So, you’ve decided you want to relocate abroad, but deciding where to move to is the tricky part. With a world full of incredible places to live it often comes down to the tried and tested method of putting together a pros and cons list.
Compiling your pros and cons list of a country or a specific area can help to decipher the good from the bad and weigh up what your life would really look like in that country. One of the highest priorities on many globetrotters lists' is to live in a safe country.
To help you decide where to relocate to, here’s a list of the safest countries in the world to live in along with their good and bad points too.
Japan
According to the OECD Better Life index, Japan ranks well for personal security, scoring 8.3 out of 10, despite having one of the world’s largest populations. One of the best things about relocating is getting to experience another way of life and Japanese culture will certainly be a change to what you are used to.
Holidays are big in Japan and some of the largest celebrations are New Year, Hanami and Hanabi. The latter two are both celebrated in the parks in Japan, with Hanami as the celebration of the blossoms in spring and Hanabi celebrating the Japanese summer.
Whilst Japan performs well in many other areas such as jobs, income and education it performs below average in housing. This is largely due to the fact that maintaining a house is more costly when compared to the world average.
Canada
Overall, Canada is one the best countries to relocate to, performing well in all areas of life. It is also in the top ten of the personal security list, proving it to be one of the safest places for relocation.
Canada’s vast landscape make it a great place to live if you love the great outdoors too, and with plenty of snow in the mountainous regions, Canadians love their outdoor sports activities. Don’t worry if you’re not a great lover of the cold either as Canada is fortunate enough to experience hot summers.
Australia
If you live in a colder climate, then the chances of dreaming about moving to Australia is probably top of your list. Luckily, Australia is one of the safest places to live in the world if the sunnier climes are not enough to tempt you.
Whether you chose to live in landmarks such as Sydney or Melbourne or the famous Australian outback, it’s such a large country that there is plenty of choice available. Housing is fairly easy to find, with Australians spending slightly more than the world average on running their homes.
Iceland
Iceland doesn't immediately spring to mind when thinking of moving abroad. However this may change, as it is ranked in the top five safest places to live in the world. Iceland is one of the world’s most beautiful countries with waterfalls, glaciers and hot springs dotted across the country.
Iceland is a costly country to live in and if you’re used to low living costs then you may be in for a shock at first. Thankfully the country has high employment rates so finding a job should be relatively easy.
Switzerland
Overall Switzerland is one of the best places to live for safety, income, health, education, environmental quality, social connections and earnings. Switzerland is a country which attracts highly skilled professionals from industries such as banking and pharmacology.
One of the things that attracts many expats to Switzerland is the low tax rates along with a stable economy. Switzerland also has a high life expectancy along with a promising education programme.
Keeping safe abroad
Regardless of where you choose to go, it is important to be vigilant when visiting any new country and essential that you read up on security concerns particular to your new destination to keep you and loved ones safe.
– Article written January 2016
