Expat Survey: More Than 85% of Expats in Thailand Rate Experience Highly

Expats in Thailand recently reported their opinions and shared their insights about living abroad in our 2022 Best Places to Live Survey.

Overall, 86% of Expats in Thailand are extremely or very satisfied with the quality of the expat experience in their city, compared to the global average of 70%.

Here are some highlights about lifestyle-related responses from expatriates in Thailand. Note that respondents were asked about the city or location in which they live, not the country in general.

When asked about their entertainment options (movies, concerts, museums, etc.), 57% of expats, retirees and nomads reported that they were either Extremely Satisfied (29%) or Very Satisfied (29%).

As for local dining options, 88% indicated that they were either Extremely Satisfied (59%) or Very Satisfied (29%).

Survey respondents were also asked about Local Grocery Shopping options, and 94% of respondents said they were either Extremely Satisfied (71%) or Very Satisfied (24%), and 100% were either Extremely Satisfied (82%) or Very Satisfied (18%) with the local fresh food.

When asked about the quality of their local water, 75% of expats globally reported being either Extremely Satisfied (56%) or Very Satisfied (19%).

Overall, two-thirds of Expats (63%) reported being either Extremely Satisfied (25%) or Very Satisfied (38%) with their social life, and 47% said that they were either Extremely Satisfied (20%) or Very Satisfied (27%) with making friends locally.

Direct Quotes From Expats in Thailand

"Chiang Mai has been documented as one of the premier expat locales in the world for good reason. It has one of the best street-food scenes of any city anywhere. There is a rich diversity of cuisine. The weather is wonderful. Housing is affordable and world-class. In fact, everything is incredibly affordable - food, housing, transportation. It's easy to get around the city. It has better internet than most of the United States. There are numerous social activities."

"You just need to leave your housing unit and get out and explore."

"Living in the city of Bangkok makes your lifestyle ease in terms of transportation, which accessible."

"There are numerous social activities for Expats of various age demographics. Chiang Mai has been known, among other things, as the digital nomad capital of the world for the past few years, so there are particularly a large number of younger [20s-30s] foreigners living here with lots of social activities for them."

"Thai people are friendly and gentle. Health care is excellent. Crime isn't an issue. Very affordable. Before COVID, lots of cultural opportunities. I dislike smoke season. The expats here tend to be cliquey."