Baghdad ranked second as the worst Arab city for expatriates in the latest ranking of the quality of life for expatriates and their families around the world, issued by the global consulting company “Mercer “.
The new ranking evaluates 450 cities around the world and ranks them according to their exceptional living standards, strong infrastructure, and vibrant cultural scenes .
The ranking was based on several key factors that attract expatriates when they intend to move from their home country, such as political stability, health care, housing, entertainment, social environment, purchasing and travel agreements, traffic, air quality, and access to education .
In statements to Bloomberg, Yvonne Traber, global head of mobility at Mercer, said that the era of digital nomads and flexible work shows that the most attractive destinations combine a high quality of life with an affordable cost of living .
She added that this represents a challenge for expatriates and international organizations in balancing relocation decisions, investment and talent management .
Zurich, Switzerland, ranked first globally, supported by its excellent public services, low crime rates, vibrant cultural scene, efficient infrastructure, and high sustainability, followed by Vienna, Austria, while Geneva, Switzerland, came in third .
As for Baghdad, it ranked 240th globally in terms of quality of life for expatriates, and second in the Arab world as the worst city in terms of this quality, while Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, ranked first in the Arab world as the worst city in terms of quality of life for expatriates .
After Baghdad, Sana’a in Yemen came in third place (238th globally), Damascus in Syria came in fourth (235th globally), and Tripoli in Libya came in fifth in the Arab world (232nd globally).
Mercer is a global consulting firm founded in 1945, specializing in human resources, compensation and benefits, and providing innovative solutions to improve performance and well-being, with a global presence in more than 40 countries.
