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I recently read that Iceland ranked first, Norway ranked second (although that may have been Sweden), and that Australia ranked third for Livable countries.
Please provide your best counsel: what is the best city to live in and why?
1. There is no "best city". Ask 1,000 people and you may get 1,000 different answers.
2. Relocating from the U.S. is as difficult as relocating to the U.S. No one cares how much you "want to" - there are laws and regulations.
3. You should speak the language of the country you're going to, otherwise no job, no money.
1. There is no "best city". Ask 1,000 people and you may get 1,000 different answers.
2. Relocating from the U.S. is as difficult as relocating to the U.S. No one cares how much you "want to" - there are laws and regulations.
3. You should speak the language of the country you're going to, otherwise no job, no money.
CBB, great answer, not much more to add. The OP's question was too vague, unless there's some additional criteria or preferences, it would be just like asking what's the best place to live in the USA. Again, no right answer, just depends on what you want and as Xpat said, what makes you happy.
As the others alread said depends on what kind of things you like. Warm weather? The sea? Mountains. Zurich and Geneva on top of the best cities to live list are suppoed to be great cities, but I found them to be too small, and be aware, you'll need to speak swiss-german in switzerland, which is simply not understandable even for people with german as native language. In Austria they put subtitles when swiss talk on tv.
If you're raising children I could recommend my home town vienna. I'm definitely biased, but it's a big city (about 1.7 million in the city, 2.5 in the metro), very safe, we had 29 murders in 2006, Phoenix, AZ which is actually smaller had 234!! We have great public transport, cheap living (compared to other european countries, not to the US), apartments are very cheap if you get one from the city, which are one third of all apartments you pay below 500 Dollar for about 70 square meters (sorry don't know how to convert in square feet), but you'll pay less then 750 everywhere except downtown for 70sqm.
However the weather is ****, summers are great, but winters are cold enough to get on yur nerves but not cold enough to get significant amounts snow ad you barely see the sun from November to March. I find the architecture unappealing, but especially american seem to like the 19th century high desity housing we have, people can be unfriendly and although food prices are comparable to the US things like CDs, jeans, T-Shirts, Computers etc. cost atleast 20% more than in the US, you get shoes for about double the price..
Most importantly you'd have to learn german which is veryhard to learn, and depending on what you earn pay up to 50% taxes, wages are on average lower than in the US, but depending if you are wealthy or middle class you could profi from that. Wages tend to be more equal in Europe, I as a teacher get here much more than I would in the US, while my brother, a lawyer earns only a little more than I do, much less than he would in the US.
Anyways the ebst place to live is somewhere different for everyone, I don't like Vienna and I'm leaving, a lot of people love the mediterannean coast, but it's very expensive, with almost no jobs and high criminality, Scandinavia is great to live (and I don't find it boring, I only don't like the binge drinking swedes like to do) but the weather is not too great, and americans tend to dislike the high taxes and liberal poltics. Every placehas its pluses and minuses, you will have to tell what you want because it all epends on you.
Many of us have lived in different countries, and we would be able to give advice - but we need more information.
The OP does not give any criteria or background information.
But off the top of my head, I'll say
Vancouver, BC
Melbourne, AU
Auckland, NZ
and for the more adventurous ...
Buenos Aires, AR
Montevideo, UY
Paris, FR
Funny I found this thread because I am in the same boat. I'm currently looking for the best place to raise my two children. I'm a well-educated mother of two. I'm widowed. I have enough means to have a modest fixed income (meaning I won't necessarily have to work). My children have the right to Irish passports, but I don't. I am fluent in Spanish and have lived and worked (temporarily) in Spain.
I have researched and researched. I am considering the following..
Andorra
Spain (probably Catalonia (which presents a language problem of its own, as does Andorra...)
Hawaii
I've ruled out Switzerland--though that was strongly recommended by many, many people. I just don't know if trying to learn another language at this point in my life AND try to raise my two children, flying solo, would be prudent.
Interesting to see the other suggestions. My husband and I had discussed New Zealand also....
The best place I have ever lived was Vicenza Italy. I loved, loved, loved it there! I want to go back and never leave! The reason? The people are so warm, and carefree. They shut everything down in the afternoon for siesta. They enjoy life and having fun. The food is incredible. There are so many things to see and many places to vacation.
As was already stated though, the best place in the world to live is probably going to be relative to each person's own experience. Good luck to you and your search.
toronto! its really diverse and accepting of many cultures, and has a very european twist
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I'm in the same boat...
