Awe-inspiring architecture, groundbreaking urban planning, and a culture rich in artistic expression—the best countries to live in embrace all of these elements. And while a thriving creative scene might not be directly linked to a country’s GDP or military might, a focus on design can contribute to a high quality of life. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best countries to live in for design lovers. Similar to our list of the 15 Best Places to Live in the US, we’ve used U.S. News & World Report’s most recent list of the Best Countries in the World as a jumping-off point, choosing the top 20 design countries among them. We also factored in the Best Countries for Quality of Life in 2026ranking from Astons, a globally licensed investment immigration firm; the latest 10 Best Countries to Live In list from Global Citizen Solutions, another investment migration consultancy; and the Best Countries to Live In 2026 list from World Population Review, a platform that provides global population data, demographic statistics,
What is the best country in the world to live in?
Europe is clearly the place to plant roots, as countries on the continent rank supreme across all our sources. Switzerland clinched the number one spot on the U.S. News list, landing in the top 10 for multiple categories, including cultural influence, entrepreneurship, open for business, quality of life, and social purpose. These top scores contributed to the country’s winning position. Meanwhile, Luxembourg took top honors on the Astons list, Denmark is first on the Global Citizen Solutions ranking, and World Population Review gave Finland their best spot.
What is the number one best country in the world for design lovers?
The U.S. News list—which is based on a scoring system of 73 country attributes and surveys completed by more than 17,000 people around the globe—has 89 countries ranked in order. Our list, on the other hand, is in no particular order. We’ve eschewed a concrete ranking system, choosing instead to highlight 20 top-tier design countries (though we have kept them in the order of how they appear in the U.S. News list). Simply put, design is subjective, and while you could come up with a definitive answer to a country’s GDP or unemployment numbers, determining the most influential country in the fields of architecture or furniture design is nowhere near as clear-cut. However, we have considered which countries are home to UNESCO Cities of Design and where each country falls in the World Design Rankings, as well as general quality of life assessments from the U.S. News, Astons, Global Citizen Solutions, and World Population Review lists.
What is the most livable country in 2026?
What constitutes “livable” might be just as subjective as what constitutes “good design.” So while certain countries on our list might be more livable to some because they offer an impressive health care system, political stability, superb public transportation, and an abundance of cultural opportunities, they might be unlivable to others due to their cost of living and a poor work-life balance. That being said, Denmark did rank number one for Quality of Life, according to U.S. News, with Sweden a close second and Switzerland coming in at third. All of our other sources also celebrate Denmark for its exceptional quality of life, with Astons calling out its “strong welfare system and social equality,” and Global Citizen Solutions highlighting its relaxed lifestyle and bike-friendly cities. It should also be noted that Finland is practically synonymous with joy at this point, as it’s consistently called the world’s happiest country. World Population Review has given Finland the title, so has the World Happiness Report—a whopping eight times.
Is the United States the best country to live in?
The United States did jump from the fifth spot in 2023 to the third in U.S. News’s most recent rankings of the best countries to live in the world, but it didn’t crack the top 10 in the Quality of Life list. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the top 10 in any of the rankings from our other sources either. So no, it’s not necessarily the “best” country. But we’re giving the States props for its global cultural influence and for being home to a UNESCO City of Design—Detroit. Plus, San Diego, along with Tijuana, served as the World Design Capital for 2024. It was the first time a binational destination earned the title, which is designated every two years to a place that uses design to “enhance economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life.”Switzerland
The Land of Milk and Honey landed top honors in the U.S. News ranking thanks, in part, to its low unemployment and skilled workforce, which undoubtedly includes scores of design-minded expats. Not only does Switzerland have a history rich in graphic design and typographic style (even NYC’s subway system uses the Swiss-style grid system and Helvetica typeface, which means Swiss in Latin), but the country is also a haven for architects.
On recent lists of the highest-paying nations for architects, Switzerland consistently places near the top, with an average salary of around $156,000. And even if you don’t work in the field, the country is exceptional for anyone who appreciates world-class architecture. Switzerland is home to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, and the University of Zurich—all top European institutions. Not to mention that the country is filled with architectural marvels, including both fresco-adorned 15th-century cathedrals (like the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie) and technically dazzling 20th-century masterpieces (such as Le Corbusier’s Villa Turque).
Japan
While Japan’s population is only about a third of the US’s and its GDP is less than one-sixth that of the States, it has three times as many UNESCO Cities of Design. Kobe, best known for its beef but also as a hub for the arts; Asahikawa, famous for its furniture; and Nagoya, which has a design philosophy deeply rooted in humanism, together make Japan one of only a handful of countries with three design cities. Then there’s Tokyo, not a UNESCO City of Design, but generally considered one of the world’s great design hubs. Celebrated for both modern innovation and historic preservation, Tokyo is a place where you’ll find traditional tatami-mat-lined ryokans located near futuristic fashion flagships, such as the Herzog & de Meuron Prada store on Avenue Omotesandō. Notably, the country also landed on our list of the best places for Americans to move to.
United States
The world’s largest economy is also ranked number three for cultural influence, as it’s a major player in the entertainment world. It’s also no slouch in the design department either. In the World Design Rankings, a separate list based on the number of designers from each country that have been granted the A’ Design Award, the United States comes in at number two, just behind China. Plus, the country is home to a UNESCO City of Design—Detroit. This exclusive network of cities around the globe celebrates places that use design to improve the everyday lives of its citizens.
Australia
Not only did Australia rank well overall, it also landed in the U.S. News’s top 10 for quality of life, specifically. A healthy job market, economic and political stability, as well as being a family-friendly country all make it an exceptional place to live. On the creative front, Australia is home to a UNESCO City of Design: Geelong, Victoria. Just over an hour from Melbourne, Geelong has undergone a striking transformation from an industrial hub (it was once known as “the wool center of the world”) to a creative capital with a flourishing food and wine scene and a commitment to art—both in independent galleries as well as at museums like the Geelong Arts Centre.
Sweden
What kind of place would the world be without Billy bookshelves, Hemnes dressers, and ridiculously affordable sheepskin rugs? One with much sparser college apartments, that’s for sure. Sweden’s beloved brand IKEA reinvented the furniture industry globally (plus had a lot more of us eating meatballs with jam). As you may have noticed while shopping at IKEA or while admiring any of the Nordic country’s covetable furniture creations, Switzerland’s design philosophy is all about simplicity and functionality. It’s also an aesthetic highly influenced by nature, including the awe-inspiring beauty of forests and lakes. For this reason, it’s likely that the country will be a driving force in more environmentally-friendly design in the future.
Germany
Ottonian, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque—many of Europe’s most iconic architectural styles can be found in Germany. The country’s very own style, Bauhaus, originated in 1919 in Weimar and later profoundly impacted American cities and skylines. Today the country is home to dozens of design-forward universities, including Bauhaus University, University of the Arts, and Berlin University of the Arts. Also in Berlin, a UNESCO City of Design, residents can regularly visit the Bauhaus Archives Museum and the Tchoban Foundation Museum for Architectural Drawing.
United Kingdom
One of the great cultural capitals of Europe, the United Kingdom has always been on the cutting edge of creativity. And the country is committed to staying that way, especially regarding sustainably driven design. The country’s Design Council, which has been around since 1944 when Winston Churchill founded it to tackle post-war economic recovery, is now on a mission to get the nearly two million people working in design in the UK to achieve a net zero world. Later this year, the council will host the World Design Congress, a.k.a. the “Olympics of design,” in London.
New Zealand
It probably comes as no surprise that New Zealand earns top marks for being big on adventure. But what’s less obvious is that it’s also a heavyweight in terms of social purpose, which U.S. News says “can create a sense of cultural cohesion.” Kiwis (as residents of New Zealand are called) are especially passionate about the environment, human rights, and religious freedom. This sense of purpose often bleeds into the country’s architecture. Take the Auckland Art Gallery, with its sustainable living roof, or the culturally inclusive Tūranga Central Library in Christchurch, which was designed in close collaboration with a local Māori tribe.
Denmark
Copenhagen—with its multitude of modern furniture emporiums and endless examples of Scandinavian interior design—is known for capturing the hearts of the design-obsessed. But it’s the high-tech town of Kolding that’s a UNESCO City of Design in Denmark. Adopting the slogan “we design for life,” Kolding has become a creative hub where residents are encouraged to take part in municipal projects, including building urban gardens, hosting repair events (for electronics, clothes, and bicycles), and organizing green festivals. Using design to drive social impact is another way that Denmark, which also has a mostly free health care and higher education system, creates a high standard of living.
France
With a winning combo of government-guaranteed social services (including health care, education, and retirement pensions) as well as cultural riches galore (in literature, architecture, film, dance, and fashion), France is an aesthete’s dream country. And if we had to narrow down residency to two top-notch streets, we’d say you’d have won the lodging lottery if you called either Rue de l’Abreuvoir in Paris or Old Town in Colmar home, which both landed on our list of The 53 Most Beautiful Streets in the World.
The Netherlands
High-quality education, superb healthcare (with a strong public healthcare system), and a dedicated cycling culture that keeps air pollution down are all reasons why the Netherlands is a great place to live (Global Citizen Solutions even ranks it sixth on their list). The country is also a force on the design front, as evidenced by futuristic and sustainably focused creations like Rotterdam’s Cube Houses and the Edge in Amsterdam, widely considered one of the smartest and greenest office spaces in the world. The Netherlands’s stellar creative institutions, including the Design Academy Eindhoven and the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, promise to inspire even more masterpieces in generations to come.
Singapore
The only country that’s in itself a UNESCO City of Design, this densely populated city-state has relied on smart design solutions to meet the needs of its citizens. In 2003, Singapore’s Ministry of Culture founded the DesignSingapore Council, which promotes socially responsible projects that have tackled homelessness, access to creative education, and inclusivity, among other issues.
Italy
If the best countries were picked based on cultural criteria alone, Italy would steal the number one spot each time. The European country has landed in first place for cultural influence multiple years in a row in the U.S. News rankings, plus ranked second for heritage. Italy also snagged top spots on our list of the 20 Most Colorful Destinations in the World, which features Cinque Terre and its beautifully bright seaside houses; Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon that’s famous for its lace; and Procida, an island off the coast of Naples that also has vibrantly painted buildings. To top it off, Turin, with its seven universities offering design-related courses, is a UNESCO City of Design.
South Korea
The East Asian country’s capital, Seoul, scores major points for sustainable design. Most notably, it’s home to the Seoul Design Award, an honor bestowed upon designers, organizations, and companies “whose projects have contributed to a sustainable daily life that aims for a harmonious relationship between people, society, and the environment.”
The award draws submission from more than 80 countries by designers who are hoping to change the world for the better through design. Seoul is also a designated City of Design, as chosen by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and was selected as the World Design Capital in 2010. Add to that, U.S. News points out that the country as a whole ranks high for its artistic sensibilities, giving it the seventh spot on the cultural influence list. South Korea has especially made its mark in technology and cars—it’s the home of such top brands as Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia.
Finland
Does good design lead to happiness or does happiness lead to good design? Either way, the two go hand in hand in Finland, which has been named the world’s happiest country for eight years in a row. Furniture, textiles, and glassware are among the country’s most popular creative pursuits, with brands like Marimekko and Ittala known worldwide. Both are headquartered in Helsinki, which is a UNESCO City of Design.
Iceland
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Finland might be the happiest country, but Iceland may be the most creative. A national appreciation for education, innovation, and storytelling has produced a country where one in four people work in creative fields, and one in 10 will publish a book in their lifetime. Add to that, Iceland is exceptionally safe, committed to renewable energy, and provides a top-notch outdoor lifestyle, according to Astons.
Luxembourg
Thanks to high purchasing power and exceptional public services, Luxembourg landed first on the Astons list (it’s also in the top 10 for World Population Review). And while its neighbors (Belgium, France, and Germany) tend to get more attention from international crowds, landlocked Luxembourg is actually one of Europe’s most prosperous countries—it has the highest GDP per capita in the EU. It also has ambitious environmental goals, including a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. As part of a sustainability push, in 2020, Luxembourg became the first country to offer free public transportation, opening up its trams, trains, and buses.
Thailand
With a low cost of living, especially compared to many Western European countries, Thailand has become a popular destination for digital nomads. Here, design lovers can wander opulent Buddhist temples and explore contemporary design in places like the Thailand Creative & Design Center in the country’s capital city, Bangkok. A UNESCO City of Design, Bangkok hosts the renowned ASA Architect Expo; STYLE Bangkok, one of Asia’s top fashion and lifestyle trade fairs; and Bangkok Design Week, which attracts an international crowd with its workshops, experimental installations, and food markets.
Brazil
Sergio Rodrigues, Rogério Duarte, Lina Bo Bardi, and Oscar Niemeyer are all world-renowned architects who called Brazil home and made their mark on the country’s real estate. The creative foundation they helped build remains strong today, especially in Fortaleza and Brasilia, the country’s two UNESCO Cities of Design. Fortaleza, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceará, hosts the annual Ceará Design Week, and Brasilia, the country’s capital city, is filled with modernist architecture that has beguiled design lovers for decades.
Mexico
Like Japan, China, and Brazil, Mexico also has two UNESCO Cities of Design: Querétaro and Mexico City. The former—an innovation hub in north-central Mexico—hosts various creative events a year that draw attention to the city’s design industries, including animation, architecture, and digital art. The latter, Mexico City, has a world-renowned design scene and is a cultural utopia for museums, food, fashion, and music. In 2018, Mexico City was named the World Design Capital. Later in 2024, San Diego and Tijuana shared the honor—the first time a binational area has earned the designation. For retirees, San Miguel de Allende made our list of the best places to retire, thanks to relative affordability compared to life in the US, plus a friendly expat community.
