Taipei tops InterNations Expat Insider City Ranking - 臺北產經資訊網

In 2018, InterNations asked 11,966 expatriates from 72 cities in 55 countries worldwide to provide a comprehensive assessment in the four indices of Quality of Urban Living, Getting Settled, Urban Work Life, and Finance & Housing. These assessments serve as a key reference for professionals all over the world wishing to work abroad. The four indices are composed of the following subcategories:

• Quality of Urban Living: Expatriates assess leisure options, climate, transportation, safety & security, political stability, and medical care in the cities they live in.
• Urban Work Life: Expatriates assess job satisfaction, business outlook, job & economic security, and work-life balance in the cities they live in.
• Getting Settled: Expatriates assess their perception of various aspects including the friendliness of the locals, feeling at home, ease of finding friends, and ease of learning the local language in the cities they live in.
• Finance & Housing: Expatriates assess satisfaction with their current financial situation, their ability to afford the cost of living, and local consumption levels in the cities they live in.

Taipei City, which was included for the first time in the Expat Insider City Ranking made it straight to the top in 2018. It was ranked in the Top 5 in all four indices. The overall life quality was rated extremely high by expatriates residing in this city. This shows that the city has made strides in the fields of livability and sustainability. High-quality lifestyles and work environments are the primary driving force for the attraction of international talent.

Taipei City is ranked 1^st in the Quality of Urban Living category. Due to the city’s abundant medical resources which are characterized by high convenience and reasonable prices coupled with premium technologies and top service quality, 90% of all expatriates residing in the city are extremely satisfied with the Medical&Environment. The gradual adoption of smart medical services including an integrated platform encompassing personal health records and community care by the Taipei City Government is expected to further perfect the medical environment and will ensure the provision of optimized services for city residents. On the other hand, the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit system has been extended to every corner of the city featuring a direct connection to the international airport in Taoyuan. The reliability and transport volume of this system are record-breaking. Expatriates therefore highly praise the Transportation and Safety in the city (no negative comments are present). On top of that, the Taipei City Government continues to implement the Greater Taipei Metro Network Program and actively deliberates the linkage of the current MRT lines with the circular line north section & south section to form a circular line spanning both Taipei and New Taipei City. These initiatives are expected to further enhance the overall efficiency of the Taipei Metro system.

Taipei City is ranked 2^nd in the category of Urban Work Life mainly due to its robust economy. Local enterprises actively expand their product and service offerings. This generates an insatiable demand for talent in a friendly work environment. 80% of all expatriates residing in the city are therefore satisfied and pleased with their work. In the industry dimension, the Taipei City Government promotes innovative entrepreneurship, industrial transformation and upgrades, as well as the development of industrial clusters. In the Nangang District, the East District Gateway Project was initiated with the goal of linking the Nangang Software Park, the National Biotech Industry Corridor, the exhibition industry, and the music and creative industries. These initiatives will give significant impetus to industrial development and will attract more international talent thereby enhancing international competitiveness.

In the “Getting Settled” dimension, Taipei is ranked 3rd. Despite the fact that a majority of the expatriates state that the language barrier is high, 90% believe that Taipei is an extremely friendly city. This can be explained by the hospitality and willingness of Taipei residents to provide generous assistance to smiling and nodding foreigners as well as the convenient living environment and the ease of finding new friends despite the language barrier.

In the Finance & Housing category, Taipei City is ranked 4th. 70% of all expatriates residing in the city point out that the living expenses are relatively stable and express satisfaction with their current financial situation. Numerous international cities have powerful economies, but their living costs and consumption levels are stunningly high. On the contrary, living costs and consumption levels in Taipei City, which features a robust economy and innovative enterprises, are affordable. Taipei is, therefore, an ideal location for young people pursuing careers and entrepreneurship in other countries.

Due to the joint efforts of the Taipei City Government and all city residents, the quality of life in the city is constantly increasing. The vibrant economic development and friendly social climate have received increasing international attention and praise. In addition to the listing as an ideal city for expatriates, Taipei City was selected by BBC in 2018 as one of the top five cities which have demonstrated continuous improvement in quality of life over the past 10 years based on the Global Liveability Report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Due to its transportation convenience, sound medical environment, diversified educational resources, and friendly residents, Taipei City has garnered very high ratings and its brilliant achievements in urban development are widely recognized. Taipei City Government will continue to embrace the spirit of Livability and Sustainability in its efforts to strengthen the city’s hard and soft power which includes economic prowess and creation of a perfect living environment with a focus on the needs of city residents. Taipei aims to attract global talent and usher in a new golden era for the city.

Original report: https://www.internations.org/expat-insider/2018/the-best-and-worst-cities-for-expats-39685