Everyone talks about "quality of life" but try getting two people to agree on what it means. Is it how long you live? How much you earn? Whether you can see a doctor without going bankrupt? It's all of those things, and the weight you give each one depends on who you are and what you're looking for. The good news: most of the components are measurable, and our country comparison tool puts them side by side. Here's how to read the numbers.
What Does "Quality of Life" Actually Mean?
There's no single number for it. Quality of life is really a composite of health, money, education, and infrastructure — and different people weight those differently. Someone retiring to southern Europe cares about healthcare access. A remote worker picking between Lisbon and Bangkok might care more about internet speeds and cost of living. The trick is looking at enough metrics to build an honest picture, rather than cherry-picking one flattering number.
The Metrics That Matter Most
The best single proxy for wellbeing — bakes in healthcare, nutrition, safety, and public health all at once.
View rankings →Average economic output per person. Doesn't capture inequality, but shows the resources a country has to work with.
View rankings →% of GDP spent on healthcare. The US spends the most globally but doesn't lead in outcomes — spending alone isn't enough.
View rankings →Deaths per 1,000 live births. Extremely sensitive to healthcare quality, maternal services, and basic sanitation.
View rankings →Tracks educational access. High literacy correlates with stronger economies and better health outcomes downstream.
View rankings →A basic infrastructure indicator in 2026. Affects education, employment, healthcare access, and daily life.
View rankings →What the Numbers Look Like in Practice
Metrics are abstract until you put two countries next to each other. Here's Norway — consistently near the top of quality-of-life rankings — against Nigeria, one of Africa's largest economies but with very different outcomes for its citizens:
Norway
Source: MyLifeElsewhere
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Life Expectancy | 83.2 years |
| GDP Per Capita | $102,500 |
| Infant Mortality | 2.3 / 1,000 |
| Literacy Rate | 99% |
| Internet Access | 98.4% |
| Health Spending | 11.3% GDP |
Nigeria
Source: MyLifeElsewhere
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Life Expectancy | 61.3 years |
| GDP Per Capita | $2,184 |
| Infant Mortality | 55.2 / 1,000 |
| Literacy Rate | 62% |
| Internet Access | 55.4% |
| Health Spending | 3.0% GDP |
A 22-year life expectancy gap, 47x difference in GDP, and dramatically different infant survival rates. Full Norway vs Nigeria comparison →
But not all gaps run along obvious rich-vs-poor lines. Here's one that surprises people:
United States
Source: MyLifeElsewhere
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Life Expectancy | 80.7 years |
| GDP Per Capita | $80,035 |
| Infant Mortality | 5.1 / 1,000 |
| Health Spending | 16.6% GDP |
| Obesity Rate | 36.2% |
Portugal
Source: MyLifeElsewhere
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Life Expectancy | 81.9 years |
| GDP Per Capita | $28,563 |
| Infant Mortality | 2.5 / 1,000 |
| Health Spending | 10.6% GDP |
| Obesity Rate | 20.8% |
The US has nearly 3x Portugal's GDP per capita — and yet Portugal has higher life expectancy, half the infant mortality, lower obesity, and spends 36% less of GDP on healthcare. Money isn't the whole story. Full USA vs Portugal comparison →
That's the whole point of looking at multiple indicators. A few things worth keeping in mind when you dig into the data:
- No single number is enough. A country can be wealthy and still have mediocre health outcomes, or poor on paper but punching above its weight in education.
- Factor in cost of living. Slightly lower quality-of-life scores in a country where your money goes 3x further might actually mean a better day-to-day life. Our cost of living tool pairs well with this.
- Decide what matters to you. Retiring? Healthcare and safety probably outweigh GDP. Moving for work? Internet infrastructure and economic opportunity matter more.
- Watch out for city-states. Monaco and Singapore top lots of rankings because their populations are self-selecting. Compare like with like for the most useful results.