Angelika Pickardt

August 31, 2025, 2:54 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

Internations is an internationally active expatriate portal. It sees itself as a network for people around the world, some of whom are looking for a new home country, while others share experiences from their own relocations. For the 2024 report, the organization surveyed more than 12,500 so-called expats worldwide about their experiences. Among other things, it addressed where locals are most welcoming to newcomers and how easy or difficult it is to settle in. This resulted in a ranking of the friendliest and unfriendliest cities in the world from the perspective of expatriates.

Respondents specifically indicated whether they have found a personal support network in their new home, whether they are satisfied with their social life, and how easy it is to make friends with locals.

The Friendliest City in the World

The Spanish city of Málaga ranks first. According to the report, locals are perceived as both friendly (84 percent positive ratings compared to 63 percent worldwide) and easy to approach (67 percent compared to 38 percent). Accordingly, many expats agree that they have a personal support network and are satisfied with their social life–Málaga ranks first in both aspects.

Adapting to the local culture is also easy (78 percent compared to 59 percent worldwide). About four out of five expats feel at home in Málaga (84 percent compared to 58 percent) and welcome (80 percent compared to 63 percent). A full 61 percent gave the highest possible rating–more than twice the global average (28 percent). “What do I enjoy about living here? The weather and climate, travel opportunities, and the friendly environment and people,” Internations quotes a newcomer from Belarus.

Mexico City and Alicante in Spain take the second and third spots in the ranking of the friendliest cities worldwide. Notably, four Spanish cities are in the top ten.

The Unfriendliest City in the World is in Germany

From the perspective of the surveyed expatriates, Germany unfortunately does not shine in terms of friendliness–quite the opposite. Four German cities–Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt–are at the bottom of the list of friendliest cities for expatriates.

Especially for Munich, the last place in the 2024 index is “a new low,” as Internations writes. More than two out of five expats find it difficult to adapt to the local culture. They feel neither welcome nor at home. Munich ranks last in terms of the friendliness of locals toward expats. Almost half of the respondents rated this aspect negatively.

When it comes to friendships, most expats in Munich reported that their friends are also expats. Nearly two-thirds find it difficult to make local friends, and only 37 percent are satisfied with their social life. “It is difficult to establish any social contact with locals,” complains an expatriate from Italy, according to the report.

The Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities for Expatriates at a Glance

1. Málaga, Spain
2. Mexico City, Mexico
3. Alicante, Spain
4. Valencia, Spain
5. Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Madrid, Spain
8. Panama City, Panama
9. Nairobi, Kenya
10. Muscat, Oman
11. Dubai, UAE
12. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
13. Melbourne, Australia
14. Abu Dhabi, UAE
15. Doha, Qatar
16. Auckland, New Zealand
17. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
18. Dublin, Ireland
19. Sydney, Australia
20. Lisbon, Portugal
21. Hong Kong, Hong Kong
22. New York, USA
23. Brussels, Belgium
24. Barcelona, Spain
25. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
26. Singapore, Singapore
27. Rome, Italy
28. Warsaw, Poland
29. Tokyo, Japan
30. Amsterdam, Netherlands
31. The Hague, Netherlands
32. London, United Kingdom
33. Istanbul, Turkey
34. Milan, Italy
35. Geneva, Switzerland
36. Toronto, Canada
37. Budapest, Hungary
38. Copenhagen, Denmark
39. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
40. Paris, France
41. Düsseldorf, Germany
42. Vienna, Austria
43. Prague, Czech Republic
44. Vancouver, Canada
45. Stockholm, Sweden
46. Oslo, Norway
47. Basel, Switzerland
48. Cologne, Germany
49. Zurich, Switzerland
50. Frankfurt, Germany
51. Berlin, Germany
52. Hamburg, Germany
53. Munich, Germany