For several years now, changing country isn’t just about chasing a higher salary or a lower cost of living. For those who can work remotely, invest abroad, or simply build a more international life, factors such as security, taxation, ease of obtaining residency, quality of services, and environmental conditions also matter.
From this idea emerges the new Nomad Lifestyle Index 2026, the ranking created by Nomad Capitalist that compares 63 destinations around the world. Unlike many rankings focused on quality of life, the index is designed mainly for mobile people, entrepreneurs and investors who realistically consider relocating abroad. Each destination is analyzed through five criteria, all weighted equally at 20%: nature and climate, taxation, residency and accessibility, safety and freedom, quality of life and infrastructure.
The result overwhelmingly rewards Europe. Not by chance, the top spot goes to a destination really close to Italy: Monaco, which leads ahead of Andorra and the United Arab Emirates. The gap between the first three is small: only 0.74 points out of 100, so the same report invites readers to view them more as a leading group than as a clearly defined podium.
Monaco is the best place to live in 2026
With an overall score of 73.89 out of 100, Monaco takes the top spot in the Nomad Lifestyle Index. The small Principality on the Côte d’Azur owes its lead especially to the quality of life and infrastructure, where it earns the maximum score of 100: it is the only 100 recorded in a single category across the entire ranking.
Positive weight is also given to safety and taxation. The result is weaker in nature and climate and especially in the ease of access to residency, an element that makes the Principality a destination considerably less straightforward to reach for those seriously considering a move.
The complete ranking
Directly behind Monaco sits Andorra, with 73.68 points. The small Pyrenean state excels in safety and freedom, where it reaches a score of 96. In third place are the United Arab Emirates, with 73.15 points, driven mainly by the tax advantage: in the index they earn 96 points in the tax category.
The top ten continues with Malta in fourth place, Portugal in fifth, Cyprus in sixth, Singapore in seventh, Cayman Islands in eighth, New Zealand in ninth and Switzerland in tenth. European presence is thus very strong, especially in the upper part of the ranking.
Below is the complete ranking:
- Monaco (73.89);
- Andorra (73.68);
- United Arab Emirates (73.15);
- Malta (72.11);
- Portugal (70.09);
- Cyprus (68.42);
- Singapore (67.12);
- Cayman Islands (66.50);
- New Zealand (66.43);
- Switzerland (65.44);
- Panama (64.91);
- Seychelles (64.46);
- Ireland (63.97);
- Liechtenstein (63.33);
- Czech Republic (62.97);
- Hong Kong (62.21);
- Mauritius (62.01);
- Estonia (61.26);
- Luxembourg (60.98);
- Latvia (60.55);
- Malaysia (60.38);
- Uruguay (60.07);
- Costa Rica (59.52);
- Greece (57.41);
- Iceland (55.76);
- Australia (55.28);
- Saint Kitts and Nevis (54.57);
- Finland (54.39);
- Sweden (54.24);
- Puerto Rico (53.64);
- Denmark (53.61);
- Antigua and Barbuda (53.01);
- Norway (52.93);
- Bahamas (52.84);
- Georgia (52.70);
- Cape Verde (52.16);
- Austria (52.11);
- Taiwan (51.71);
- Japan (51.23);
- Lithuania (50.93);
- Croatia (50.76);
- Spain (50.68);
- Saint Lucia (50.20);
- Botswana (49.99);
- Belize (49.89);
- Montenegro (49.73);
- United Kingdom (49.20);
- Canada (48.40);
- Nicaragua (48.33);
- Netherlands (48.00);
- Thailand (47.91);
- Poland (47.61);
- Honduras (47.42);
- United States (46.33);
- Grenada (44.21);
- Albania (44.01);
- Vanuatu (43.07);
- Dominican Republic (42.89);
- Philippines (41.64);
- Dominica (38.78);
- Mexico (38.62);
- Indonesia (37.19);
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (34.62).
The perfect country exists based on what you seek
One of the most interesting aspects of the report is precisely the absence of a single destination capable of dominating every category. On the contrary, each parameter has a different winner. Panama is first for nature and climate, the United Arab Emirates for taxation, Malta for ease of residency and access, Andorra for safety and freedom, while Monaco dominates quality of life and infrastructure.
This explains why the ranking should be read more as a guidance tool than as a universal answer to the question “where is it best to live in 2026?”. The same report clarifies that certain very concrete elements are not considered, such as real estate prices, the cost of a visa, or the minimum investment required to obtain residency. Moreover, the 63 destinations do not represent all the countries in the world, but those most considered by Nomad Capitalist.
Also interesting is the case of Portugal, fifth overall with 70.09 points: it does not dominate any category, but maintains fairly balanced results across taxation, residency, safety and quality of life. At the opposite end, the position of the United States is surprisingly low, 54th out of 63, penalized mainly by taxation and safety scores. United Kingdom and Canada stop at 47th and 48th place respectively.
