The Best Countries to Live in 2026: Ranked by Safety, Healthcare & Cost

In 2026, the best countries to live in for overall quality of life are Austria, Japan and Switzerland, and the best cities to base yourself in are Vienna, Kyoto and Lucerne. Kyoto has a Voyica safety score of 88/100 and costs about $1,300 a month for one person including rent. Lucerne has the highest safety score in this ranking at 92/100, but it costs about $3,700.

We ranked one city per country, so this list compares countries and not 10 neighbourhoods in Switzerland. Quality of life came first: safety, the reputation of the healthcare system and how easy daily life is (food, internet, English). Cost came after that. Monthly costs come from Voyica's city data, which is built on the Numbeo Cost of Living Index and Expatistan. Safety scores combine the Global Peace Index, US State Department advisories and the Numbeo Crime Index. The spread is wide. The cheapest pick, Kaohsiung, costs about $1,060 a month. The priciest, Lucerne, costs about $2,640 more, roughly 3.5 times as much.

The best countries to live in at a glance: cost, safety and daily life

Source: Voyica city data (June 2026 snapshot). Monthly cost is Numbeo single-person living costs plus a one-bedroom rent outside the city centre; safety is Voyica's 0–100 score from Global Peace Index, Numbeo crime and US State Department data. See the Voyica Cost of Living Index for the full methodology.

The top countries to live in for 2026, ranked

1. Vienna, Austria

   Austria is our pick for the best country to live in overall because Vienna has the fewest weak spots on this list. It has a safety score of 87/100, costs about $2,000 a month for one person, and a 1BR outside the centre runs about $900. That's cheap for a Western European capital. Austria's public healthcare scores well on the Numbeo Healthcare Index, and about 58/100 on English means you can get by while you learn German. A practical tip: buy the annual Wiener Linien transit pass on day one. It's famously cheap and covers the U-Bahn, trams and buses, so you won't need a car.

2. Kyoto, Japan

   Kyoto has the best value for quality of life on this list. It scores 88/100 for safety and 95/100 for food, the highest food score of the 10, and costs about $1,300 a month. A 1BR outside the centre is about $330. Japan's healthcare system is consistently rated among the strongest in WHO and Numbeo comparisons, and residents join the national health insurance scheme. The catch is English, which scores just 15/100, so learning basic Japanese is close to essential. Japan has a digital nomad visa. Get around by bus and bicycle, since the city is flat and compact.

3. Lucerne, Switzerland

   If budget doesn't matter, Switzerland is hard to beat. Lucerne has the top safety score here (92/100) and 279 Mbps internet. You pay for it, though: about $3,700 a month for one person, rent about $1,870, and a family of four spends about $6,760 a month before rent. Swiss basic health insurance is compulsory and bought privately, so add it to your budget early. The SBB rail network means you can live car-free and still reach Zurich or the Alps easily.

4. Porto, Portugal

   Porto is the best mix of affordability and safety in Western Europe. It scores 87/100 for safety, costs about $1,790 a month, and a family of four spends about $2,920 a month excluding rent. It also has real beaches (60/100), excellent food (88/100) and 237 Mbps internet. Portugal has a digital nomad visa and the D7 passive-income visa, the two most common routes for Americans. The city is very hilly, so rent near a Metro do Porto line.

5. Quebec City, Canada

   Quebec City is the easiest move from the US. Voyica's data gives American passport holders 180 days visa-free, double almost everywhere else on this list. It scores 85/100 for safety and costs about $1,610 a month, with rent about $825. Plan around two things. Daily life is in French (English scores 30/100), and the winters are long and serious. Scout it in summer, then decide whether you can handle February.

6. Kaohsiung, Taiwan

   Kaohsiung is the cheapest place on this list at about $1,060 a month, and a 1BR is about $320, the lowest rent here. You're not giving up much for that price. Safety is 85/100, food is 88/100 and internet is 260 Mbps. Taiwan's National Health Insurance system is widely regarded as one of the best-value systems anywhere, and Taiwan has a digital nomad visa. A family of four spends about $2,750 a month excluding rent. English is limited (18/100), but the MRT and YouBike bike-share make getting around simple.

7. Singapore

   Singapore has the fastest internet on this list (407 Mbps), a safety score of 90/100, English at 85/100 and food at 92/100. It's the easiest place here to run a career from. It costs about $3,225 a month, with rent around $2,060, and residency usually depends on an employment pass. Expect heat and humidity all year. Eat at hawker centres to keep your food budget sane, and use the MRT instead of a car.

8. Valencia, Spain

   If you want a beach lifestyle, Valencia is the pick. It has the highest beach score in this ranking (88/100), food at 92/100 and 263 Mbps internet, for about $1,850 a month. Its safety score of 78/100 is the lowest of our 10, mostly because of petty theft. Use a cross-body bag and keep your phone off café tables. Spain has a digital nomad visa, and the Turia gardens give you a green corridor to cycle across the city.

9. Helsinki, Finland

   Helsinki is for people who value calm, order and nature. It scores 84/100 for safety, English is 65/100, and it costs about $2,010 a month. That's essentially the same as Vienna, with a 1BR around $920. Finland's public services have an excellent reputation, and HSL transit is reliable year-round. The real cost is the darkness in winter. Visit in November before you commit.

10. Adelaide, Australia

    Adelaide has the highest English score here (97/100), plus beaches at 72/100, food at 82/100 and a safety score of 82/100, for about $1,850 a month. Rent is the big line item: a 1BR outside the centre is about $1,460, so most of your budget goes on housing. Take the tram to Glenelg beach. The Barossa wine region is close enough for a day trip.

Before you move: what to actually do

Know your visa clock. Visa-free days are for visiting, not living. Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and Finland are all in the Schengen Area, so their 90 days are shared across the zone in any 180-day period. Use a scouting trip to test one city, then apply for a residence route like a digital nomad visa, a work permit or a passive-income visa. Check your passport's options on our passport page.

Budget for healthcare in the gap. Public systems in Japan, Taiwan and Austria are excellent once you're enrolled. Until then you need private or international cover, and in Switzerland it's mandatory from arrival.

Do a one-month trial. Rent outside the centre for a month at the rents above. For one person, that ranges from about $320 in Kaohsiung to about $1,870 in Lucerne. Live like a resident: grocery runs, a doctor's appointment, the commute.

Visit in the worst season. Quebec City and Helsinki in winter and Singapore in its most humid months will tell you more than a sunny week in May.

Which is the best country to live in for you?

Tightest budget: Taiwan (Kaohsiung) or Japan (Kyoto), both under $1,300 a month.

Safety above all: Switzerland (92/100) or Singapore (90/100).

Easiest move from the US: Canada, with 180 days visa-free.

English-speaking daily life: Australia or Singapore.

Families on a mid-range budget: Portugal and Spain, at about $2,900 to $3,000 a month for a family of four before rent.

These best quality of life countries for 2026 suit different people. A remote worker who wants the beach should pick Valencia. A family that wants maximum safety and has a big salary should pick Lucerne.