Abu Dhabi world’s 10th safest place

Out of 66 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2020, Abu Dhabi comes 10th overall, performing best in the safety and politics subcategory and worst in the work-life balance subcategory.

According to the report, a copy of which Khaleej Times has seen, among the Middle Eastern destinations in the Expat City Ranking 2020, Abu Dhabi is the one bestrated, ranking 10th out of 66. “It performs especially well in the Getting Settled Index (17th). Expats in Abu Dhabi do not only find it easy to live there without speaking the local language, 93 per cent vs. 54 per cent globally; however, they also consider it easy to make new friends — 57 per cent vs. 47 per cent worldwide,” said the report.

Moreover, they describe the local population as both friendly in general (17th) and friendly towards foreign residents in particular (16th).

The finance and housing index is Abu Dhabi’s second-biggest strength. While 70 per cent said it is easy to find housing versus 55 per cent globally, only 28 per cent find it affordable, versus 41 per cent globally. “Nonetheless, 63 per cent are satisfied with their financial situation, about the same as the global average - 61 per cent,” it added.

The city’s results in the quality of urban living — 33rd — and urban work life (36th) indices are just about average. Abu Dhabi benefits from the easy availability of healthcare (10th) and the high degree of personal safety. A total of 78 per cent of expats feel completely safe in Abu Dhabi as compared to 45 per cent globally. However, only 50 per cent are happy with the local climate and weather. In terms of working in Abu Dhabi, expats are dissatisfied with their job security (47th), their working hours (51st), and their work-life balance (52nd).