Trader’s Narrative

Here are the top 10 cities for traders, according to Trader magazine:

1. Chicago
2. London
3. New York
4. Dubai
5. Miami
6. Boston
7. Dublin
8. Los Angeles
9. Toronto
10. Sao Paolo

Cities were ranked according to amenities, nightlife, taxes, and other relevant factors. I wasn’t surprised to see Chicago or the other American cities. But Dubai? C’mon. Who wants to live there? Visit, maybe. The place is museum set of what happens when you have gobs of money but no taste. Dubai actually makes Trump look elegant. In any case, as the magazine confesses, Dubai made it on the list because they have no taxes whatsoever - no personal income tax, not capital gains, etc. But on that score, why not put tax havens like the Turks & Caicos on the list? Complete and utter balderdash.

On the other hand I’m glad to see Toronto on the list. Although a relatively small city on a world wide scope, it is the largest city in Canada and has one of the best lifestyles. Especially if you’re a single professional. The other Canadian city on the list was Montreal, but it came in at #24. Montreal is a very cool place, probably the most European city you can get without crossing the pond.

And lastly, Sao Paolo. Yes! Brazil rocks. Finally people are beginning to realize it. The country has come a long way in the past 20 years. Although you still have to be cautious when it comes to crime, it is an amazing place to live and work. If you’re a male, unattached professional, the night life is beyond this world. And no, you don’t need any game. As cliche as it sounds, you can just be yourself. Even the most gorgeous Brazilian girls are friendly, approachable and they don’t play mind games nor waste time.

Of course, if you’re living in one of these cities, you need to be hooked up with the markets via a prop firm. Here’s a complete list of proprietary trading firms. Although most are based in the US, almost all of them allow remote trading.