About 78 percent of expatriates say that Malaysia offers a good work and life balance, a friendly culture and lower costs for raising a child, the new HSBC Expat Explorer report reveals.

In a statement, HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd said this was slightly more than the expatriate average across Asia-Pacific of 72 percent, but considerably more than other emerging economies, such as the Philippines, where only 59 percent of expatriates see their work and life balance staying the same or improving.

The bank said, in its ninth edition of this annual survey, that nearly 27,000 expatriates from 190 countries shared their thoughts and experiences of expatriate life, creating the 2016 Expat Explorer report titled ‘Achieving ambitions abroad’.

Furthermore, it said, more than 35 percent of expatriates in Malaysia said the overall cost of raising children was less expensive than it was in their home country, which was considerably more than the global average of 19 percent and the average of of 22 percent across the Asia-Pacific.

“Expatriates find it relatively easy to relocate to Malaysia. Nearly 66 percent say finding accommodation is easy, well above the global average of 46 percent.

“Over 52 percent say organising healthcare is easy in Malaysia, just above the 50 percent average of expatriates across Asia-Pacific,” it added.

- Bernama