Quality of Life Index 2025: How the world ranking has changed over ten years

Numbeo analysts analyzed how the quality of life index changed in thirty countries around the world from 2015 to 2025. The study showed that Canada lost eighteen positions at once, while most European countries maintained or improved their positions.

This is reported by Visualcapitalist .

The Quality of Life Index is based on a comprehensive assessment of various aspects of life in countries around the world. The analysis uses data from surveys of residents, which determine the level of satisfaction with living conditions.

The study covers the following eight key indicators:

1. Purchasing power is the level of income and the ability to cover expenses for basic needs.
2. Pollution level – the state of the environment and air.
3. The ratio of housing costs to income is the affordability of buying or renting housing.
4. The overall cost of living is the prices of goods and services necessary for a comfortable life.
5. Security — assessment of the criminogenic situation and citizens’ sense of security.
6. Healthcare quality is the effectiveness of the medical system and access to treatment.
7. Commuting time is the average time citizens spend commuting.
8. Climate — the comfort of weather conditions for living.

According to the results, the positions of many countries have changed over the past decade. Canada showed the biggest drop, falling from ninth place in 2015 to twenty-seventh place in 2025.

The main reason is the deterioration of housing affordability. Real estate prices in Canada are growing much faster than incomes. According to Statistics Canada, 45% of citizens in 2024 said they were “extremely concerned” about the ability to buy or rent a home.

Problems are also being seen in the health care system. According to the Fraser Institute, the average wait time between a referral from a general practitioner and receiving treatment is approximately 30 weeks, which is 222% more than in 1993 (9.3 weeks).

At the same time, European countries traditionally maintain their leadership. The Netherlands stands out in particular, having risen twelve positions in ten years, which indicates an increase in the comfort of life and the stability of the social system.

Not all European countries managed to maintain their figures. Sweden dropped from third to thirteenth place, which analysts attribute to the growth of organized crime – according to estimates, about 62 thousand people are involved in criminal networks related to drug trafficking, smuggling and money laundering.

TOP 10 countries by quality of life in 2025:

1. Luxembourg — 218.2.
2. Netherlands — 216.5.
3. Denmark — 215.1.
4. Oman — 215.1.
5. Switzerland — 210.9.
6. Finland — 208.3.
7. Norway — 199.2.
8. Iceland — 198.0.
9. Austria — 197.7.
10. Germany — 195.2.

For comparison, in 2015 the top ten was led by Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, the USA, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Thus, over the past decade, Europe has maintained its leadership in the quality of life index, while Canada and some other countries have shown a decline in indicators due to problems with housing affordability, the healthcare system, and economic growth.

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