London at the bottom of the list
U.S., UAE Tie for Second Place in Ranking Reported by Forbes
The physical beauty of a place alone is not going to be enough to wow expats. Nor can tropical, humid heat all-year round keep a city from walking away with global honours.
This is borne out by a recent Forbes report that showed Singapore ranking as the best place in the world for expats to live in, with London coming at the bottom of the list. You may like to check it out at http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/25/best-expat-postings-forbeslife-cx_vr_0725realestate.html
The U.S. and the UAE (the latter also came in as the best place for luxury living, aided by a tax-free income) tied for the second place.
Singapore had topped a similar expat ranking in March this year that I blogged about then. But that was a survey carried out only among Asian expats.
Spirit of Globalization: But the current survey has no geographical barriers. With more than 190 million people living outside of their home country amid an environment that is increasingly tapping into the spirit of globalization, the ranking is significant.
I chose Singapore because I couldn’t think of any other place which can offer me the best of the East and the West. I even decided against pursuing an option I had two years ago to move to Australia though I love the country and may have found living Down Under charming.
Singapore’s supposedly regimented environment and a lack of the right to free speech did not weigh me down. As a former journalist, I know freedom of expression is dear to me. But I don’t think Singapore has made me lose my voice, I am as open as I have always been.
Other Factors: There are other factors that mattered to me — such as the high quality of life in Singapore, the Government’s commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of its people and an education system that matches the best in the world.
Europe is a great continent, naturally well-endowed and historically significant, but lving there has its own challenges. I am not even going to rake up the usual suspect of racism. The high cost of living there alone, with London ranked the world’s most expensive place, can be an effective deterrent. A colleague, who has studied, worked and lived in London for 15 years, says the place can get boring if you are not into drinking and the night life. Another former colleague, who lived in London for six years, moved to Singapore because he found health-care there not people-friendly. Though it may sound stereotypal, I think these are places that are great to visit, but when it comes to living there are better choices.
The U.S. is also steadily losing its sheen and with a slumping dollar and an economic climate that offers little cheer, the best is already behind the land of opportunity.
As for Singapore, I have no doubt I made the right choice!
— G Joslin Vethakumar
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