Bangkok’s popularity amongst expats continues to fall: survey

 

 

Bangkok’s popularity amongst expats who live in the city has plummeted, according to a new survey.

 

Released this week, the Expat Insider: The Best & Worst Cities for Expats in 2020 by InterNations ranks the best and worst cities in the world for expats to live.

 

This year’s survey is based on the rankings of 66 cities around the world.

 

For the survey,  more than 15,000 expatriates representing 173 nationalities and living in 181 countries or territories provided information on various aspects of expat life, such as: Quality of Urban Living, Getting Settled, Urban Work Life,  Finance & Housing, and Local Cost of Living. 

 

Data was collected in March 2020.

 

The report ranked Thailand in 30th place overall, which while above average in the Expat City Ranking 2020, was down ten places from the 20th place it ranked in 2019, and significantly down from the 5th and 8th place ranking in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

 

Bangkok scored particularly poorly in the Quality of Urban Living Index (53rd) ranking and came in last worldwide for its urban environment (66th), with 64% of expats unhappy with this factor (vs. 21% globally).

 

An expat from Germany said, “there is awful air pollution in Bangkok and a lack of green  spaces”. Expats are also unhappy with the political stability — just 26% rate this factor positively (vs. 61% globally). 

 

Bangkok didn’t score much better in the Urban Work Life Index (50th) does not look a lot better: expats  are dissatisfied with their local career opportunities (49% unhappy vs. 34% globally) and the state of  the local economy (33% unhappy vs. 18% globally). 

 

This is outweighed by slightly above-average  results in the Getting Settled Index (28th), with 75% of expats saying that the local residents are  friendly (vs. 68% globally). Another 72% are happy with their social life in Bangkok (vs. 59% globally). 

 

However, it wasn’t all bad news. The survey said that expats in Bangkok were just as happy as expats in Singapore, despite its much lower overall rankings. 

 

Over two in three expats (67%) feel their disposable household income is more than enough to pay for everything they need (vs. 51% globally). A US American expat appreciates that expat life in  Bangkok is “less stressful than living in the USA, with about one-third fewer costs for a good quality of  life”. 

 

Additionally, 88% of survey respondents said it is easy to find a place to live in the Thai capital (vs. 55%  globally), while three in five expats in Bangkok (60%) agreed that housing is generally affordable in their city (vs. 41% globally).

 

Regionally, Singapore (5th), Kuala Lumpur (8th) and Ho Chi Minh City (19th) all ranked higher than Bangkok.

 

Globally, Valencia (1st), Alicante, Lisbon, Panama City, Singapore, Málaga, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid,  and Abu Dhabi (10th) were ranked as the top 10 cities for expats to live in 2020. 

 

Both Valencia and Alicante - which was described as a retirees dream destination - both scored highly amongst financially conscious expats.

 

Read the report in full here: https://assets.thaivisa.com/forum/uploads/monthly_2019_12/bkk.jpg.8ea57ae42805b3bb65d5c18302cdf8d3.jpg

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-11-28

 

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Yet another meaningless global survey. Personally, this has been one of the best countries to live for the past 15 years. 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

expats  are dissatisfied with their local career opportunities

I’m wondering what career opportunities people expect who don’t speak the local language and whose salary requirements probably are well above those of locals.  

24 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

Yet another meaningless global survey. Personally, this has been one of the best countries to live for the past 15 years. 

 

Compared to countries in Africa or South America? 

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“there is awful air pollution in Bangkok and a lack of green  spaces”

 

Pattaya is well behind Bangkok in terms of green spaces and parks, and it seems to be doing its best to catch up on the air pollution front.

Looks like I'm off to Spain for a look around.

No surprise the outcome of this survey..

Clearly the survey is a Bangkok-centric one; thus i think it’s fair to expect that some of these responses might be quite different for those who live well outside the central area. Plus, i think a few issues are geared to the “working” crowd (as opposed to retired, etc) so here too i’ll bet some of the data may not reflect a percentage of the expatriate population.

 

That said, i do tend to agree with some of the highlights — such as the green spaces question.. 

1 hour ago, IamNoone88 said:

Yet another meaningless global survey. Personally, this has been one of the best countries to live for the past 15 years. 

It always comes down to personal preferences IMO, hence personally meaningless to you as you state.  A survey is just a general overview of opinions collated, in this case 15,000 expats being members/participants of InterNations survey.  

Maybe as a general yard stick guide to those considering where to retire though.  I was unaware for example of Valencia being a desirable location and hence looking it up out of interest with cost of living being a drawcard for me and other factors, that may not be an issue for others.  I have lived in Thailand and in Vietnam.  Both I loved overall, despite any place having its negatives like anywhere.  

 

Who the hell are they asking? 

Bangkok is a great city to live in and it keeps getting better. 

 

58 minutes ago, Guderian said:

 

Pattaya is well behind Bangkok in terms of green spaces and parks, and it seems to be doing its best to catch up on the air pollution front.

Pattaya's saving Grace is the sea breeze.  It is what drops the average temperatures down a notch from Bangkok's and offsets the lack of green spaces. 

Pre 2006 Thailand was a great place to live and holiday in and definitely the jewel of asia but greed and the military just couldn't help themselves. Attitudes definitely changed towards expats and this last lot have totally destroyed what little was left. However there are still many deluded expats or They have just invested to much to admit they made a mistake. What once was will never be the same again.

2 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Yet another meaningless global survey. Personally, this has been one of the best countries to live for the past 15 years. 

but you say "personally" thus "only" your personal opinion, were you included on the 15,000 that were surveyed, if so,  it appears 14,999 people may had a different opinion then yours 555

26 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

Pre 2006 Thailand was a great place to live and holiday in and definitely the jewel of asia but greed and the military just couldn't help themselves. Attitudes definitely changed towards expats and this last lot have totally destroyed what little was left. However there are still many deluded expats or They have just invested to much to admit they made a mistake. What once was will never be the same again.

You said a lot without actually saying anything. What did greed and the military actually do? Where in Bangkok are you getting bad attitude?

You don't live in Bangkok lol

 

1 hour ago, aussienam said:

Pattaya's saving Grace is the sea breeze.  It is what drops the average temperatures down a notch from Bangkok's and offsets the lack of green spaces. 

Except in the winter months when the breeze blows from the land, not the sea.  Then, Pattaya's air can rival Bangkok's.

Economics plays a big part in Bangkok living, it’s still liveable on a small budget and the poontang sways the scale in favour.

Nice (France) gets into most of the top ten lists but is ridiculously expensive.

Ive lived in Spain and certainly rate Barcelona and Alicante, yet unrest and high crime plague these cities. 

Survey is from March placing European cities in the top ten, Europe post March, not such a happy place.

Ok, with the quarantine, but please allow,  2 beers  per day , like responsible adult can manage, even dithy farang....

Lived in Vientiane for 28 years and would live here another 28 if my body would let me, love visiting Bangkok and have worked and lived there collectively for almost 2 years, but its always great coming home to the greener, quieter and fresher aired Vientiane !

KL is looking good according to that list, most probably because of the ease to obtain a visa.

If they asked more important questions like "how cheap and pretty are the girls" Bangkok may rise up the rankings....

Bangkok is still sinking then?

I have to agree with Scot123. Being an old hand here i can honestly say that Thailand has given me some of the best laughs and times in the last thirty years, unfortunately i can say that the rot set in around 2006, was filled up in 2014 and now the decay has spread so far that the only solution is EXTRACTION ! 

I'm sorry for the Johnny come latelys because they'll never know how good Bkk and Thailand used to be......  There'll never be an "Old Thermae" again....... and even the fairys rule the Malaysia Hotel now........ We're all Doomed !    Thanks Thailand......Re-Set necessary......  

19 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Bangkok’s popularity amongst expats who live in the city has plummeted, according to a new survey.

Like most things Thailand, it's slipping backwards.

11 hours ago, Polaky said:

KL is looking good according to that list, most probably because of the ease to obtain a visa.

 

Visa and property much better if you have the finances and add less hassle with the language, good food, friendly locals, good nightlife, decent infrastructure etc. I look at KL as a mini Bkk with a few pluses (such as the language and food), a few minuses (more expensive, taxis are abysmal but Grab is fine) and a few similarities (traffic sucks, if a real night owl need to track down the late night clubs, if looking to hire companionship plenty around but no need, who knows what way the government can swing in the future).

16 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Yet another meaningless global survey. Personally, this has been one of the best countries to live for the past 15 years. 

Survey was not about the country (Thailand) but the city (Bangkok).

 

I left Bangkok in 1984, after 3 years there when traffic became bearable. But I didn't leave Thailand.

 

Who decides that Valencia are number 1 of all the cities for expats ? I have lived in Europe more than 30 years, never even considered Valencia.  

11 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Bangkok is still sinking then?

It stopped sinking on direct orders from ?????

2 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

Visa and property much better if you have the finances and add less hassle with the language, good food, friendly locals, good nightlife, decent infrastructure etc. I look at KL as a mini Bkk with a few pluses (such as the language and food), a few minuses (more expensive, taxis are abysmal but Grab is fine) and a few similarities (traffic sucks, if a real night owl need to track down the late night clubs, if looking to hire companionship plenty around but no need, who knows what way the government can swing in the future).

It will be interesting when things get back to pre-covid normal for travel. 

 Will all the same style bars etc ( go-go and similar ) come back to life as they were before or will it be completely different, a sort of plastic Singapore?

 

5 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Will all the same style bars etc ( go-go and similar ) come back to life as they were before or will it be completely different, a sort of plastic Singapore?

 

Don't even jokingly say that ... I see Bkk moving that way and it sucks IMO.

 

Actually quite like Singapore, in small doses, but ditched it from the itinerary when they banned vaping (happy to play the game in Thailand, not so sure I'd like to try my luck in Singapore). Used to do a slow wind up when heading over, 2 or 3 days in SG, then onto KL for a week or so before hitting Bkk. Was a nice way to get out of work mode but hate the thought of Bkk being as "sterile" as Singapore.

28 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Don't even jokingly say that ... I see Bkk moving that way and it sucks IMO.

 

Actually quite like Singapore, in small doses, but ditched it from the itinerary when they banned vaping (happy to play the game in Thailand, not so sure I'd like to try my luck in Singapore). Used to do a slow wind up when heading over, 2 or 3 days in SG, then onto KL for a week or so before hitting Bkk. Was a nice way to get out of work mode but hate the thought of Bkk being as "sterile" as Singapore.

Similar thoughts. Haven't been for quite a few years.