Australia scores 189.6 on Numbeo’s country index, with outdoor lifestyles, high minimum wages and long distances shaping life in its cities.
Quality of life outside Europe: cities and countries
Every city and country outside Europe in our Cities and Countries Top 21s, grouped by region, with its Numbeo Quality of Life Index value shown on the card (21words score = index ÷ 2.3, capped at 100). Oman has the highest country index outside Europe on our list; Wellington leads the non-European cities. Singapore appears once because its city and country values are identical.
Asia-Pacific
8 picks; highest score here: Australia (82).
New Zealand scores 188.5 on Numbeo’s country index, offering mountains, coastline and small cities, though geographic isolation makes international travel long.
Wellington scores 189.3 on Numbeo, the highest of our cities outside Europe, with a compact harbour centre and walkable green hills.
Japan scores 185.6 on Numbeo’s country index, with low crime, excellent rail and regional cities that cost noticeably less than Tokyo.
Tokyo scores 175.4 on Numbeo, and famously safe streets plus punctual rail make the world’s largest metropolitan area feel surprisingly manageable.
Seoul scores 158.4 on Numbeo’s index, pairing an excellent subway network and late-night food culture with hiking trails reachable by train.
Singapore scores 158.1 on Numbeo as both city and country, a compact and safe city-state with hawker centres and efficient transit.
Taiwan scores 155.5 on Numbeo’s country index, combining universal national health insurance, west-coast high-speed rail and a celebrated night-market food culture.
Gulf
4 picks; highest score here: Oman (90).
Oman scores 207.6 on Numbeo’s country index, our highest outside Europe, with mountains, desert, long coastline and a calmer Gulf pace.
Qatar scores 182.7 on Numbeo’s country index, and Doha is safe and free of personal income tax, though summers are brutal.
Dubai scores 177.6 on Numbeo, offering no personal income tax and safe streets, balanced against extreme summer heat and car dependence.
The United Arab Emirates scores 175.5 on Numbeo’s country index, with Abu Dhabi offering a quieter alternative to Dubai’s constant spectacle.
The Americas
4 picks; highest score here: United States (81).
The United States scores 186.0 on Numbeo’s country index, though quality of life varies hugely between states, cities and income levels.
Austin scores 186.7 on Numbeo, our only American city, drawing tech workers with famous live music and no state income tax.
Buenos Aires scores 117.9 on Numbeo, held back by economic volatility, yet its cafés, parks and late dinners attract long-stay visitors.
Mexico City scores 94.3 on Numbeo, our lowest city score, but museums and food culture reward residents who tolerate heavy traffic.
Africa
1 pick.
Cape Town scores 160.4 on Numbeo, our only African city, where mountain and ocean living is offset by serious safety concerns.
How these scores work
Every card line is exactly 21 words, written for this guide from facts in our data and public records (founding dates, prizes, episode counts); each pick’s full verdict sits on its category Top 21. Scores (1–100) are mapped from named public aggregates, last checked 2026-11-02:
- Countries: Numbeo Quality of Life Index ÷ 2.3 (capped at 100)
- Cities: Numbeo Quality of Life Index ÷ 2.3 (capped at 100)
Links go to each subject’s official site. Disclaimer.