54% of Amman residents rate the quality of education institutions as good or excellent, according to the 2016 Bayt.com and YouGov survey 'Top Cities in the Middle East and North Africa'

Amman, Jordan, 28 November 2016

A new survey by Bayt.com, the number one career site in the Middle East, and YouGov, a pioneer in online market research, titled ‘Top Cities in the Middle East and North Africa’ revealed that nearly three quarters (72%) of Amman respondents believe that the availability of education in their city is good or excellent, and a majority (54%) rate the quality of education as good or excellent as well. Additionally, one third (33%) of the people living in Amman are happy about their current city of residence.

Economic Factors

The job market is one of the most significant economic factors in any city. In Amman, more than one quarter (26%) of respondents rate the availability of jobs as average or above. While nearly one third (30%) of respondents in Amman rated the benefits for working parents as average, just over one in ten (11%) rated them as good or excellent. Regarding career growth, nearly four in ten (37%) Amman respondents believe that it is average or above.

The cost of living also contributes largely to a city’s economic factors, and in Amman, nearly four in ten (38%) respondents say that availability of reasonably priced day to day amenities – such as food, water, fuel, etc. – is average or above. Moreover, one quarter (24%) of respondents believe that availability of affordable housing is average, while 8% believe it is good, and 4% believe that it is excellent.

Labor Rights

Amman residents appear to be satisfied with their health insurance and social security system, with one third (33%) rating it as good and an additional 11% rating it as excellent. Similarly, nearly one fifth (18%) of respondents from Amman say that their wage protection system is good or excellent. Another third (36%) believe that their pro-active policy making is average or above.

Environmental Factors

Visual appeal, climate, and cleanliness make up the environmental factors assessed in this survey. In Amman, nearly half (44%) of respondents rate the beauty of the city’s architecture and buildings as good or excellent. And while more than one third (36%) believe that the comfortability of their weather is average, another third (31%) think it is good and 14% think it is excellent.

As for cleanliness, nearly half (48%) of respondents in Amman rate their clean water as good or excellent; almost three in ten (29%) rate their clean air as good or excellent; and nearly one quarter (24%) rate their clean streets and roads as good or excellent.

Standard of Living Factors

Alongside education, healthcare and infrastructure play important roles in a city’s standard of living. A majority (58%) of Amman respondents believe that the availability of healthcare is good or excellent, while one half (49%) rate the quality of healthcare as good or excellent. What’s more, a majority (52%) also rate the city’s water, electricity, and sewage systems as good or excellent, and a quarter (24%) of respondents think that the accessibility of public transportation is good or excellent.

A sense of community is also significant. Nearly two thirds (64%) believe that the feeling of stability and security is good or excellent. Meanwhile, One third (33%) of Amman respondents think that the availability of parks and community gardens in their city is good or excellent, and nearly four in ten (38%) rate the city’s child friendliness as good or excellent.

Socio-Cultural Factors

Political and legal considerations were assessed in this section of the survey. In Amman, half (50%) of respondents believe that the equal treatment of both genders is good or excellent and nearly four in ten (39%) rate the fair treatment of all nationalities the same way. Similarly, half (49%) of Amman respondents believe that the city’s tolerance of different cultures and ideas is good or excellent. Moreover, one third (31%) believe that the stability of the city’s political environment is good while another fifth (21%) believe it is excellent.

As for legal factors, nearly half (46%) of Amman respondents believe that the city’s crime rates are good or excellent, while almost three quarters (71%) believe that the effectiveness of law enforcement is average or above.

Sports, Arts, Culture, and Recreational Factors

Cultural factors in this category rank relatively high among Amman residents. Nearly six in ten (59%) respondents believe that the availability of world heritage sites and preservation of old towns is good or excellent. Similarly, more than a quarter (27%) of respondents believe that the availability of natural areas and landscapes is good and 15% think it is excellent.

In terms of leisure activities, nearly one third (30%) of Amman respondents believe the availability of outdoor and sports activities is good or excellent, more than one fifth (22%) rate the availability of family-friendly activities the same way, and just over one third (34%) feel the same about the availability of relaxation options. More than one quarter (27%) of Amman respondents feel that their city ranks as good or excellent in terms of always having something to do.

Entrepreneurship Factors

The ability to start a business in a city translates to its prosperity and in turn, the happiness of its residents. In Amman, one in ten (11%) of respondents rate the ease of starting up a new business as good or excellent, and more than one third (35%) rate their ability to find local talent as good or excellent.

In terms of the market for entrepreneurship, six in ten (60%) Amman respondents believe the market willingness to accept new ideas and innovations is average or above, and nearly the same amount (58%) feel the same way about market saturation in Amman.

Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions at Bayt.com, said: “The MENA region is very diverse when it comes to the factors that affect the overall quality of living in each city. Our Bayt.com Top Cities survey ranks the most desirable cities for people to both work and live in. Our responsibility as a leading career site in the region extends to providing job seekers holistic information to make an informed decision if they are, for instance, looking to relocate to any of these cities for work. Simultaneously, when employers know where their city stands, they can do more to contribute to their city’s standard of living by addressing the needs that job seekers are looking for the most. At Bayt.com, we strive to empower people with the tools, information and technologies to build their lifestyle of choice, which is why we always share valuable insights into life in cities that MENA professionals might choose to live in.“

Arleen Gonsalves, Assistant Research Manager, YouGov, said: “This is one of most comprehensive surveys conducted in the MENA, which provides deeper understanding of standards of living across major cities using social and cultural yardstick instead of focusing merely on physical infrastructure. The survey findings give valuable insights to MNCs as well as job seekers who are planning to move to this region.”

Data for the Bayt.com ‘Top Cities in the Middle East and North Africa Survey 2016’ was collected online from September 23rd to October 18th 2016, with the participation of 1,436 respondents. Cities assessed include Algiers, Alexandria, Cairo, Amman, Kuwait City, Beirut, Casablanca, Marrakech, Rabat, Muscat, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Eastern Province, Tunis, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Manama, Damascus, and Sharjah.

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© Press Release 2016