Standard Of Living By Country

Last updated May 20, 2025

Human Development Index 2023
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Human Development Index 2023Question Mark
1.IcelandIceland0.972
2.NorwayNorway0.970
2.SwitzerlandSwitzerland0.970
4.DenmarkDenmark0.962
5.GermanyGermany0.959
5.SwedenSweden0.959
7.AustraliaAustralia0.958
8.Hong KongHong Kong0.955
8.NetherlandsNetherlands0.955
10.BelgiumBelgium0.951
11.IrelandIreland0.949
12.FinlandFinland0.948
13.United KingdomUnited Kingdom0.946
13.SingaporeSingapore0.946
15.United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates0.940
16.CanadaCanada0.939
17.United StatesUnited States0.938
17.New ZealandNew Zealand0.938
17.LiechtensteinLiechtenstein0.938
20.South KoreaSouth Korea0.937
21.SloveniaSlovenia0.931
22.AustriaAustria0.930
23.JapanJapan0.925
24.MaltaMalta0.924
25.LuxembourgLuxembourg0.922
26.FranceFrance0.920
27.IsraelIsrael0.919
28.SpainSpain0.918
29.ItalyItaly0.915
29.Czech RepublicCzech Republic0.915
29.San MarinoSan Marino0.915
32.AndorraAndorra0.913
32.CyprusCyprus0.913
34.GreeceGreece0.908
35.PolandPoland0.906
36.EstoniaEstonia0.905
37.Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia0.900
38.BahrainBahrain0.899
39.LithuaniaLithuania0.895
40.PortugalPortugal0.890
41.CroatiaCroatia0.889
41.LatviaLatvia0.889
43.QatarQatar0.886
44.SlovakiaSlovakia0.880
45.ChileChile0.878
46.HungaryHungary0.870
47.ArgentinaArgentina0.865
48.UruguayUruguay0.862
48.MontenegroMontenegro0.862
50.OmanOman0.858
51.TurkeyTurkey0.853
52.KuwaitKuwait0.852
53.Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda0.851
54.SeychellesSeychelles0.848
55.BulgariaBulgaria0.845
55.RomaniaRomania0.845
57.GeorgiaGeorgia0.844
58.Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Kitts and Nevis0.840
59.PanamaPanama0.839
60.KazakhstanKazakhstan0.837
60.BruneiBrunei0.837
62.Costa RicaCosta Rica0.833
62.SerbiaSerbia0.833
64.RussiaRussia0.832
65.BelarusBelarus0.824
66.BahamasBahamas0.820
67.MalaysiaMalaysia0.819
68.North MacedoniaNorth Macedonia0.815
69.ArmeniaArmenia0.811
69.BarbadosBarbados0.811
71.AlbaniaAlbania0.810
72.Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago0.807
73.MauritiusMauritius0.806
74.Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina0.804
75.IranIran0.799
76.ThailandThailand0.798
76.Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the Grenadines0.798
78.ChinaChina0.797
79.PeruPeru0.794
80.GrenadaGrenada0.791
81.MexicoMexico0.789
81.AzerbaijanAzerbaijan0.789
83.ColombiaColombia0.788
84.PalauPalau0.786
84.BrazilBrazil0.786
86.MoldovaMoldova0.785
87.UkraineUkraine0.779
88.EcuadorEcuador0.777
89.GuyanaGuyana0.776
89.Dominican RepublicDominican Republic0.776
89.Sri LankaSri Lanka0.776
92.TongaTonga0.769
93.VietnamVietnam0.766
93.MaldivesMaldives0.766
95.TurkmenistanTurkmenistan0.764
96.AlgeriaAlgeria0.763
97.CubaCuba0.762
98.DominicaDominica0.761
99.ParaguayParaguay0.756
100.EgyptEgypt0.754
100.JordanJordan0.754
102.LebanonLebanon0.752
103.Saint LuciaSaint Lucia0.748
104.MongoliaMongolia0.747
105.TunisiaTunisia0.746
106.South AfricaSouth Africa0.741
107.UzbekistanUzbekistan0.740
108.GabonGabon0.733
108.BoliviaBolivia0.733
108.Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands0.733
111.BotswanaBotswana0.731
111.FijiFiji0.731
113.IndonesiaIndonesia0.728
114.SurinameSuriname0.722
115.BelizeBelize0.721
115.LibyaLibya0.721
117.PhilippinesPhilippines0.720
117.KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan0.720
117.JamaicaJamaica0.720
120.MoroccoMorocco0.710
121.VenezuelaVenezuela0.709
122.SamoaSamoa0.708
123.NicaraguaNicaragua0.706
124.NauruNauru0.703
125.BhutanBhutan0.698
126.EswatiniEswatini0.695
126.IraqIraq0.695
128.TajikistanTajikistan0.691
129.TuvaluTuvalu0.689
130.BangladeshBangladesh0.685
130.IndiaIndia0.685
132.El SalvadorEl Salvador0.678
133.Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea0.674
133.PalestinePalestine0.674
135.Cape VerdeCape Verde0.668
136.NamibiaNamibia0.665
137.GuatemalaGuatemala0.662
138.Republic of the CongoRepublic of the Congo0.649
139.HondurasHonduras0.645
140.KiribatiKiribati0.644
141.Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and Principe0.637
142.Timor LesteTimor Leste0.634
143.KenyaKenya0.628
143.GhanaGhana0.628
145.NepalNepal0.622
146.VanuatuVanuatu0.621
147.LaosLaos0.617
148.AngolaAngola0.616
149.MicronesiaMicronesia0.615
150.MyanmarMyanmar0.609
151.CambodiaCambodia0.606
152.ComorosComoros0.603
153.ZimbabweZimbabwe0.598
154.ZambiaZambia0.595
155.CameroonCameroon0.588
156.Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands0.584
157.Ivory CoastIvory Coast0.582
157.UgandaUganda0.582
159.RwandaRwanda0.578
160.Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea0.576
161.TogoTogo0.571
162.SyriaSyria0.564
163.MauritaniaMauritania0.563
164.NigeriaNigeria0.560
165.TanzaniaTanzania0.555
166.HaitiHaiti0.554
167.LesothoLesotho0.550
168.PakistanPakistan0.544
169.SenegalSenegal0.530
170.GambiaGambia0.524
171.DR CongoDR Congo0.522
172.MalawiMalawi0.517
173.BeninBenin0.515
174.Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau0.514
175.DjiboutiDjibouti0.513
176.SudanSudan0.511
177.LiberiaLiberia0.510
178.EritreaEritrea0.503
179.GuineaGuinea0.500
180.EthiopiaEthiopia0.497
181.AfghanistanAfghanistan0.496
182.MozambiqueMozambique0.493
183.MadagascarMadagascar0.487
184.YemenYemen0.470
185.Sierra LeoneSierra Leone0.467
186.Burkina FasoBurkina Faso0.459
187.BurundiBurundi0.439
188.NigerNiger0.419
188.MaliMali0.419
190.ChadChad0.416
191.Central African RepublicCentral African Republic0.414
192.SomaliaSomalia0.404
193.South SudanSouth Sudan0.388

Living Standards Globally

The emerging story of the global standard of living index is a mirror that reflects the ever-evolving socio-economic trends, uncovering the varying degrees of human development witnessed across the world. A comprehensive tool we often refer to in this conversation is the Human Development Index (HDI), a statistical measure developed by the United Nations that assesses the social and economic development levels of countries. The United States, a major player on this global platform, boasts a commendable HDI figure of 0.921, ranking it among the top countries globally. However, even as the U.S. claims its place in the higher echelons, a detailed cross-country examination reveals some fascinating insights. Key findings from the data include:

  • The nations leading the international scale in terms of high HDI figures include Switzerland (0.962), Norway (0.961), and Iceland (0.959), underscoring their highly developed healthcare, income levels, and educational standards.
  • High-tier countries with comparable HDI to the US - nestled in the 0.9 and above region - are UK (0.929), Japan (0.925), and South Korea (0.925). These nations have shown robust growth and development, translating to high living standards for their citizens.
  • At the other end of the spectrum, countries like South Sudan (0.385), Chad (0.394), and Niger (0.400) fall towards the bottom of the index, indicating serious developmental challenges that their populace grapple with every day.
  • It's also noteworthy that developing nations like India (0.633) and China (0.768) have shown promising progress over years, signaling enhanced living standards for their massive population.
  • Countries like Iceland and New Zealand, despite their smaller size and population, have managed to consistently secure high positions, lending valuable insights into how, irrespective of size and populous, nations can level up their standard of living through strategic policy-making and developmental projects.

Countries with Best Quality of Life

Topping the list of regions with the highest standard of living or the best quality of life based on quantitative evaluation of various living conditions is Switzerland. Norway follows closely at the second position with an HDI of 0.961, further indicating high standards in the crucial aspects of living - health, education, and income. Iceland, with an HDI of 0.959, comes third on the list, showcasing excellent living conditions characterized by advanced healthcare systems, high average income, and excellent educational institutions. Other countries making it to the top ten of the HDI ranks include Hong Kong (0.952), Australia (0.951), Denmark (0.948), Sweden (0.947), Ireland (0.945), Germany (0.942), and the Netherlands (0.941). These countries exhibit high scores in healthcare, income, and education, offering their citizens an enviable quality of life compared to other regions. Countries with Best Quality of Life

  1. Switzerland - 0.962
  2. Norway - 0.961
  3. Iceland - 0.959
  4. Hong Kong - 0.952
  5. Australia - 0.951
  6. Denmark - 0.948
  7. Sweden - 0.947
  8. Ireland - 0.945
  9. Germany - 0.942
  10. Netherlands - 0.941

Countries with Worst Quality of Life

When analyzing the standard of living by country as per the Human Development Index (HDI), South Sudan, Chad, Niger, Central African Republic, Burundi, Mali, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Yemen, and Guinea have the lowest values. South Sudan has the lowest standard of living with an HDI value of 0.385. The next countries with the lowest standard of living are Chad and Niger with HDI values of 0.394 and 0.400, respectively. Central African Republic has an HDI value of 0.404 and Burundi has a 0.426 HDI value, while Mali is slightly higher with an HDI of 0.428. The following countries, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Yemen have their HDI values all within the 0.400 to 0.500 range, coming in at 0.446, 0.449, and 0.455 correspondingly. Guinea rounds out the list with an HDI value of 0.465. The ten countries with the lowest standard of living, are:

  1. South Sudan - 0.385 HDI
  2. Chad - 0.394 HDI
  3. Niger - 0.400 HDI
  4. Central African Republic - 0.404 HDI
  5. Burundi - 0.426 HDI
  6. Mali - 0.428 HDI
  7. Mozambique - 0.446 HDI
  8. Burkina Faso - 0.449 HDI
  9. Yemen - 0.455 HDI
  10. Guinea - 0.465 HDI
The 2025 Human Development Report
Last updated
May 6th, 2025
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