So, you’ve decided it’s time to move somewhere new—maybe even an entirely different country. But where to? For the best countries to live in, there are tons of things to consider. Maybe you want to prioritize countries with excellent healthcare and social structures, or perhaps safety is at the top of your list. You may simply want to live somewhere with beautiful architecture or an abundance of outdoor adventures.
To help you consolidate some of these factors and look at the all-around best countries to live in, we turned to the United Nations Human Development Report (HDR). The annual index assigns scores to different countries across multiple areas, including life expectancy, quality of education, gross national income per capita, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and more. When you’re ready to narrow down your options further, check out our guide to the world’s most livable cities.
Counting down, here are the best countries to live in for 2025, according to the UN’s latest Human Development Index ranking.
This article has been updated since its original publication date.
