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Those who moved to the eurozone may be struggling to survive, but a surprising survey suggests that the majority of British expats have been relatively unaffected by the economic turmoil of the past five years

According to the annual quality of life index from NatWest International Personal Banking , nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of expats have not seen their quality of life deteriorate in the last five years.

Although the number who are watching their spending on luxury items has more than doubled, from 17 per cent when the index was first compiled in 2007/8 to 44 per cent today, more expats than ever (83 per cent) said they regarded themselves as between "comfortably off" and quite prosperous.

David Isley, the head of NatWest International Personal Banking, said the results suggested that expats were riding the storm of a struggling global economy.

Expats living in the East in particular, China, the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore were most likely to say that their financial position had improved dramatically since moving abroad, while expats in the Commonwealth countries of Australia, Canada and New Zealand assessed their situation as having improved significantly".

Unsurprisingly, expats in debt-stalked Western Europe are enjoying less prosperity, with the three European countries focused on in the research France, Spain and Portugal all now significantly lower in the quality of life rankings than they were in 2007/8. All three also registered a drop in "financial confidence" this year, with expats there more likely to return to the UK than from other locations.

The number one country for quality of life was Canada, for the third year running a country which, NatWest pointed out, had fared considerably better than the balance of countries hit by the financial crisis.

Robert Church Taylor, who lives in Dubai, said that the global economic slowdown had a significant effect on expats in the UAE when it began, but that the destination seemed to be finding its feet again as an international financial centre, and is getting busier".

My financial situation has certainly improved since moving here there's a 20-30 per cent salary increase here compared to the UK, and a lower cost of living," he said.

Some expats however said the survey painted an over-optimistic picture.

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Expats ‘riding the storm’ of economic downturn