Expats living in the U.S. say the best part of living here is There are many career opportunitiesbut the high cost of living makes it a challenging experience for many.
According to the latest report, the United States ranks 35th out of 53 countries in the world as the 35th best country for expats to live in Expat Insider Report InterNations, a global community from people living abroad.
The report considers survey responses from more than 12,500 expats around the world, covering their satisfaction across five broad indices: quality of life, ease of settling in, working abroad, personal finances and “expat essentials” such as The ability to find housing and housing.
In these indices, the United States ranks highest for “working abroad.”
Survey respondents said the United States stands out for its local job market and career prospects for expats. Expats say the local business culture supports resilience, with 65% feeling satisfied with their jobs, compared with only 60% feeling the same globally.
However, foreigners say that the work culture in the United States is not good. Expats working full-time in the United States say they work an average of 43.7 hours per week, compared with the global average of 42.5 hours. They also cited limited vacation time as a factor that negatively affected their experience.
Outside of work, about half (52%) of U.S. expats say they are dissatisfied with the overall cost of living, compared with just 39% of expats around the world who feel similarly.
The biggest financial barriers are housing, health care and transportation costs, especially in areas without robust public transportation infrastructure where people must rely on cars. Only 31% of U.S. expats say they are satisfied with their living expenses, compared with 40% globally.
Newcomers say Americans are generally friendly but also say it’s difficult to make friends and adjust to a social life.
Overall, expats in the U.S. rate the country highly for its strong digital access (from high-speed internet to the use of digital payments), ease of speaking local languages, leisure options and welcoming culture.
According to InterNations survey data, the average age of expats in the United States is approximately 48 years old. Their top reasons for moving here were for school or university (16%), because they were sent here by their employer (12%), or because of their partner’s job (10%). For those working in the United States, they are most likely to work in finance, healthcare, or information technology.
Meanwhile, the most popular countries for expats this year are Panama, Mexico and Indonesia, according to InterNations.
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