Monaco named the world's best country to live in 2026

Do you dream of a life by the Mediterranean, with sparkling water, palm trees and white boats bobbing in the harbour? Then you now have yet another reason to let your thoughts wander south. The Principality of Monaco has, in fact, been named the best country in the world to live in 2026 in the new Nomad Lifestyle Index from the advisory firm Nomad Capitalist.

The ranking compares 63 destinations around the world – selected because they are where Nomad Capitalist's readers and clients most often consider moving to. Each country is assessed in five categories that carry exactly equal weight: nature and climate, taxes, the possibility of settling, safety and freedom, and quality of life and infrastructure. Each category awards between 0 and 100 points, and the final score is simply the average of the five.

Full marks for quality of life

Monaco lands on 73.89 points out of a possible 100 – and it is above all everyday life that impresses. In the category of quality of life and infrastructure, the principality achieves a perfect score, 100 points, which is the only maximum rating in the entire index. This takes into account factors such as life expectancy, perceived quality of life, cost of living, and how fast the internet is, both via broadband and on mobile.

Monaco also ranks among the top five when it comes to safety and freedom, with 89.7 points. In the tax category, it scores 84 points. The index counts on an effective tax rate of zero per cent for those who move there, but a small network of tax treaties with other countries and inheritance tax on bequests to more distant relatives bring the score down slightly.

Not just sunshine

However, not everything is gold and glitter in the small state on the Riviera. In the category of nature and climate, Monaco only scores 44.6 points, partly due to a surprisingly low rating for solar radiation. Those who want to settle permanently must also expect it to take time. Ten years of residence are required before one can become a citizen, and one must also renounce one's previous citizenship. Therefore, the score for settlement remains at 51.1.

Thriller at the top

It's really close at the top of the list. Andorra comes second with 73.68 points and the United Arab Emirates third with 73.15 – only 0.74 points separate the three. Andorra, which is nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, tops the safety and freedom category and also has the cleanest air of all the European countries in the index. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, wins the tax category with 96 points.

Following the trio are Malta, Portugal and Cyprus – and in total, six of the ten best countries are in Europe.

This is how Sweden compares

And what about Sweden? We come in at 29th place out of 63 with 54.24 points. We score highest for safety and freedom, 71.5 points, followed by nature and climate with 60 points and quality of life and infrastructure with 58.3. What drags us down considerably is taxes, where Sweden only gets 24 out of 100 points.

Our Nordic neighbours are close by. Finland comes just before us in 28th place, while Denmark is in 31st place and Norway in 33rd place.

Good to know before you pack the moving boxes

It's worth remembering that the ranking is primarily aimed at entrepreneurs and investors considering moving abroad – which is why taxes and the possibility of obtaining a residence permit carry so much weight. The list therefore doesn't indicate which country is best for everyone, and it only covers the 63 destinations that Nomad Capitalists' target audience usually asks about. The company itself also points out that several of the metrics apply to the entire country rather than a single location.

But whether the move to the Riviera becomes a reality or remains a daydream, Monaco is a delightful place to visit – with the harbour of Port Hercule, the old town of Monaco-Ville up on the cliff and the famous casino in Monte-Carlo. Perhaps a long weekend by the Mediterranean is exactly what's needed to get a taste of life in the world's best country to live in?