Spain climbs up quality of life rankings over past decade

Quality of life in Spain now exceeds that in the UK, France and Canada, according to a new international report.

Quality of life in Spain has increased dramatically over the past 10 years, at least according to the Global Quality of Life Index, compiled by renowned comparison website Numbeo.

The report, which studied 89 countries, is based on data regarding healthcare, cost of living safety and pollution, among others.

READ ALSO: Why Navarre is the region with the best quality of life in Spain 

Back in 2015, Spain ranked in 24th place, but this year in 2025 it has risen up to 18th place, climbing six places. 

This puts Spain even ahead of countries such as France in 29th place this year, Ireland in 28th place and Canada in 27th place.

Other European countries such as Estonia and Lithuania have also seen notable rises. Estonia is now in 15th place also rising six points, while Lithuania is in 21st place. 

Several major countries have also gone down in quality of life scale in the last decade, including the UK, which has fallen six points to 22nd place; Germany, which has dropped eight points to 10th place; and Sweden, which has fallen by 10 points to 13th place.

READ ALSO: Does Spain really have the best work-life balance? 

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This year Luxembourg and the Netherlands have claimed 1st and 2nd place, while the bottom two countries on the list are Nigeria at number 89 and Venezuela at 88.

There are several reasons as to why quality of life in Spain has reportedly increased so much in the last 10 years. This is partly due to the increased satisfaction among the population with regards to the healthcare system, social welfare policies and safety.

Other factors such as climate, culture, and the range of services available continue to position Spain as a popular destination both to live in and to visit.

Despite the increase in quality of life in Spain, the country faces several big hurdles moving forward into the future. One of the major factors is the housing crisis, where much of the population can’t access affordable housing and the price of properties has risen much more than salaries have. 

In fact, a new study on social exclusion in Spain has found evidence that the combination of rising property prices and job insecurity is shrinking the Spanish middle class and pushing people into economic precariousness.

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The other factor that may affect the quality of living in Spain in the future is climate change. Summers here have been getting hotter and hotter every year and some places are even become unliveable during certain parts of the year. This past August 2025 was the hottest month on record in Spain, while 2022 was the hottest year since records began, followed by 2023.

Climate change has also been fuelling unpredictable weather patterns and more violent storms in the last few years. It has also contributed to several natural disasters, including the terrible floods in Valencia last year in which over 200 people lost their lives.

Relatively high taxes, relatively low wages and unemployment are also big issues which affect quality of life in Spain. 

It’s important that Spain continues to tackle these issues in order for the quality of life here to continue to rise.