Bangkok a cheap posting for expats, says Nestpick
Bangkok is ranked as the 62nd most expensive city to relocate to, says furnished apartment aggregator Nestpick.
Expats looking to relocate to the city can expect to shell out US$1,112 (35,700 baht) in their first month in the city, a figure which includes a $79 visa fee, $440 for rent, $17 for internet, $20 for phone, $37 for transport and $516 for food.
While Bangkok is one of the cheapest relocations worldwide, it’s still more expensive than other cities in the region, including Kuala Lumpur, where expats can expect to spend $1,014.
Dubai is the most expensive relocation, based on a first-month living cost of $4,251.68, with high rent prices and visa fees. Cairo is the least expensive, based on a first-month living cost of $656.80, with cheap rent prices and affordable food and drink, according to Nestpick.
No Asian city made it into the top 10 most expensive.
The study looked at the most popular destinations for work opportunities, top universities and thriving startup cultures, before finalising a list of 80 cities from around the globe.
To calculate the cost of relocating to each place, the search engine first researched the potential immigration factors such as a possible visa fee and the visa processing time. Next, the living costs for the first month were calculated, covering rent prices, internet, phone service, food and drink, and public transport.
“The world has never been more accessible than it is right now to those seeking out employment opportunities, cultural exchanges or remote working hubs,” said Omer Kucukdere, managing director of Nestpick. “In the last few years especially, we’ve seen trends that more people than ever are relocating to far-flung destinations which have rapidly digitised. It’s now equally as possible to find 4G on a beach as it is in a built-up city.
“The cost of living is often a huge factor for those looking to move, with the initial month almost always incurring extra costs due to potential visa applications.”
According to the study, New Zealand has the highest visa fees, at $2,159.46, and the longest visa processing time, at 381 days. San Francisco has the priciest rent, at $2379, while Bangalore has the cheapest, at $160.
UAE has the most expensive internet costs, at $111.02, while Moscow’s are little more than $5.
Switzerland has the most expensive phone service prices, at $106.73, while Warsaw’s are a mere $5.48.
Switzerland has the most expensive food and drink prices, at $1,193.96, while Bangalore’s are the least, at $255.
London has the most expensive transport prices, at $168.71, while Cairo’s are the least expensive, at $7.14.