The Netherlands has been ranked in second place for quality of life globally by Numbeo’s 2024 quality of life index. The ranking placed the tiny European nation of Luxembourg in the top spot. 

Numbeo Quality of Life Index 2024

The ranking compared 84 countries across a range of metrics to reveal which states boast the highest quality of life. The countries were compared across categories such as purchasing power, healthcare, the ratio of property price to salary, pollution and safety, among others. 

Some of the countries scoring highest included Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark and Finland, while countries ranked in the lowest positions were Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Iran. Of the world’s biggest economies, Japan comes in the top spot, followed by Germany and the United States. 

Four Dutch cities in the top ten best cities for quality of life in 2024

The ranking not only examined countries’ quality of life but also that of 195 cities across the globe. A staggering four Dutch cities made it into the top 10. The Hague took the number one spot, followed by Eindhoven in second and Luxembourg City in third. The lowest-ranked cities include Lagos in Nigeria, Manila in the Philippines and Tehran in Iran. 

Top 10 countries and cities by quality of life

According to Numbeo, the top 10 countries for quality of life in 2024 are:

• 1. Luxembourg 
• 2. The Netherlands
• 3. Iceland 
• 4. Denmark
• 5. Finland
• 6. Oman
• 7. Switzerland
• 8. Norway 
• 9. Austria
• 10. Estonia

And the top 10 cities according to the ranking are:

• 1. The Hague, The Netherlands
• 2. Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• 3. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
• 4. Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• 5. Valencia, Spain
• 6. Helsinki, Finland
• 7. Vienna, Austria
• 8. Copenhagen, Denmark
• 9. Munich, Germany
• 10. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

For more information, see Numbeo’s full ranking.