Portugal ranked 21st in the world for quality of life. This is higher than Italy and even the United States, which is in 27th place.

The 2026 ranking was compiled by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in conjunction with WPP. The researchers surveyed more than 15,000 people from 33 countries. Safety, health and education were taken into account, not just the dry economy.

Europe dominates the list, with the top twenty ranked countries on the continent. Portugal has surpassed its neighbors in southern Europe and confidently holds the top 25 among countries with a population of 78% of the world.