Ratings
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Which Countries In The World Have The Best Quality Of Life?

83 countries around the world have been rated for the quality of life of their citizens. The ranking was compiled by the online portal Numbeo.com. The editors of the portal found out which countries are safest, which have the best health care system, and how much it costs to live in the country.

Alevtina Kalmuk

Author •Alevtina Kalmuk

Author and editor of articles about investment citizenship and residency

How to get a residence permit or second citizenship by investment in countries with a high standard of living

Which Countries In The World Have The Best Quality Of Life?

Numbeo.com is the world’s largest database on the cost and quality of life of people in different countries. Its editors rate countries, cities and make rankings about the lives of their people. The portal’s research is viewed by some 2.4 million users a month.

How Numbeo compiles a ranking

The editors collect information for the rankings from open sources: government portals, websites of local statistical companies, and reports from consultancy firms. Numbeo.com also allows all users to share information about the cost of living in their country.

Countries were compared across eight criteria:

  1. Security

  2. Quality of health care system

  3. Natural disaster likelihood

  4. Pollution level

  5. Overall cost of living index

  6. Purchasing Power of Each Citizen

  7. The ratio of house prices to local incomes

  8. How long it takes residents to get to work

The final score of a country and its ranking is the average of the combined scores of all the criteria.

Top 10 countries for quality of life

Place

Country

Scores

1

ch-flag Switzerland

188,36

2

dk-flag Denmark

186,25

3

nl-flag Netherlands

180,27

4

fi-flag Finland

178,95

5

au-flag Australia

178,41

6

is-flag Iceland

177,64

7

at-flag Austria

176,36

8

de-flag Germany

175,24

9

nz-flag New Zealand

173,6

10

lu-flag Luxembourg

171,81

Full country rankings on Numbeo.com

ch-flag Switzerland has risen to the top spot for the first time since 2015. The country’s government is coping well with the effects of the crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. The purchasing power of Swiss citizens is 22% higher than in all other countries. But it is also more expensive to live in Switzerland.

dk-flag Denmark has topped the ranking for the last three years but lost out to Switzerland in 2021. The country has a high level of healthcare system, a good environment, and average living costs across Europe.

fi-flag Finland is one of the greenest and safest countries in the world. It is also home to some of the happiest people in the world.

at-flag Austria also performed well in every category: the country is safe to live in, the healthcare system is high, and real estate and living costs are average across Europe.

Investors choose Austria to improve their quality of life, expand their business opportunities, live in an environmentally friendly country and give their children a quality higher education. These are the reasons why Yuri and Marina obtained a residence permit in Austria.

Swiss residence permit: how to obtain an EU residence permit

Swiss people enjoy outdoor activities: trekking in the mountains, rafting on rivers, and hiking in the forests

How to obtain a residence permit or citizenship by investment in a ranked country

Seven countries in Numbeo’s ranking offer foreign investors a residence permit or second citizenship by investment.

Investors participate in government programs and invest in the country’s economy: making a non-repayable contribution to a fund, buying real estate or bonds, opening a business, or creating jobs for locals.

Ranking of countries with investment programs

Place

Country

Scores

1

ch-flag Switzerland

188,36

7

at-flag Austria

176,36

20

pt-flag Portugal

159,83

23

gb-flag United Kingdom

156,94

33

cy-flag Cyprus

146,08

42

gr-flag Greece

127,96

46

tr-flag Turkey

124,19

A residence permit in Switzerland for financially independent persons is granted without the right to work in the country. The investor enters into an agreement with the cantonal administration and pays a lump sum tax of ₣ 450,000. It takes about six months to obtain the status.

A residence permit in Austria for financially independent persons is issued according to quotas. The investor proves that he or she and his or her family have enough money to live in the country. The processing time is from three months.

A residence permit in Portugal is granted by investment of €250,000 or more. The program offers eight options: purchase of real estate or securities, opening a deposit in a local bank, investment in a business, scientific activity or the country’s cultural heritage. The processing time is from two months.

UK residence permits are issued by investments of £2 million or more. The investor receives a special Investor Visa which allows them to live and do business in the country. It takes about three months to obtain the visa.

A permanent residence permit in Cyprus is granted by investment of €300,000 or more. The investor can choose from three options: purchase of the real estate, shares in local companies, or units of investment funds. It takes about two months to obtain a permanent

A residence permit in Greece is granted by purchasing real estate or shares in local companies, opening a deposit in a Greek bank. The minimum investment is €250,000. It takes about three months to obtain the status.

Citizenship of Turkey can be obtained by investment in real estate from $250,000. Alternative options: deposit in a local bank, purchase of securities, setting up a business with a capital of $500,000 or more. Passport processing takes from three months.

Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent that helps you obtain a second citizenship or residence permit by investments in European countries. If you want to move to Europe, seek advice from experts in investment programs.