Numbeo, the world’s largest cost of living database, has released mid-year 2022 statistics that rank countries around the world across a range of categories. Numbeo is also a crowd-sourced global database of quality of life data: housing indicators, perceived crime rates, healthcare quality, transport quality, and other statistics.
Of the 42 countries assessed in Europe for the mid-year 2022 report, Ireland is at ninth spot for cost of living. Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway are the top three countries. The UK is in 15th place.
Numbeo inputs the cost of eating out at restaurants, shopping at supermarkets, transport, utilities, sports and leisure, childcare, clothing and shoes, rent, property prices, salaries and mortgage rates to complete this analysis.
Currently, estimated monthly costs for a family of four are €3,078.81 without rent. Estimated monthly costs for a single person are €869.15 without rent.
On the quality of life index, Switzerland remains in first place, followed by Denmark and Netherlands. The UK is in 14th spot, and Ireland is 22nd out of 36 countries in this comparative table. Factors that influence the quality of life rating are:
- Cost of living and purchasing power
- Affordability of housing
- Pollution including air, water, etc.
- Crime rates
- Health system quality
- Traffic (commute times).