Thinking of living abroad? Have a young family? Find out about the best destinations for you.
More and more of us are deciding to uproot and seek out a new life overseas. International removals are on the up and the world’s population is becoming more footloose and mobile. But if you’re thinking of moving away – and have a family – where are the best places to go? Thankfully a new piece of research gives us the answer.
It comes from InterNationals, the biggest network of people living overseas in the world. They asked their network to rate the places they lived and worked on the basis of 43 different aspects, including a family life index where people give it a score of 1-7.
So which are the top five?
5. Sweden
Often mentioned as a desirable place to live, Sweden took a hit in this report, thanks to a poor performance in the education sub-section. This might be down to a crisis in the much-celebrated education system which has hit the rocks after a range of changes including a voucher system. Standards are in decline and inequality is up. So, Sweden may rank high, but it’s on the slide.
4. Austria
Last year’s winner was Austria, but it’s slipped back this year having failed to impress in the quality of education and family well-being categories. Indeed, it has always struggled with how it welcomes families and was ranked in the bottom three for this.
3. Israel
Not the first place you’d expect given the political situation, but as a place for families it’s gaining in popularity. It rose one place on last year’s report thanks to its excellent childcare provisions and the general quality of its education system.
2. Czech Republic
A big rise from 14th to 2nd for the Czech Republic. Education is easy to access and afford, although it’s not the greatest quality. Other commenters online, though, suggest it might be more difficult with some criticising the cleanliness of the towns. But Prague itself is a seen as a great city to bring up your children, while others point to the somewhat black nature of the average Czech’s sense of humour.
1. Finland
The overwhelming favourite place among expats is Finland. Respondents struggled to say anything bad about the place with over 70% of respondents rating the education as excellent compared to a worldwide average of closer to 20%. The country has cheaper medical care, smarter children and happier parents making it an ideal location for any family.
The guide offers a useful indication about the quality of life, education and services around the world, but it is just that – a guide. Every family is different and looks for different things from a location. Try speaking to your international removals company to see how easy it is to make the move, and do some research to see what life is like once you’re out there.
Look for the things you prize most – be it family life, the education system, the richness of the culture or friendliness of the people. See how your chosen destination rates and make your decision.
