Differences in living standards around the world are significant; life cannot be the same for people living in Central Africa as it is for people living in Europe. Let’s focus on how we, the Czechs, fare among other nations. Is the quality of our life really that high? And how do other major powers, both in Europe and worldwide, compare?
Living standards, quality of life
The index of living standards is composed of several factors. Important factors include the level of wealth, comfort, safety, necessities, and property available in a specific area. Climate, public transport, and the cost of living also play a role. The economic strength of a state helps to shape and improve many of these indicators.
The term quality of life is determined by the standard of health, comfort, and happiness of a nation. These two concepts are related. It is not a direct proportion, but wealthier nations have much better healthcare, social services, facilities, equipment, and education available. Consequently, they are more carefree, happier, and healthier.
Czech Republic’s position
The Czech Republic holds 19th place for the first quarter of 2022. This is a rise of 2 positions from 21st place in 2021. We are ranked above Spain and below Portugal. Slovakia holds 31st place in the ranking. Compared to countries ranked higher than the Czech Republic, we have the most expensive property relative to the income of the population. This topic often resonates within our society.
Luxembourg, which is among the wealthiest countries in the world (ranked 14th), and Croatia (25) are similarly positioned. We can be proud of our quality healthcare and relatively low living costs.
Of 206 cities, the best place to live in the Czech Republic is in Říčany and Prague. The worst places are Orlová and Karviná.
A look at Europe
Only within a European context do we hold 14th position out of 36. The first place belongs to Switzerland, and the second and third places are taken by Norway and the Netherlands. Russia holds the last position, closely followed by Belarus and Malta. Russia is at the bottom of the table mainly due to its weak purchasing power (ruble decline, economic crisis, EU sanctions…), high living costs (only 2 classes of citizens – rich and poor) and the third worst healthcare in Europe. The placement of Italy, which was awarded 24th place, or Poland immediately behind Italy in 25th place, may be surprising.
Countries with the highest living standards
Only European countries have made it into the top 10. Oman is surprisingly in 13th place, pushing aside powers like the United States and Great Britain. Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar have also secured positions in the top 30. The second and third mentioned states gain much from oil trade, while Singapore’s economy is driven by information technology. They are highly ranked mainly due to developed services and high purchasing power.
Countries with the lowest living standards
As expected, these are very poor countries, mostly located in Africa, Central and South America. There are also countries in Asia and Oceania. These countries suffer from a number of problems, both economic and social. Part of the population lives in poverty, without access to medical care, and sometimes even to clean water and food.
Education is underdeveloped, and there is a lack of offers for quality, well-paid work. It is somewhat suggested that conditions here are improving faster than in countries where everything is abundant, but the opposite is true. Without their help, there are few ways to change this situation. At the very bottom of the ranking are the Central African Republic, Chad, Yemen, Congo, and Bangladesh…
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