Alert – Where the world wants to LIVE: Fascinating map shows how Dubai is the number one city that people around the globe want to move to – followed by Miami and Paris

A fascinating reworked world map reveals the cities that people most want to move to around the world – and it’s Dubai that’s number one. 

On the map – generated using 12 months of Google search data – country names have been supplemented by the cities their residents most want information about relocating to.

Searches for ‘move to Dubai’ are top in 60 countries, including the UK, the U.S and .

Miami, the metropolis set along the Floridian coast, is second, ranking top in 12 countries, including Greece and Argentina.

French capital Paris is third, with the study revealing that residents of 10 countries – including Madagascar and Senegal – are curious about moving there. 

The map has been composed by Remitly, a financial services provider for immigrants, which looked at almost 164 countries and analysed the search volume for the phrase ‘move to [city]’, thus establishing the most-searched-for relocation destination in each country over the past year.

Touching on gold-medal winner Dubai, Remitly says: ‘With a vast array of job opportunities, growing infrastructure, excellent health care and education, and the prospect of no income tax, it’s clear why Dubai tops the list. 

‘As a result, the city, known affectionately as “The Jewel of the Desert”, has seen its population continue to swell, reaching 3.6million for the first time in 2023.’ 

Even though Dubai tops the podium, North America proves to be the most popular continent overall with eight cities from the U.S and Canada featuring in the top seven ranking.

After second-place Miami, New York ties for fourth place alongside Madrid and Singapore, each ranking top in eight countries worldwide. Toronto ranks sixth, taking the gold medal in three countries – Bermuda, Turks and Caicos and Palau. 

And it’s a tie for seventh place – North American destinations Washington DC, Chicago, Quebec City, Portland and Phoenix share the seventh-place berth with Buenos Aires, Bogota and Vienna. They each prove to be the most popular relocation destinations in two countries worldwide. 

Meanwhile, London and Brussels tie for fifth place, reigning supreme in six countries around the world. Residents of Portugal, Spain and Germany are keen to move to London, whilst residents of Monaco and Switzerland are curious about a relocation to Brussels. 

Zooming into the ‘Europe’ section of the map, other cities that prove popular with European residents include Vienna – which is number one in Liechtenstein and Serbia – and Munich, which is top in Austria. 

Moving eastwards to the Asia and Middle East portion of the map, Miami ranks in first place in Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, whilst New York is number one in Myanmar and Singapore. Residents of Bhutan, however, are keen to move to Doha, Qatar. 

And in Oceania, it’s the n city of Brisbane that’s the most popular relocation destination for New Zealanders, whilst locals in New Caledonia are eager to move to Lisbon. 

Travelling around the world to Africa, it’s Dubai that ranks top in countries such as Nigeria, Namibia and Zambia, whilst the Canadian city of Ottawa is number one for residents of Guinea. 

In South America and Central America, London takes the gold medal for Brazilians, while residents of Peru, Uruguay and Mexico are pondering a move to Madrid. 

On top of the global map, a series of regional maps honing in on North America have also been created. 

One map highlights the cities overseas that residents in each U.S state want to move to, with residents of New York, California and Texas – among other states – most curious about a relocation to Dubai. Iowans are considering moving to Amsterdam and those in Missouri are intrigued by the idea of a move to Paris. 

Another map looks at the U.S cities that Americans are considering relocating to – people in New York have Los Angeles in their sights, whilst Oklahomans are mulling over a move to Seattle. The cities of Portland in Oregon and Chicago are particularly popular – residents of California, Alaska and Nevada are debating a move to the former, whilst locals of Indiana and Kentucky are thinking of moving to the latter. 

Similar maps have been created for the regions of Canada, with one showing how Dubai is the most popular overseas city for a relocation for locals in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, among other regions. 

Meanwhile, the map that revolves around popular Canadian cities reveals how British Columbians are thinking of moving to Calgary, while Nova Scotians are musing over a move to Toronto. 

Commenting on the findings, Jago McKenzie, Business Management Director at Remitly, commented: ‘People are getting used to the idea of moving to another country at least once in their lifetime, whether that be for greater job prospects, a better quality of life or an increased salary to enable them to send money back home to their families. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that so many people around the world are searching for information about the city that could be their next home.

‘Dubai was a clear winner in our study, and with the plethora of employment prospects and lifestyle benefits it can offer, coupled with the fantastic weather, it’s not hard to see why. 

‘Whilst there are also some eternally popular cities such as Paris, New York and London on our list, it’s great to see some more surprising entries such as Portland, Toronto and Vienna. There are so many cities that offer great job prospects and high standards of living. The only difficulty is in selecting the one that suits you best.’