Where Is the Best Place to Live in 2026: A Global Ranking of Countries by Quality of Life

Sweden topped the ranking of countries with the highest quality of life, ahead of Denmark, Canada, and Switzerland. Most of the top ten spots were taken by European countries, while the United States ranked lower than all other G7 members. Learn more about the leading countries, the evaluation criteria, and the key findings of the 2026 ranking

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A high income does not always mean a high quality of life. When considering a move, other factors are also important, such as the affordability of housing and daily living expenses, employment opportunities, political stability, safety, and conditions for raising children.

The new Best Countries Index ranking is based on a survey of more than 15,000 adults from 33 countries who evaluated 85 nations. Sweden took first place with a score of 100, followed by Denmark with 98.2 and Canada with 95. At the same time, the study primarily reflects international perceptions of countries, so its results cannot be viewed as a universal answer to the question of where it is best for each individual to live.

Earlier, we talked about the European countries where it is easiest to get a work visa and start a career abroad.

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How were the countries with the best quality of life determined?

The ranking is part of the Best Countries Index 2026, prepared in collaboration with The Wharton School. It is based on a survey of more than 15,000 adults from 33 countries. Respondents evaluated a total of 85 countries.

The ranking took into account perceptions of countries based on several criteria:

- Affordability of daily life

- Employment opportunities

- Conditions for families

- Political stability

- Overall level of well-being

The results were converted to a scale where the country with the highest score received 100 points. Therefore, Sweden’s 100 points do not indicate a perfect quality of life across all metrics, but rather signify the best overall result among the countries included in the study.

The ranking is not based directly on average salaries, rent costs, crime rates, or access to healthcare. Instead, it shows how livable participants in an international survey consider these countries to be. For this reason, it should be viewed as an assessment of a country’s global reputation rather than an objective index of conditions for relocation.

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life in 2026

The top ten in the ranking are almost entirely made up of developed European nations. Eight of the ten spots are held by European countries, and four of the top six spots went to Northern European nations.

The ranking is as follows:

1. Sweden – 100 points

2. Denmark – 98.2

3. Canada – 95.0

4. Switzerland – 94.8

5. Finland – 92.4

6. Norway – 92.4

7. Netherlands – 90.8

8. Australia – 87.5

9. Germany – 82.9

10. Belgium – 78.6

Sweden outperformed its closest competitor by 1.8 points. Denmark took second place, while Finland and Norway tied with a score of 92.4 points each. The high rankings of the Nordic countries are attributed to their reputation as stable nations, their well-developed public services, safety, and family-friendly conditions.

Canada was the top-ranked country outside of Europe and the only representative of the Americas in the top ten. It edged out Switzerland by just 0.2 points. Australia took eighth place and became the second non-European country in the top ten.

The gap between first and tenth place is 21.4 points. At the same time, even the countries at the bottom of the top ten have a strong international reputation for well-being, stability, and quality of daily life.

Learn more about the most affordable countries for expats to live in 2026 by following the link.

Which countries ranked 11th through 20th?

European countries also dominate the second ten. Seven of the ten positions were held by European countries, and there were 15 European countries in the top twenty overall.

The rankings were as follows:

- Austria – 76.7 points

- New Zealand – 74.0

- United Kingdom – 73.7

- Japan – 73.4

- Luxembourg – 69.9

- Ireland – 63.5

- Singapore – 61.6

- Poland – 59.6

- Spain – 56.7

- France – 56.2

Austria fell 1.9 points short of making the top 10. New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Japan were virtually tied: the difference between 12th and 14th place was just 0.6 points.

Poland took 18th place, ahead of Spain and France. Singapore was the only Southeast Asian country in the top 20. The gap between Austria in 11th place and France in 20th is 20.5 points, demonstrating a significantly wider gap within the second ten.

Why does Europe dominate the ranking, and where does the U.S. stand?

European countries took 15 of the top 20 spots, including eight in the top ten. Northern Europe posted the strongest results: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway made it into the top six.

This dominance is primarily due to these countries’ international reputations. They are associated with stable institutions, accessible public services, social protection, security, and high levels of public trust. At the same time, this result does not mean that living in these countries is cheap: Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway are also among the most expensive destinations in Europe.

Canada took third place and was the highest-ranked country in the Americas. The United States, however, did not make the top 20, ranking below all other G7 nations and dropping ten spots compared to 2018. This shows that economic size and political influence do not guarantee a high quality-of-life ranking.

Australia ranked eighth, and New Zealand ranked twelfth. Among Asian countries, Japan performed best, ranking 14th, while Singapore ranked 17th. No country from Africa, South America, or the Middle East made it into the top 20.

In our previous article, we discussed the cost of living in the best EU countries in 2026.

What should you consider when choosing a country to move to?

The ranking reflects a country’s overall reputation but does not take into account an individual migrant’s specific situation. A country may score highly for stability and social services but remain inaccessible due to expensive housing, complex immigration rules, or high taxes.

Before moving, it’s worth checking the following separately:

- Available grounds for obtaining a visa and a residence permit

- Demand for your profession and your actual take-home pay after taxes

- The ratio of your salary to the cost of rent, transportation, and groceries

- Conditions for foreigners’ access to healthcare and education

- Language proficiency requirements

- Opportunities for long-term residency, family reunification, and obtaining citizenship

For example, the high rankings of Sweden, Denmark, or Switzerland do not mean that moving to these countries will be equally easy and beneficial for everyone. At the same time, a country outside the top ten may better suit your specific budget, profession, and migration plans.

If you are planning to legalize, apply for a residence permit or submit migration documents abroad, the assistance of specialized migration lawyers can significantly simplify the process. Specialists will help you assess your chances of obtaining legal status, prepare a package of documents, avoid common mistakes, and accompany you at all stages of the migration procedure: from the initial consultation to obtaining a decision from the migration authorities.

We remind you! New economic indicators show which countries have been able to increase their GDP and which have lost ground due to inflation and slowing growth. Ranking of the richest countries in the world in 2026 — follow the link.

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