Abu Dhabi And Dubai In Top 20 Cities To Live For Mental Wellbeing

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have fared extremely well in the recent study carried out by Expatriate Group with Abu Dhabi coming 3rd and Dubai 17th. The study of 40 cities looked at 8 key factors that can determine a resident’s mental wellbeing. They were:

• Hours of sunshine
• Fitness facilities
• Quality of sleep
• Green space
• Work/life balance
• Happiness
• Expat friendliness
• Healthcare

The objective of this study was to find the top cities for ex-pat mental wellbeing and the results showed that people that have relocated to the UAE find it a welcoming Country and overall, a good place for their wellbeing.

Abu Dhabi Tops the chart for sun!

Of all 40 cities polled Abu Dhabi came top for sunlight hours, which probably came as no surprise, Dubai found itself in third place. research showed that Abu Dhabi has an amazing 3838 hours of sunlight per year, averaging out at 10.5 hours per day! Dubai averaging 9.6. Sunlight is seen as great way to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as it increases the serotonin and melatonin levels in the body.

The top 10 cities for sunshine hours are split fairly evenly across the Southern and Northern hemispheres

Happiness helps

People in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were also seen to be happier than the majority of other cities taking part in the study with both cities once again ranking highly. Abu Dhabi was found to be the 10th happiest place to live whilst Dubai was 13th.

The top 10 cities for happiness had a largely European representation but Abu Dhabi represents the UAE in 10th

Whilst the life of an expatriate may be the dream for many, it is no secret that living overseas comes with its own challenges. Homesickness, lack of familiarity, developing self-sufficiency, and culture shock are all elements of relocating to another country that affect mental wellbeing.
Slowly, conversations around mental health are becoming more common. Propelled by the pandemic and a subsequent increase in the number of people seeking support, the stigma around mental health is being broken down.

“Our latest study is an invaluable resource for ex-pats who are looking to move to a new city. Expatriate Group has always been dedicated to understanding the needs and concerns of people living overseas. It is no secret that moving to another country has its pitfalls, such as homesickness and culture shock. Add to this the stress caused by the pandemic; it became very apparent to us that some expatriates were struggling. Highlighting the very best cities for expat mental wellbeing (and breaking them down into categories) hopefully encourages ex-pats who want to improve their physical and mental wellbeing to perhaps venture to a new city. In light of these findings, Expatriate Group will be restructuring the group iPMI policy cover to enable businesses to put ex-pat employee wellbeing at the heart of their culture. It was amazing to see from our research that both Stockholm and Copenhagen offer employee flexibility, specified rules, and shorter working weeks to encourage a happy and healthy workforce for nationals and ex-pats alike.

Lee Gerry, Expatriate Group Director