Cyprus has ranked sixth among the world’s top destinations for living in 2026, scoring 68.42 points in the Nomad Lifestyle Index published by Nomad Capitalist.
The living ranking places the country ahead of Singapore, the Cayman Islands, New Zealand and Switzerland. Cyprus performed particularly well in the residence and access category, where it ranked second among the 63 destinations assessed.
However, lower scores for quality of life, infrastructure and air quality affected its overall performance.
How the Nomad Lifestyle Index ranks countries
The index assesses 63 destinations across five categories: nature and climate, taxation, residence and access, safety and freedom, and quality of life and infrastructure.
Its criteria include air quality, exposure to extreme weather, routes to legal residence and citizenship, personal safety, life expectancy, living costs and broadband internet speeds.
Each destination receives a score of up to 100 points in each category, which contributes to its overall ranking.
Monaco leads the 2026 index with 73.89 points, followed by Andorra with 73.68 and the United Arab Emirates with 73.15. The gap between the top three is less than one point.
Why Cyprus ranks sixth
Cyprus scored 68.42 points overall, with its strongest performance in residence and access, where it ranked second.
According to the index, the country benefits from a strong passport and the possibility of naturalisation after seven years, under the criteria used in the assessment.
However, its lower scores for quality of life and infrastructure, alongside its air quality assessment, weighed on its overall result.
The ranking considers a range of factors relevant to people planning to relocate abroad, including access to residency and citizenship, safety, taxation and everyday living conditions.
Europe dominates the top 10
European destinations feature prominently in the ranking, with Monaco, Andorra, Malta, Portugal, Cyprus and Switzerland all making the top 10.
Monaco takes first place, scoring 100 points for quality of life and infrastructure and performing strongly in safety and freedom.
Andorra ranks second, standing out for safety, freedom and environmental performance. The index identifies it as having the cleanest air among the European countries assessed. However, its citizenship process is a disadvantage, requiring 20 years of residence, as well as language and history examinations.
Malta ranks fourth, with positive scores for its passport and the possibility of naturalisation within five years under the study’s criteria. Its performance in nature also helped its score, while taxation and quality of life and infrastructure pulled it down.
Portugal, in fifth place, performed well in safety and freedom, residence and access, and taxation. Its score for nature was lower because of its exposure to extreme weather linked to climate change.
Switzerland completes the top 10 in tenth place, standing out for safety and freedom.
Top 10 destinations in the 2026 Nomad Lifestyle Index
| Rank | Destination | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 73.89 |
| 2 | Andorra | 73.68 |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 73.15 |
| 4 | Malta | 72.11 |
| 5 | Portugal | 70.09 |
| 6 | Cyprus | 68.42 |
| 7 | Singapore | 67.12 |
| 8 | Cayman Islands | 66.50 |
| 9 | New Zealand | 66.43 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 65.44 |
The index highlights how destinations perform across different factors that can influence relocation decisions, from taxation and personal safety to environmental conditions, infrastructure and citizenship options.
Also read: Paphos ranked among top sunset destinations by Travel&Leisure
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