Every country has qualities that make it a unique and desirable place to live. These attributes include climate, the cost of living, and the mentality of its citizens. Based on these factors, an online question-and-answer board asked participants to detail their ideal living place. The responses were wide-ranging and thought-provoking.
1. Australia
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Someone in the discussion mentions they currently live in Australia and plan to stay there, despite being one of the most expensive places in the world to live. The reasons they stay include “objective measures of happiness, safety, security, and community wealth.”
Australia is famous for its indigenous Aboriginal culture and natural wonders like rainforests, marine reserves, and Ayers Rock. The continent is also known for its laid-back people and mostly desert climate.
2. Hong Kong
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The region of Hong Kong is well-known as a global financial hub with many other attractions, such as Hong Kong Disneyland, night markets, numerous shopping centers, Cantonese food, and a high cost of living.
Another commenter on the thread says they chose to retire to Hong Kong because of the universal health care coverage, excellent public transportation systems, and honest people. Its subtropical climate means the summers are hot and humid. Still, the winters are relatively mild, which is a strong draw for snowbirds.
3. Japan
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Japan’s natural beauty, including its abundant cherry blossom trees and Mount Fuji, combined with convenient access to fabulous restaurants, vending machines that sell almost everything and anything, high-speed transportation by way of bullet trains, the overall politeness of the Japanese culture, and subtropical environment are vital attractions for several posters on the thread.
4. The Principality of Monaco
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One of the smallest independent states in the world and one of the costliest places to live, Monaco is a popular tourist destination and a famous haven for the ultra-wealthy jet-setting crowd due to its mild Mediterranean seasons, low crime rate, and cuisine that’s a fusion of Italian and French food.
5. The Netherlands
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Expatriates and natives of the Netherlands on the discussion board extol the virtues of the northern European country. Their highlights include the relatively close and well-organized infrastructure, the cultural attractions, the strong network of social safety net programs, and reasonable living costs. They weren’t fans of the cold weather, however.
6. New Zealand
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New Zealand makes an appearance on this list of optimal places to live. While contributors lament the incredibly high cost of living, the indigenous Māori culture, welcoming people, and moderate climate are enough to consider New Zealand home.
7. Portugal
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A worker who lived and worked in Lisbon for six months elaborates on how pleasant it was to live there, with the “beautiful weather, great people, and the very reasonable cost of living. Enough people spoke English that I wasn’t concerned about the language barrier.” Additionally, Portugal‘s legendary wine regions and cuisine are enough to make one consider a permanent move there.
8. Taiwan
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The East Asia island country has numerous amenities, according to a Canadian expatriate on the thread who’s lived in Taiwan for the past 27 years. Those benefits include national health care coverage, accessible transit, beautiful scenery, friendly people, and reasonable living costs. The summers may be hot, but they say they’ll take that over a cold Canadian winter.
9. The United States
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Many of the responses consider the United States the best place to live. The cultural differences from region to region, and even state to state, the variations in climate, cultural attractions, diversity of thought and people, and countless opportunities are just some of the things they love about the U.S.
10. The Best Place of All
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According to one user on the discussion board, the best place to live is “the one in which you are happiest and most successful.” What are your thoughts on this?
The Global Peace Index (GPI) ranks the 163 leading countries worldwide to determine the most (and least) dangerous. The safety of politicians, murder rates, war, and other factors go into the GPI’s calculation. The GPI tells you how likely you are to get into serious trouble if you visit a country.
This list reflects the state of the world in 2022, and the 2023 list will look quite similar.
Put on Your Lifejackets 14 US Cities That Will Be Underwater by 2050
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Climate change is a growing concern across the globe, and one of its most significant threats is rising sea levels. With each passing year, the risk of flooding and coastal erosion becomes greater. According to a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, 15 U.S. cities could be underwater by 2050. Here is a list of those cities and what’s at stake for each.
Avoid Dangerous Cities: These 25 Best Small to Mid-Size Cities Have It All
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Over the past 18 months, almost half of Americans either moved or thought about it. If you look into your options, you’ll find that the most livable places in the U.S. aren’t necessarily the biggest, and sometimes they’re surprising. So if you’re one of the millions of people contemplating moving and you’re looking for a small or mid-sized town that has it all, this list of the best places to live is for you.
15 of the Worst Cities in America To Avoid at All Costs
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The United States is home to many of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. Unfortunately, it’s also home to cities in steep decline due to increases in poverty, homelessness, and violent and property crimes.
While there are many safe towns and cities in the U.S., some online users from a social media discussion board believe there are some you should avoid.
10 Famous Places People Voted Aren’t Worth the Visit
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Isn’t traveling great? You get to witness various cultures, live new experiences, and see other parts of the world. But with travel comes a reputation for popular destinations, the good, the bad, the overrated, the underrated, etc. Here are a few places tourists in an online travel forum advised against visiting.
