25 Countries with the Best Quality of Life
In this article, we will look at the 25 countries with the best quality of life. If you want to see the top 10 nations in terms of highest quality of life, check out 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life.
According to an article for Europe's Journal of Psychology, quality of life encompasses life satisfaction, which is subjective and may vary. However, health, independence, family, wealth, education, a sense of optimism, religious beliefs, local transportation and services, job satisfaction, social connections, housing, and the environment are common measures of the quality of life.
Some nations are recognized for the high quality of life they provide. In addition to enhancing the lives of their residents, this serves as an example to other nations on what they must offer their citizens in order to rank among the top nations in the world.
Quality of Life in the US
The third-most populous country in the world, the United States, is known for its exceptional way of life, modern culture, and many opportunities for both individuals and businesses. The nation is among the most desired locations to relocate, with a GDP per capita of $78,420 in 2023. In comparison to other nations, the US performs very well in terms of quality of life. Consequently, it draws a lot of people.
According to the annual “Mood of the Nation” survey by Gallup, nearly 65% of Americans reported being satisfied with overall quality of life in 2023. This number, though, is a significant drop from the 84% in 2020, demonstrating that the pandemic has likely played a role in Americans’ feelings.
Moreover, the country beats the average in terms of income, jobs, education, environmental quality, social ties, and life happiness, according to the OECD's Better Life Index, which measures quality of life according to 11 factors.
The average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita in the United States is $51,147 per year, significantly higher than the OECD average of $30,490 per year. Approximately 67% of people aged 15 to 64 in the country are employed. Moreover, compared to the OECD average of 79%, 92% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education. In general, compared to the rest of the world, Americans are more satisfied with their quality of life.
Common Traits of Countries with the Best Quality of Life
A high quality of life is fundamentally dependent on health. Consequently, a key characteristic of most nations with excellent quality of life is that they offer their citizens world-class healthcare systems.
For instance, Sweden’s decentralized universal health care system, which is managed by the central government, county councils and municipalities, provides accessible and quality care. With an average life expectancy of 82.4 years and 5.4 physicians per 1,000 people, the country spent 11% of its GDP on healthcare in 2020. Additionally, eHealth is a crucial component of Sweden’s healthcare system, with county councils investing around $1.22 billion annually in healthcare IT. All of these figures demonstrate how well its healthcare system works. Don’t Miss: 15 Countries with the Best Healthcare in the World.
Another trait shared by some countries with the best quality of life is that their overall environmental quality is good. As you'll see, several of such countries are from Europe and are featured in the article below.
For example, the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) lists Denmark as one of the most sustainable countries. The Scandinavian country passed a legally binding Climate Act in 2020 with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Moreover, the city of Copenhagen has major climate ambitions. It aims to become the first carbon-neutral capital in the world by 2025.
Technology has Improved Our Quality of Life
Every element of our daily lives has been significantly impacted by developments in technology and software infrastructure. There is no denying that technology has improved everyone's quality of life in general, from communication and transport to healthcare and connectivity.
Technology has had numerous positive effects on the healthcare industry. The Internet of medical things, virtual care, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) are just a few examples of technologies enhancing medical facilities.
For instance, with quick, remotely accessible, and real-time solutions for illness diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, AI is replacing conventional, labor-intensive, and time-consuming healthcare operations. In the recent past, DeepMind, a division of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) responsible for developing general-purpose artificial intelligence (AGI) technology, collaborated with Moorfields Eye Hospital to treat patients with diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can result in vision loss. It was found that DeepMind's AI system could make patient referral recommendations for more than 50 different types of eye problems just as accurately as doctors.
Much like the healthcare industry, the travel and tourism industry has reaped tremendous benefits from technology and raised our quality of life. Today, high-speed internet and technological advancements have made it simpler for people to organize their trip because they save time.
In addition, online travel technology companies like Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) assist travelers in conveniently planning and booking trips from the largest selection of holiday packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, rail, cruises, activities, attractions, and services through its travel suppliers in a more affordable manner.
With operations in more than 70 countries and across more than 200 travel websites, Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is able to serve a range of travelers under various brands including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, Travelocity, Trivago, ebookers, CheapTickets, Hotwire, CarRentals .com, Traveldoo, Expedia Partner Solutions, and Wotif Group. Moreover, bookings for more than 3 million lodging properties and more than 500 airlines are available on the company's websites.
With that said, let's take a closer look at the countries with the best quality of life.
Copyright: scanrail / 123RF Stock Photo
Our Methodology
For the purpose of this article, we used three reliable sources. These included Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index by Country, Best Countries' Quality of Life subranking from U.S. News, and CEOWORLD magazine 2021 report for The World’s Best Countries For Quality of Life. These sources are all imperfect, but that's to be expected when trying to rank countries on such a subjective measure as quality of life. By combining the opinions of these independently generated rankings, we aim to create a more robust list of the countries with the best quality of life.
We assigned a score to each country based on its rankings in each report. For instance, there are a total of 165 countries in CEOWORLD magazine's 2021 report. The #1 city in that list will get a score of 165/165=1, #2 city will get a score of 164/165=0.9939 and so on. We repeated the same scoring methodology for the other two reports.
The overall score for each country was calculated by adding up their individual scores across the three reports. Finally, we sorted the countries by their total scores and identified the countries with the best quality of life. We have to note that our previously published list of the 30 Best Countries in the World According to Immigrants has completely different rankings than this list and the United States ranks higher in the former.
25 Countries with the Best Quality of Life
25. South Korea
Overall Score: 2.20
The economy of South Korea, home to businesses like Samsung and Hyundai, has been expanding for years. A good quality of life is also supported in the nation by effective public transport, first-rate healthcare and education, low crime rates, and cutting-edge technology.
Moreover, it is one of the friendliest and safest countries for international students. As of 2021, there were 152,281 international students in Korea.
24. Italy
Overall Score: 2.24
Italy, with its excellent healthcare, work-life balance, and civic engagement, is one of the countries with the best quality of life. Only 3% of Italian workers report working long hours, which is far less than the global average of 10%, according to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
23. Singapore
Overall Score: 2.29
Singapore, a modern and efficient island country, is a desirable place for expats of all ages to live due to its strong infrastructure and top-notch educational and healthcare system.
Additionally, it is among the cleanest places in the world, and most residents feel quite comfortable walking around at night.
22. Czech Republic
Overall Score: 2.30
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a modern country with high quality of life, extensive social security, an accessible healthcare system, and excellent educational options.
Besides, the Czech Republic is ranked as the twelfth-safest country to live in by The Global Peace Index for 2023.
21. United Arab Emirates
Overall Score: 2.36
United Arab Emirates, one of the top oil-producing countries in the world, offers an exceptional quality of life. The nation boasts excellent international schools, modern accommodation and medical facilities, and a highly developed infrastructure.
Compared to the US, United Arab Emirates is 18.6% less expensive.
20. Ireland
Overall Score: 2.39
Ireland, renowned for its beautiful scenery, friendly people, and rich culture, is one of the countries with the best quality of life. Its healthcare and educational systems are top-notch, and its crime rate is minimal.
The people of Ireland are generally happy, and they rate their life satisfaction at 7 out of 10, far higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
19. Portugal
Overall Score: 2.42
Portugal, a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain, offers many advantages like warm climate, an affordable cost of living, and a highly good educational and healthcare system.
Aside from being one of the friendliest nations on earth, Portugal is also a very safe place to live. It is the seventh-safest nation in the world, according to the 2023 Global Peace Index.
18. France
Overall Score: 2.46
France, known for its wine, fashion and culture, offers a consistently high quality of life. The nation has everything necessary to provide a well-balanced living, from its renowned food to its accessible healthcare.
However, it is also one of the most expensive countries in Europe.
17. United States
Overall Score: 2.50
In terms of the biggest economies worldwide in 2023, the United States of America is at the top.
Moreover, Americans are generally happy, and they rate their life satisfaction at 7 out of 10, far higher than the OECD average of 6.5.
16. United Kingdom
Overall Score: 2.55
The UK performs above average in several aspects of well-being, such as income, jobs, education, social connections, safety and life satisfaction, according to the OECD Better Life Index.
15. New Zealand
Overall Score: 2.56
New Zealand, a safe and friendly country, offers great career opportunities and the possibilities for exploration and travel. Immigrants from around the world are drawn to the country because of the high quality of life it provides.
Over 25% of New Zealand's population was foreign-born in 2021.
14. Australia
Overall Score: 2.57
Australia, with its safe and economically stable environment, good healthcare, childcare, education, and a healthy outdoor lifestyle, is one of the countries with the finest quality of life.
In addition, Australia ranked as the 12th happiest nation in the United Nations' 2023 World Happiness Report.
13. Spain
Overall Score: 2.58
Spain is frequently ranked among the best countries in the world for quality of life due to its distinctive healthcare system, low cost of living, and agreeable environment.
Without rent, the average monthly cost for a single person in the country is $736.
12. Canada
Overall Score: 2.60
Canada, known for its beautiful wilderness, celebrated multiculturalism, and a high quality of life, is a popular destination for millions of immigrants.
Approximately 23% of Canada's population are immigrants, according to the 2021 Canadian census.
11. Luxembourg
Overall Score: 2.67
Luxembourg, with its secure environment, superior healthcare system, competitive wages, breathtaking natural surroundings, and broad range of cultural offerings, is a very pleasant place to live.
According to the Better Life Index, nearly 87% of people in the country claim to feel secure travelling alone at night.
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Disclosure: None. 25 Countries with the Best Quality of Life is published originally on Insider Monkey.