We didn’t say it, real expats voted Malaysia as one of the top countries to live as a foreigner. 

It appears the pandemic has many people ready to pack their bags and leave their homes as more than 12,000 expat respondents from around the world participated in the Expat Insider Survey this year in January. 

The respondents represented a total of 174 nationalities and live in 186 countries or territories around the world.

The Expat Insider Survey, which launched in 2014, allowed respondents to rate countries that they have lived in by the following conditions:

1. Personal finance



2. Working abroad



3. Quality of life



4. Ease of settling

Overall, Malaysia scored the second highest in Asia and fourth place worldwide! Just under Costa Rica, ranked third, Mexico, ranked second and Taiwan, ranked number 1. Malaysia’s high ranking was mainly due to the local cost of living and its impact on their personal finances, the survey found and it was also ranked the second-best country in the Ease of Settling In Index.

So what are you waiting for foreigners? Start shopping for a new home on Property Hunter here. 

Read more about the Expat Survey 2021 here.