Dublin has once again become one of the 10 most liveable cities for Europeans, according to a new expat survey, after it lost this ranking in 2017 due to housing shortage issues.
According to ECA International’s annual Location Ratings Report, which ranks cities around the world based on a number of liveability factors, including availability of health services, housing and utilities, access to a social network and leisure facilities, infrastructure, political tensions and air quality, Dublin has tied for ninth place, alongside Luxembourg and Gothenburg.
This puts it ahead of cities such as Zurich (14), Vienna (17), and Edinburgh (19), but behind the joint top-ranked cities of Copenhagen and Bern, and Geneva in third.
The Irish capital was found to offer superior living conditions for European expats due to improved infrastructure, personal safety and healthcare.
"Dublin has seen a return to the top 10 after dropping out in 2017 due to a shortage of suitable housing for expatriates in the city. However, our research reveals a general opinion from the expat community that they feel safer in Dublin after dark, which has improved the city's personal security score this year," said Neil Ashman, senior location ratings analyst at ECA International.
“Dublin has a strong international expat community, which is why it also scores well for Asian expats versus cities such as Hong Kong that suffered disruption and considerable damage caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in September.”
Toronto and Canberra
Cities in northern Europe and Scandinavia once again dominated the rankings for the most liveable locations for European expats. The Netherlands and Switzerland each have three cities in the top 10.
Outside of Europe, the survey found that the most liveable location for European expats was Toronto in Canada, while Canberra in Australia and Wellington in New Zealand also offered high liveability standards for Europeans, making 40th and 45th place respectively.
“Despite the long travel distances from Europe, which impacts the external isolation score for Europeans away from home, it is no surprise to see the majority of these cities in the top 50. Cities in Australia and New Zealand have always scored well, with low crime, efficient transport services and a range of available housing just some of the attractions,” Ashman said.
Singapore is the most liveable Asian location for European expats and the only one that makes it into the top 100.
