmSwedenMaybe: internet is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,760/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.❄️ Northern Europe$4,760/mo136 MbpsMAYBE8.926MaringaBrazilMaybe: excellent quality of life, but no tourist or nomad appeal.🌎 South America$1,250/mo91 MbpsMAYBE8.827MersinTurkeyMaybe: affordable and sunny with good basics, but limited English and no nomad infrastructure.☀️ Southern Europe$1,350/mo29 MbpsMAYBE8.828JoinvilleBrazilMaybe: safe and organized for Brazil, but industrial and limited in lifestyle appeal.🌎 South America$1,400/mo91 MbpsMAYBE8.829SurabayaIndonesiaMaybe: good infrastructure and affordable, but lacks the charm or community that nomads seek.🌴 Southeast Asia$1,400/mo24 MbpsMAYBE8.830GuangzhouChinaMaybe: Canton's trading capital — dim sum homeland with massive market energy. Our estimate: ~$2,550/mo.🏯 East Asia$2,550/mo123 MbpsMAYBE8.831ShenzhenChinaMaybe: China's Silicon Valley — from fishing village to tech megacity in 40 years. Our estimate: ~$3,000/mo.🏯 East Asia$3,000/mo123 MbpsMAYBE8.832BrusselsBelgiumMaybe: food is the main reason to consider it, but weather and our $3,770/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏰 Western Europe$3,770/mo99 MbpsMAYBE8.833Hong KongHong KongMaybe: Vertical city where East meets West — dim sum, skyline, and relentless energy. Our estimate: ~$5,600/mo.🏯 East Asia$5,600/mo247 MbpsMAYBE8.834New York CityUSAMaybe: internet is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $8,200/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🗽 North America$8,200/mo216 MbpsMAYBE8.835LondrinaBrazilMaybe: affordable and safe, but limited charm and no nomad community.🌎 South America$1,200/mo91 MbpsMAYBE8.736Ribeirao PretoBrazilMaybe: prosperous and comfortable, but no international appeal or nomad infrastructure.🌎 South America$1,300/mo91 MbpsMAYBE8.737NeuquenArgentinaMaybe: 45 Mbps and $1,300/mo work, and it is the practical gateway to the Lake District, but Neuquen is an industrial oil city with wind, little English and no nomad scene - a base of convenience for Patagonia, not a destination.🌎 South America$1,300/mo45 MbpsMAYBE8.638DenverUSAMaybe: English friendliness is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,200/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🗽 North America$4,200/mo166 MbpsMAYBE8.639MiamiUSAMaybe: internet is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,800/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🗽 North America$4,800/mo166 MbpsMAYBE8.640SeattleUSAMaybe: internet is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,900/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🗽 North America$4,900/mo166 MbpsMAYBE8.641San FranciscoUSAMaybe: internet is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $8,200/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🗽 North America$8,200/mo166 MbpsMAYBE8.542San JoseCosta RicaMaybe: weather is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $2,805/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🌮 Central America$2,805/mo112 MbpsMAYBE8.343AbujaNigeriaSkip: central districts are orderly, but at $1,900/mo the car dependence, thin nightlife, and regional security concerns outweigh the upside.🌍 Africa$1,900/mo25 MbpsSKIP8.244MaleMaldivesSkip: extremely dense, expensive by regional standards, and limited practical appeal for remote work.🕌 South Asia$2,600/mo25 MbpsSKIP8.245KigaliRwandaMaybe: safety is the main reason to consider it, but nightlife and our $1,920/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🌍 Africa$1,920/mo29 MbpsMAYBE7.946Johor BahruMalaysiaMaybe: affordability is the main reason to consider it, but walkability and our $1,665/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🌴 Southeast Asia$1,665/mo89 MbpsMAYBE7.847BakuAzerbaijanMaybe: affordability is the main reason to consider it, but English friendliness and our $1,875/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏔️ Central Asia$1,875/mo62 MbpsMAYBE7.848Abu DhabiUAEMaybe: safety is the main reason to consider it, but affordability and our $4,990/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏜️ Middle East$4,990/mo196 MbpsMAYBE7.449DohaQatarMaybe: safety is the main reason to consider it, but nightlife and our $3,800/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏜️ Middle East$3,800/mo141 MbpsMAYBE7.150AstanaKazakhstanMaybe: safety is the main reason to consider it, but weather and our $1,665/mo estimate make it profile-dependent.🏔️ Central Asia$1,665/mo60 MbpsMAYBE6.4