A study by the London-based Expatriate Group has recently uncovered the best cities in the world for people to live in, and Cape Town and Johannesburg got right on that list.
Looking at 40 cities across the globe, the study focussed on eight key indicators that lead to better mental wellbeing for its residents. More and more people are choosing to live abroad, but with it come several risks. A potential decline in mental health, increases in stress and bouts of homesickness are all common but what a city has to offer, can significantly benefit the people looking to relocate.
The eight factors studied; Hours of sunlight, fitness facilities, quality of sleep, green space, work life balance, happiness, friendliness to expats, and healthcare.
Where did Cape Town and Johannesburg rank?
Both cities fared extremely well, with Cape Town in 16th and Johannesburg 19th overall. It may come as no surprise that both ranked well for sunlight hours. Johannesburg in 6th and Cape Town 7th place. Hours of sunlight are seen as particularly important in a person’s wellbeing, as the increases in serotonin and melatonin the body produces, can help decrease the risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The overall table shows a mixture of Northern and Southern hemisphere cities making the top 20.
Ranking within the top 20 in all bar 2 of the categories, expats in South Africa seem to have a life that provides balanced mental wellbeing. Including the fact that it delivers many factors people consider when looking to relocate.
Cape Town provides some of the best fitness facilities around the world, and residents of Johannesburg with a vast array of green space. These two factors are key with the release of endorphins that exercise can produce, and the increased level of social interaction that they promote.
Other key factors are, clear thinking, a sharper memory, higher self-esteem, better sleep, more energy and stronger resilience.
Residents of Cape Town are considered some of the happiest in the world, whereas in Johannesburg people tend to sleep better than most. The study tells us that sleeping seven hours or more per night on average will help the fight against depression, anxiety, stress, and severe psychiatric conditions.
The overall winner of the study concluded that Auckland in New Zealand is currently the best place to live for expats, despite it only topping one category. This was due to the incredible showing of the city in all other categories where it was hardly out of the top 10.