Best English-Speaking Countries to Live In
Where you can read your lease, argue with your landlord, and understand the doctor — all in English.
Your passport
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Ireland
1 city~$2005/mo rent, safe. High quality of life, and you can read the lease agreement.
New Zealand
1 city~$991/mo rent, safe. High quality of life, and you can read the lease agreement.
Australia
3 cities~$2198/mo rent, safe. Livable, and at least you'll understand why it's frustrating.
United Kingdom
1 city~$1894/mo rent, safe. Livable, and at least you'll understand why it's frustrating.
United States
1 city~$1395/mo rent. Livable, and at least you'll understand why it's frustrating.
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.
Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · World Bank · EF EPI · Ookla Speedtest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best country to live in in 2026?▾
Ireland leads our rankings with a score of 70/100 — averaged across 1 cities we track. Not a vibe check, just math.
Top 5 best countries to live in?▾
#1 Ireland (70/100), #2 New Zealand (70/100), #3 Australia (67/100), #4 United Kingdom (64/100), #5 United States (54/100). Each scored on cost, safety, democracy, internet, English, and climate.
Which top-ranked country is also affordable?▾
New Zealand — average rent ~$991/mo across 1 cities. Cheap and livable — they exist, you just need a spreadsheet.
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