24th February 2023
When you think about top destinations for global contractors and digital nomads looking to find work overseas, there are typically a number of countries and capital cities that immediately spring to mind. In our latest blog, we want to cast our net and recruiters’ minds a little wider and consider other cities that not only offer great international job opportunities for contractors, but also a relatively affordable cost of living.
Alternative capital cities
Using Google search data, British hotel chain Premier Inn, which also has hotels in Germany, carried out a survey to uncover alternative capital cities, places that prove popular with tourists and holidaymakers but would also make great places to work. Their analysis ranked the top 25 cities around the world and revealed that just under half (12) of these were in Europe with the remainder scattered around the world.
So, what did the findings reveal?
Known for its beaches and great weather, there is a lot more to the Spanish city of Malaga than meets the eye, which would explain its top ranking. As well as tourist landmarks such as ‘La Alcazaba’ monument and the Gibralfaro castle, the city is also known for its vibrant arts and cultural scene, which includes the Picasso museum, hosting world famous works; Picasso was born in Malaga. But the Andalucian city has so much more to offer, is very affordable and has a wide range of activities and leisure pursuits to suit all tastes.
Venice offers a unique cultural experience, famous for its beautiful canals, bridges, gondolas, its colourful carnival and St. Mark’s Basilica. The city is also home to the Peggy Guggenheim museum and for those who like a tipple, no visit would be complete without sampling a Bellini cocktail at Harry’s Bar. Not only a stunning city, the cost of living in Venice is lower than many comparable European cities and offers a small city intimate feel, where individuals would quickly settle and feel part of the local community.
In third place we cross the Atlantic and go to the west coast of America and the beautiful city of San Francisco (named after Saint Francis). Renowned for its cable cars, stunning ocean views overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and colourful neighbourhoods such as Chinatown (one of the largest Chinese communities outside China), Fisherman’s Wharf, Mission and Castro districts. It is much smaller than Los Angeles, which makes it very liveable. The San Francisco Bay Area is a hotbed for tech companies and startups, so skilled contractors in IT are in high demand.
Alternative cities for contractors to live and work in
The beautiful Turkish resort city of Antalya came fourth in the findings. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone in Turkey (and Syria) given the tragic events of February 2022, the devastation and heartbreak that its people have had to endure. Other cities in the top 10 include the south coast UK city of Brighton (5), famous for its seafront and a popular place to live, given its proximity to London. Perth (6), Porto (8) and Rio de Janeiro (10) are famous for their coastlines and thriving economies. The diamond capital of the world and second largest port in Europe, Antwerp (9), is another popular city.
Perhaps less known is the Red Sea coast city of Hurghada (7) with Greece and France’s second cities, Thessaloniki (11) and Lyon (12), also in prominent positions. Canada and South Africa are represented by Vancouver (13) and Durban (16), with the Thai tourist hotspot of Pattaya (19) and Japan’s port city of Osaka (20) rounding off the top 20. Other cities that fly under the radar include Fujairah (20) on the Gulf of Oman, the UAE’s seventh largest city and Mendoza (25), sure to be a hit with red wine lovers!
Of the other European cities to make the top 25, we have the historic ancient Roman city of Split (14) and the Bavarian capital of Munich (15), famous for its Oktoberfest beer festival. Basel (18) and Wrok?aw (23) also proved popular search destinations given the idyllic scenery and energy that both possess. And let’s not ignore the cosmopolitan Casablanca (17) and Chennai (22), formerly Madras, on the Bay of Bengal. And last but by no means least, the multicultural ‘city of sails’, also known as T?maki Makaurau, Auckland (24).
There are many tempting destinations around the world that offer a better cost of living and work-life balance than the bigger capitals, not to mention great job opportunities for international work. But for the recruitment agencies placing international contractors, ensuring every individual is compliant no matter which of the alternative cities they are working in is an absolute must.
If unsure about any compliance or immigration matters, please speak to our 6CATS specialists.
6CATS International is part of WorkwellTM Group
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