Nine out of ten expats say life is better abroad

It's official - the grass really is greener for British expats. According to research from NatWest, nine out of ten of them say that their quality of life is better than it would be back in the UK.

The bank's 'Quality of Life' report, which questioned more than 1,000 expats around the globe, concentrated on a variety of issues from salary and money matters, to leisure time and the way of life overseas. On average, the pay for managers and professionals who work abroad is up to £20,000 more than they would get here and they're also continuing to enjoy pay increases, despite the global financial downturn. They say they have a better work-life balance, are happier living somewhere sunny, enjoy lower taxes and a cheaper cost of living, and rate cultural pursuits and leisure activities as their top priorities.

It's perhaps no surprise that British emigration is at a record high. In 2006 alone, more than 200,000 British citizens left the country to live abroad, followed by a further 169,000 in 2007. The report says that 19 per cent of those working abroad currently intend to return to Britain at some point, down from 26 per cent two years ago.

When it comes to financial achievement, countries such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE came out on top. But it's clearly not just about money, as these are the locations where expats say they have the lowest quality of life, with the majority of British workers saying they intend to return home to retire. The happiest expats, despite being less confident about whether their earnings will continue to rise, are living and working in France, Portugal, Spain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Clare Nessling, Conti's Operations Director, says: "The attraction of a better climate, higher earning potential and a more relaxed lifestyle means the number of people wishing to move overseas seems to grow every year. And in many destinations, not only do they find that property is cheaper, they also tend to find that their income supports a more comfortable lifestyle because costs are lower than in the UK.

"And there's more good news for anyone who's considering a move - it's a great time to buy property abroad. Not only do overseas mortgage providers have a healthy appetite for lending to foreign nationals, bargain property prices and historically low interest rates are making it much more affordable, despite the weak pound."