Alicante is the third best city in the world to live, according to foreign residents

Alicante is the third best city in the world according to expatriates. This decision stems from the results analysed in the annual InterNations Expat City Ranking, where people living and working abroad offer their perspective on their new destinations.

In this new ranking, updated to 2024 and also published in Forbes, the city of Alicante has moved from second to third place. Nevertheless, the opinions of those surveyed keep the provincial capital on the podium of global destinations, led by Spain and topped by Valencia and Malaga.

Alicante surpasses Madrid, which finishes - in seventh place - with the Spanish cities in the 'top 10' of this ranking. This range includes others such as Panama City, Mexico City, Ras Al Khaimah, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Barcelona ranks as the 21st city on this list, with no mention of any other municipality on the peninsula.

Unlike the other four Spanish cities, Alicante is the only one to occupy a spot in the top ten in the Expat Essentials index (seventh), a result that is due to the Housing subcategory, where it ranks fifth.

More than two-thirds of respondents in Alicante, 68%, positively rate the affordability of housing, double the global average which stands at 34%. Additionally, 62% of participants in the ranking results say it is "easy to find," compared to 45% worldwide.

Other factors elevating Alicante as the third best city in the world to live are found in other subcategories, such as Digital Life. This variant ranks 16th, something "decent," as expatriates indicate they rank first in unrestricted access to online services such as social networks and eighth in cashless payment.

Participants in the annual InterNations Expat City Ranking leave 24% negative responses regarding the online availability of government services, an item that collects 22% worldwide. Administrative procedures rank 29th, due to "problems with bureaucracy and local authorities," with 55% negative responses compared to 42% on average.

The foreign work index of Alicante ranks 41st, as career prospects - ranked 50th - remain among the lowest for a third Spanish city, and job security - ranked 47th - is a concern. Additionally, less than half of expatriates there (47%) agree that the local business culture supports flexibility (compared to 56% worldwide).

However, like in the two main cities - Malaga and Valencia - working abroad is not the attraction of Alicante. More than half of those surveyed (56%) are retired, do not perform any paid work, or are not seeking employment (compared to 21% worldwide).