Townleap

Best Countries to Live In 2026

Every country scored on cost, safety, democracy, internet, and climate. The spreadsheet your gut feeling was too proud to make.

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1.
🇫🇮

Finland

1 city

~$1210/mo rent, 227 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$1210/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy72°F summers227 Mbps
85score
2.
🇰🇷

South Korea

1 city

~$871/mo rent, 182 Mbps, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$871/mo rentVisa: complex82°F summers182 Mbps
81score
3.
🇩🇰

Denmark

1 city

~$1970/mo rent, 245 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1970/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy68°F summers245 Mbps
80score
4.
🇩🇪

Germany

7 cities

~$1296/mo rent, 157 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$1296/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy75°F summers157 Mbps
79score
5.
🇨🇿

Czech Republic

1 city

~$1228/mo rent, 137 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$1228/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy73°F summers137 Mbps
78score
6.
🇪🇪

Estonia

1 city

~$816/mo rent, 112 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$816/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy68°F summers112 Mbps
77score
7.
🇷🇴

Romania

1 city

~$668/mo rent, 255 Mbps. The data says yes.

~$668/mo rentVisa: moderate86°F summers255 Mbps
77score
8.
🇸🇪

Sweden

3 cities

~$1329/mo rent, 146 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$1329/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy68°F summers146 Mbps
77score
9.
🇸🇮

Slovenia

1 city

~$1118/mo rent, 130 Mbps, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1118/mo rent81°F summers130 Mbps
77score
10.
🇦🇹

Austria

4 cities

~$1204/mo rent, 101 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1204/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy77°F summers101 Mbps
76score
11.
🇨🇦

Canada

3 cities

~$1631/mo rent, 140 Mbps, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$1631/mo rentVisa: easyFull democracy73°F summers140 Mbps
76score
12.
🇵🇹

Portugal

5 cities

~$1358/mo rent, 149 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1358/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy79°F summers149 Mbps
76score
13.
🇹🇼

Taiwan

1 city

~$735/mo rent, 142 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$735/mo rentVisa: easyFull democracy90°F summers142 Mbps
76score
14.
🇨🇭

Switzerland

7 cities

~$2280/mo rent, 303 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$2280/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy77°F summers303 Mbps
75score
15.
🇵🇱

Poland

2 cities

~$1100/mo rent, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1100/mo rentVisa: moderate73°F summers99 Mbps
75score
16.
🇬🇷

Greece

1 city

~$737/mo rent, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$737/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy90°F summers98 Mbps
74score
17.
🇭🇺

Hungary

1 city

~$918/mo rent, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$918/mo rentVisa: moderate79°F summers80 Mbps
74score
18.
🇫🇷

France

5 cities

~$1110/mo rent, 162 Mbps. The data says yes.

~$1110/mo rentVisa: moderate81°F summers162 Mbps
73score
19.
🇲🇾

Malaysia

1 city

~$690/mo rent, 135 Mbps, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$690/mo rentVisa: moderate90°F summers135 Mbps
73score
20.
🇳🇱

Netherlands

3 cities

~$1985/mo rent, 120 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1985/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy68°F summers120 Mbps
73score
21.
🇳🇴

Norway

1 city

~$2004/mo rent, 258 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$2004/mo rentFull democracy70°F summers258 Mbps
73score
22.
🇪🇸

Spain

7 cities

~$1355/mo rent, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1355/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy84°F summers92 Mbps
72score
23.
🇳🇿

New Zealand

1 city

~$991/mo rent, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$991/mo rentFull democracy64°F summers
72score
24.
🇸🇰

Slovakia

2 cities

~$1042/mo rent. The data says yes.

~$1042/mo rent79°F summers92 Mbps
72score
25.
🇯🇵

Japan

1 city

~$1359/mo rent, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1359/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy82°F summers53 Mbps
71score
26.
🇸🇬

Singapore

1 city

~$2696/mo rent, 279 Mbps, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$2696/mo rentVisa: moderate88°F summers279 Mbps
71score
27.
🇭🇷

Croatia

1 city

~$1077/mo rent, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1077/mo rent86°F summers
70score
28.
🇮🇪

Ireland

2 cities

~$2264/mo rent, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$2264/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy66°F summers91 Mbps
70score
29.
🇮🇹

Italy

4 cities

~$1384/mo rent, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$1384/mo rentVisa: moderate86°F summers70 Mbps
70score
30.
🇷🇸

Serbia

1 city

~$904/mo rent. The data says yes.

~$904/mo rentVisa: easy81°F summers68 Mbps
70score
31.
🇦🇺

Australia

3 cities

~$2198/mo rent, 114 Mbps, full democracy, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$2198/mo rentFull democracy81°F summers114 Mbps
68score
32.
🇻🇳

Vietnam

1 city

~$475/mo rent, 245 Mbps. The data says yes.

~$475/mo rentVisa: moderate93°F summers245 Mbps
68score
33.
🇦🇲

Armenia

1 city

~$680/mo rent. The data says yes.

~$680/mo rentVisa: easy93°F summers65 Mbps
67score
34.
🇬🇧

United Kingdom

4 cities

~$2054/mo rent, full democracy. The data says yes.

~$2054/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy68°F summers93 Mbps
67score
35.
🇬🇪

Georgia

2 cities

~$571/mo rent. The data says yes.

~$571/mo rentVisa: easy81°F summers38 Mbps
67score
36.
🇮🇳

India

2 cities

~$246/mo rent. The data says yes.

~$246/mo rentVisa: complex84°F summers87 Mbps
66score
37.
🇨🇳

China

3 cities

~$903/mo rent, 242 Mbps, extremely safe. The data says yes.

~$903/mo rentVisa: complex88°F summers242 Mbps
65score
38.
🇮🇩

Indonesia

1 city

~$1082/mo rent, extremely safe. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1082/mo rentVisa: easy84°F summers36 Mbps
63score
39.
🇨🇷

Costa Rica

3 cities

~$866/mo rent, 134 Mbps, full democracy. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$866/mo rentVisa: easyFull democracy81°F summers134 Mbps
62score
40.
🇮🇱

Israel

3 cities

~$1723/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1723/mo rentVisa: moderate84°F summers81 Mbps
62score
41.
🇲🇦

Morocco

1 city

~$495/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$495/mo rent95°F summers
62score
42.
🇦🇷

Argentina

1 city

~$767/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$767/mo rentVisa: easy81°F summers55 Mbps
61score
43.
🇵🇦

Panama

2 cities

~$892/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$892/mo rentVisa: easy79°F summers31 Mbps
61score
44.
🇹🇭

Thailand

3 cities

~$625/mo rent, 110 Mbps. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$625/mo rentVisa: moderate90°F summers110 Mbps
61score
45.
🇦🇪

United Arab Emirates

1 city

~$2288/mo rent, 378 Mbps, extremely safe. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$2288/mo rentVisa: moderate106°F summers378 Mbps
59score
46.
🇭🇰

Hong Kong

1 city

~$2225/mo rent, extremely safe. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$2225/mo rentVisa: moderate86°F summers
58score
47.
🇰🇿

Kazakhstan

1 city

~$756/mo rent, 133 Mbps. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$756/mo rent82°F summers133 Mbps
58score
48.
🇺🇿

Uzbekistan

1 city

~$609/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$609/mo rent95°F summers83 Mbps
57score
49.
🇧🇷

Brazil

2 cities

~$644/mo rent, 143 Mbps. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$644/mo rent86°F summers143 Mbps
55score
50.
🇹🇷

Turkey

1 city

~$1070/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1070/mo rentVisa: easy82°F summers51 Mbps
54score
51.
🇺🇸

United States

11 cities

~$2470/mo rent, 177 Mbps. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$2470/mo rentVisa: easy88°F summers177 Mbps
54score
52.
🇪🇬

Egypt

1 city

~$215/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$215/mo rent95°F summers26 Mbps
52score
53.
🇨🇴

Colombia

1 city

~$703/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$703/mo rentVisa: easy79°F summers79 Mbps
50score
54.
🇿🇦

South Africa

1 city

~$1026/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1026/mo rentVisa: moderate75°F summers53 Mbps
50score
55.
🇲🇽

Mexico

8 cities

~$1006/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1006/mo rentVisa: moderate86°F summers72 Mbps
48score
56.
🇷🇺

Russia

2 cities

~$1203/mo rent. Not perfect, but the bones are good.

~$1203/mo rentVisa: moderate72°F summers
47score

How we score countries

Each country score is the average livability score across all cities we track there. City scores combine: affordability (25%), safety (25%), internet (15%), democracy (15%), English (10%), climate (10%), and economic stability (10%). Country-level data (democracy, peace index) is shared across cities in the same country.

Best Countries to Move to From the USEasiest Countries to Immigrate to in 2026Best Countries to Retire In 2026Best Countries for Expats 2026Countries With No Income TaxCountries With No Capital Gains TaxBest Countries to Raise a FamilyBest English-Speaking Countries to Live InMost Democratic Countries to Move ToHigh-Trust CountriesSafest Countries for WomenCheapest Places to Live in EuropeBest Places to Live in EuropeSafest Places to Live in EuropeFull City Rankings

Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · World Bank · EF EPI · Ookla Speedtest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best country to live in in 2026?▾

Finland leads our rankings with a score of 85/100 — averaged across 1 cities we track. Not a vibe check, just math.

Top 5 best countries to live in?▾

#1 Finland (85/100), #2 South Korea (81/100), #3 Denmark (80/100), #4 Germany (79/100), #5 Czech Republic (78/100). Each scored on cost, safety, democracy, internet, English, and climate.

Which top-ranked country is also affordable?▾

Egypt — average rent ~$215/mo across 1 cities. Cheap and livable — they exist, you just need a spreadsheet.

More ways to find your country

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