Strong medicine and short trips: who made it into the top ten of the Numbeo 2026 ranking
23 February 14:51
The Numbeo platform has published its Quality of Life Index 2026, which compares 89 countries based on a range of socio-economic indicators, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The Netherlands took first place this year, overtaking Luxembourg, which had previously topped the list since 2023.
The index takes into account purchasing power, pollution levels, safety, housing affordability, cost of living, quality of healthcare, travel time, and climate.
Six cities in the global top
Cities were evaluated separately. Here, the Netherlands demonstrated even more convincing results: six Dutch cities made it into the top ten.
The Hague became the world leader.
Utrecht and Eindhoven took second and third place, respectively.
Groningen, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam also made it into the top 10.
Why the Netherlands came first
One of the country’s key advantages is its healthcare system. According to the ranking, medical facilities are well equipped with modern equipment and qualified personnel.
The Netherlands also received high marks for the purchasing power of its population, its moderate climate, and relatively short average travel times.
Expensive living and housing problems
However, the leader also has its weaknesses. According to Numbeo, the cost of living in the country is on average 8.6% higher than in the US.
The approximate expenses of a family of four exceed €3,600 per month, excluding rent, while the average salary is around €4,000.
Despite the housing crisis, the country did not show critical results in terms of the “housing price to income” ratio, ranking 14th in the world with a coefficient of 7.59. For comparison, in Nigeria, this figure reaches 93.7.
Who else is in the top ten
The top 10 countries for 2026 also include:
- Denmark
- Luxembourg
- Oman
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Austria
- Germany
- Iceland
- Norway
The 2026 ranking confirmed the dominance of European countries in global quality of life indicators, with an emphasis on social standards, healthcare, and safety.
