Kuala Lumpur, George Town, and Johor Bahru have increased in worldwide liveability ranks for East Asian expats, according to the latest Location Ratings survey published by global mobility specialist ECA International.
According to the poll, Kuala Lumpur rose two ranks to 118th, while George Town and Johor Bahru both rose one spot to 122nd and 125th, respectively.
Malaysia's ranking gain was largely due to the loosening of Covid-19 limitations.
Lee Quane, ECA's regional director for Asia, said that an area's ranking is influenced by what happens in that location as well as other locations under its scrutiny.
He said Malaysia's relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions was the main driver of improved liveability scores and rankings across all three locations in the past year.
"By reopening its economy and adopting a policy of living with the Covid-19 virus sooner than other locations in the region, living conditions have returned to pre-pandemic levels sooner, making Malaysian locations relatively more attractive in comparison to locations in mainland China, for example, who have kept restrictions in place for longer," he said.
ECA's Location Ratings system objectively evaluates a host of factors to form an assessment of the overall quality of living in over 500 locations worldwide.
Factors assessed include climate; availability of health services; housing and utilities; natural phenomena; isolation; access to a social network and leisure facilities; infrastructure; personal safety; political tensions; and air quality.
According to Quane, ASEAN sites improved in terms of scores and rankings this year as a result of the loosening of Covid-19 limits.
Singapore held its top spot, while locations in Indonesia and the Philippines rose in the rankings.
Yangon, Myanmar, was the only ASEAN location to see its ranking drop due to the country's continuous deterioration of security conditions.
"Singapore relaxed social distancing restrictions earlier than other locations which facilitated a return to pre-pandemic norms, allowing the country to retain its top position in our rankings and increasing its lead over other locations in terms of liveability.
"Furthermore, the gap in liveability between Singapore and locations such as Hong Kong and Shanghai, both of which maintained or even enhanced Covid-19 related restrictions in 2022, widened during the year, making it an even more compelling destination versus other locations in the region competing for international talent," Quane said.
Cities in Australia saw also major improvements in their liveability scores, while Auckland, New Zealand, was the biggest riser, climbing up 20 places to become the 4th most liveable location in the world for East Asian expatriates.
Hong Kong's liveability ranking fell 15 places to 92nd this past year, largely due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions in 2022 and changes in its political environment.
"Likewise, cities in mainland China have all fallen in our rankings due exclusively to the impact of China's zero-Covid strategy that was maintained throughout most of 2022," he said.