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Best Countries for Lifestyle & Quality of Life

Quality of life goes beyond economics. We rank 95 countries on lifestyle factors including the UNDP Human Development Index, cultural offerings, visa accessibility, English proficiency, climate appeal, and expat community size. This dimension captures the subjective 'livability' that numbers alone can't fully express.

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Top 20 Countries

Sorted by lifestyle score. Data from 15 institutional sources.

🇲🇹

Malta

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,500/mo

🇨🇾

Cyprus

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,400/mo

🇲🇺

Mauritius

East Africa

/100

~$1,750/mo

🇿🇦

South Africa

Africa

/100

~$1,650/mo

🇦🇺

Australia

Oceania

/100

~$2,900/mo

🇵🇹

Portugal

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,500/mo

🇭🇷

Croatia

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,200/mo

🇳🇿

New Zealand

Oceania

/100

~$2,800/mo

🇯🇲

Jamaica

Caribbean

/100

~$1,850/mo

🇬🇷

Greece

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,250/mo

🇹🇹

Trinidad and Tobago

Caribbean

/100

~$2,000/mo

🇪🇸

Spain

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,350/mo

🇰🇪

Kenya

East Africa

/100

~$1,300/mo

🇮🇪

Ireland

Western Europe

/100

~$2,950/mo

🇳🇱

Netherlands

Western Europe

/100

~$2,750/mo

🇮🇹

Italy

Southern Europe

/100

~$2,600/mo

🇵🇭

Philippines

Southeast Asia

/100

~$1,300/mo

🇷🇼

Rwanda

East Africa

/100

~$1,250/mo

🇨🇷

Costa Rica

Central America

/100

~$2,050/mo

🇺🇾

Uruguay

South America

/100

~$2,400/mo

Explore All 95 Countries

#1 for Lifestyle & Quality of Life

🇲🇹

Malta

Southern Europe

85/100

🌴 Lifestyle Score

62.28/100

Overall Score

$2,500

Est. Monthly

View Full Country Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you quantify lifestyle?

Lifestyle combines the UNDP Human Development Index, EF English Proficiency Index, visa accessibility scores, cultural heritage indicators, and expat community density. Countries offering dedicated nomad or retirement visas receive a 15% score boost.

Is climate included?

Climate comfort is partially captured in the lifestyle score through livability indicators. Each country page includes a detailed ClimateChart component showing monthly temperature, rainfall, and humidity data from Open-Meteo.

How subjective is this ranking?

Less than you'd think. We avoid subjective assessments and rely on institutional data. The UNDP HDI, English proficiency scores, and visa policies are all objectively measurable. The weighting of these factors is where some judgment applies.

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Best Countries for Lifestyle & Quality of Life

Top 20 Countries

Malta

Cyprus

Mauritius

South Africa

Australia

Portugal

Croatia

New Zealand

Jamaica

Greece

Trinidad and Tobago

Spain

Kenya

Ireland

Netherlands

Italy

Philippines

Rwanda

Costa Rica

Uruguay

Malta

Frequently Asked Questions

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Ready to Find Your Best Country?

Best Countries for Lifestyle & Quality of Life

Top 20 Countries

Malta

Cyprus

Mauritius

South Africa

Australia

Portugal

Croatia

New Zealand

Jamaica

Greece

Trinidad and Tobago

Spain

Kenya

Ireland

Netherlands

Italy

Philippines

Rwanda

Costa Rica

Uruguay

Malta

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Rankings

Cheapest Countries to Live In

Safest Countries to Live In

Countries with the Best Healthcare

Countries with the Best Education

Best Countries for Career & Economy

Best Countries for Digital Infrastructure

Ready to Find Your Best Country?