Affärslivet composite index · 6 dimensions · World Bank data
Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026
The Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 ranks 49 economies on prosperity & quality of life across 6 equal-weighted dimensions. Iceland leads (80.0/100); Sweden ranks 2nd. Transparent method, downloadable data, CC BY 4.0.
TL;DR — Iceland leads the Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 with 80.0/100.
World Bank Open Data · World Bank · World Bank · World Bank | 49 entities | 902 words · 15 sections | data: CSV + JSON
Executive summary
The Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 ranks 49 economies on prosperity & quality of life by combining 6 equal-weighted dimensions, each normalised to a 0–100 scale. It captures what money is ultimately for: long, healthy, educated, connected lives in reasonably equal societies. High-income does not guarantee a high rank if health, education or equality lag. Iceland leads with 80.0/100; Sweden ranks 2nd of 49 with 80.0/100. This is Affärslivet's own composite — fully transparent: every input is an official World Bank series with a source URL, and the method below is reproducible. The complete ranking with per-dimension scores is downloadable as CSV and JSON under a CC BY 4.0 licence.
Key findings
Iceland leads on prosperity & quality of life
Iceland tops the Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 with a composite score of 80.0/100. Top five: Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark.
Source: Affärslivet Research · 2026 · confidence: Medium-High
Where Sweden ranks
Sweden ranks 2nd of 49 (80.0/100). Strongest dimension: education (100.0/100); weakest: income (41.0/100).
Source: Affärslivet Research · 2026 · confidence: Medium-High
The dimensions
The index combines income, health, healthcare, education, connectivity, equality — each an official World Bank series, equal-weighted.
Source: Affärslivet Research · 2026 · confidence: High
Data vintage — August 2026
Each dimension uses the most recent World Bank year available per economy. Scores are relative (normalised across the ranked set) and update as peer data changes; the index regenerates automatically.
The index — top economies
The chart shows the 15 highest-scoring economies (Sweden highlighted); scores are the equal-weighted mean of 6 dimensions, each normalised 0–100 across the 49 ranked economies.
Sweden, dimension by dimension
Sweden ranks 2nd of 49 overall (80.0/100). Its normalised score and world rank on each dimension are below — a map of where the Swedish prosperity & quality of life is genuinely strong and where it lags.
Sweden's profile is relatively lopsided (a 59-point spread between its best and weakest dimension), scoring highest on education and lowest on income.
| Dimension | Score /100 | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Income (GDP per capita, PPP) | 41.0 | 14th of 49 |
| Health (life expectancy) | 98.8 | 3rd of 49 |
| Healthcare (health spending, % of GDP) | 60.8 | 7th of 49 |
| Education (spending, % of GDP) | 100.0 | 1st of 48 |
| Connectivity (internet access) | 92.8 | 14th of 49 |
| Equality (low income inequality) | 86.9 | 13th of 46 |
Who leads each dimension
No single economy tops every dimension — the overall winner (Iceland) leads by being strong across the board (a 55-point spread across its dimensions). This table shows the world leader on each individual dimension of the index.
| Dimension | World leader | Score /100 |
|---|---|---|
| Income (GDP per capita, PPP) | Singapore | 100.0 |
| Health (life expectancy) | Switzerland | 100.0 |
| Healthcare (health spending, % of GDP) | United States | 100.0 |
| Education (spending, % of GDP) | Sweden | 100.0 |
| Connectivity (internet access) | United Arab Emirates | 100.0 |
| Equality (low income inequality) | India | 100.0 |
Regional patterns
Median composite score by world region reveals where prosperity & quality of life concentrates. Europe leads on the median measure. Regional medians tell a story the country ranking alone can hide — whether strength is broad across a region or driven by one or two standouts.
| Region | Economies | Median score | Regional leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 23 | 71.7 | Iceland (80.0) |
| Americas | 7 | 56.1 | United States (73.5) |
| Asia-Pacific | 12 | 50.8 | Australia (70.6) |
| Middle East & Africa | 7 | 45.3 | United Arab Emirates (67.5) |
What the index reveals
What the data says: Iceland leads with 80.0/100, 1.3× the median score of 63.2. The spread across the 49 ranked economies shows prosperity & quality of life is fairly evenly distributed, and — because the index equal-weights several dimensions — the leaders got there by being strong across the board, not on one metric alone.
For Sweden, the index indicates a genuine world leader on prosperity & quality of life: 2nd of 49 (80.0/100), strongest on education and with most room to improve on income.
Top 5 vs bottom 5
The five highest- and five lowest-scoring economies on the Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 side by side — the clearest snapshot of the range across the 49 ranked economies.
| Top 5 | Score /100 | Bottom 5 | Score /100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Iceland | 80.0 | 45. Viet Nam | 43.2 |
| 2. Sweden | 80.0 | 46. South Africa | 38.9 |
| 3. Norway | 78.8 | 47. Philippines | 36.5 |
| 4. Belgium | 77.8 | 48. Indonesia | 33.0 |
| 5. Denmark | 76.5 | 49. Nigeria | 13.6 |
How the index is built
The Affärslivet Prosperity Index goes beyond GDP to rank overall quality of life — combining income, health, education, connectivity and equality into one score.
Each dimension is min-max normalised across all economies with data (lowest = 0, highest = 100); dimensions where lower is better (e.g. unemployment, debt, inequality) are inverted so a higher score always means better. The composite is the equal-weighted mean of the dimensions an economy reports; a minimum of 4 is required to be ranked. Equal weighting is a deliberate, transparent choice.
| Dimension | Direction | World Bank series |
|---|---|---|
| Income (GDP per capita, PPP) | higher = better | NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD |
| Health (life expectancy) | higher = better | SP.DYN.LE00.IN |
| Healthcare (health spending, % of GDP) | higher = better | SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS |
| Education (spending, % of GDP) | higher = better | SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS |
| Connectivity (internet access) | higher = better | IT.NET.USER.ZS |
| Equality (low income inequality) | lower = better | SI.POV.GINI |
Full ranking — 49 economies
Complete ranking with composite score and each economy's normalised (0–100) score per dimension.
| # | Country | Index | Income | Health | Care | Education | Internet | Equality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 80.0 | 48.0 | 94.6 | 44.9 | 99.8 | 97.0 | 95.5 |
| 2 | Sweden | 80.0 | 41.0 | 98.8 | 60.8 | 100.0 | 92.8 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Norway | 78.8 | 61.4 | 95.8 | 48.1 | 73.0 | 98.3 | 96.5 |
| 4 | Belgium | 77.8 | 42.4 | 92.9 | 57.9 | 85.1 | 92.8 | 95.5 |
| 5 | Denmark | 76.5 | 47.9 | 92.8 | 47.8 | 86.2 | 99.6 | 84.8 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 76.4 | 50.6 | 91.8 | 52.2 | 69.4 | 94.9 | 99.3 |
| 7 | Switzerland | 76.0 | 60.4 | 100.0 | 64.2 | 64.9 | 95.4 | 71.3 |
| 8 | Finland | 75.7 | 36.6 | 93.0 | 55.5 | 86.5 | 89.3 | 93.4 |
| 9 | United States | 73.5 | 52.3 | 81.5 | 100.0 | 72.9 | 91.0 | 43.6 |
| 10 | Ireland | 73.3 | 94.6 | 95.3 | 29.7 | 36.9 | 95.2 | 87.9 |
| 11 | Austria | 73.0 | 43.7 | 91.9 | 65.3 | 70.8 | 86.3 | 80.3 |
| 12 | United Kingdom | 72.4 | 35.8 | 89.9 | 60.3 | 79.8 | 92.3 | 76.1 |
| 13 | Germany | 71.7 | 42.8 | 87.9 | 68.4 | 70.3 | 88.9 | 71.6 |
| 14 | Canada | 70.9 | 37.2 | 92.3 | 61.5 | 64.6 | 90.4 | 79.2 |
| 15 | France | 70.7 | 35.4 | 95.2 | 63.1 | 71.5 | 80.7 | 78.2 |
| 16 | Australia | 70.6 | 40.6 | 95.4 | 55.0 | 67.7 | 93.4 | 71.3 |
| 17 | South Korea | 69.7 | 34.8 | 97.4 | 42.7 | 72.7 | 96.4 | 74.4 |
| 18 | United Arab Emirates | 67.5 | 45.4 | 95.5 | 16.2 | 51.1 | 100.0 | 96.9 |
| 19 | Spain | 67.3 | 32.7 | 98.3 | 46.6 | 60.9 | 92.8 | 72.7 |
| 20 | New Zealand | 66.9 | 31.1 | 91.9 | 52.6 | 69.9 | 89.0 | — |
| 21 | Czechia | 65.8 | 33.1 | 85.1 | 41.5 | 56.9 | 79.1 | 99.3 |
| 22 | Singapore | 65.3 | 100.0 | 96.4 | 12.8 | 26.7 | 90.4 | — |
| 23 | Portugal | 64.5 | 28.4 | 93.2 | 53.9 | 60.5 | 80.4 | 70.9 |
| 24 | Japan | 63.5 | 29.8 | 98.8 | 57.4 | 43.1 | 75.4 | 76.5 |
| 25 | Italy | 63.2 | 34.6 | 98.5 | 41.0 | 53.6 | 81.7 | 69.6 |
| 26 | Israel | 62.6 | 32.6 | 95.9 | 31.4 | 80.2 | 79.9 | 55.7 |
| 27 | Poland | 62.4 | 29.1 | 79.9 | 38.3 | 57.1 | 80.6 | 89.6 |
| 28 | Saudi Arabia | 60.9 | 41.8 | 81.8 | 21.3 | 59.5 | 100.0 | — |
| 29 | Chile | 60.3 | 18.4 | 89.8 | 56.0 | 65.6 | 92.5 | 39.4 |
| 30 | Ukraine | 58.6 | 6.1 | 67.4 | 39.3 | 68.9 | 70.2 | 99.7 |
| 31 | Greece | 58.1 | 23.2 | 91.4 | 40.7 | 43.7 | 76.6 | 72.7 |
| 32 | Hungary | 58.0 | 26.2 | 74.2 | 26.2 | 49.7 | 89.4 | 82.4 |
| 33 | Russia | 56.6 | 26.0 | 63.2 | 31.0 | 54.9 | 90.4 | 74.0 |
| 34 | Argentina | 56.1 | 15.0 | 76.9 | 54.1 | 66.9 | 82.4 | 41.5 |
| 35 | Romania | 55.7 | 26.9 | 73.3 | 21.5 | 42.3 | 85.2 | 85.1 |
| 36 | China | 52.5 | 12.9 | 78.5 | 23.2 | 51.1 | 85.7 | 63.7 |
| 37 | Brazil | 49.1 | 9.0 | 71.8 | 50.2 | 75.7 | 73.6 | 14.2 |
| 38 | Malaysia | 49.0 | 20.8 | 74.5 | 9.0 | 45.7 | 96.6 | 47.4 |
| 39 | Thailand | 47.8 | 10.9 | 73.7 | 13.1 | 31.5 | 84.5 | 73.0 |
| 40 | Egypt | 45.3 | 6.9 | 57.7 | 15.6 | — | 56.9 | 89.6 |
| 41 | Turkiye | 45.0 | 23.2 | 76.5 | 11.2 | 39.7 | 82.6 | 37.0 |
| 42 | India | 44.7 | 1.4 | 59.1 | 4.6 | 54.0 | 49.0 | 100.0 |
| 43 | Mexico | 44.2 | 10.6 | 69.3 | 20.0 | 53.4 | 71.3 | 40.8 |
| 44 | Colombia | 43.5 | 8.5 | 78.2 | 38.9 | 70.6 | 64.9 | 0.0 |
| 45 | Viet Nam | 43.2 | 5.6 | 67.5 | 13.3 | 36.7 | 73.0 | 63.3 |
| 46 | South Africa | 38.9 | 4.1 | 39.2 | 44.4 | 81.5 | 63.2 | 1.0 |
| 47 | Philippines | 36.5 | 2.0 | 51.4 | 17.1 | 52.1 | 44.3 | 52.2 |
| 48 | Indonesia | 33.0 | 5.3 | 55.9 | 0.0 | 13.7 | 53.7 | 69.2 |
| 49 | Nigeria | 13.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 70.9 |
Limitations & what the index can't tell you
This is a composite, and composites make choices. Scores are relative to the 49 ranked economies, so they shift as the field changes, not only as a country improves. Each dimension uses the most recent World Bank year available, and reporting lags differ across countries. Equal weighting is deliberate but not neutral — a differently weighted index would reorder the middle of the table (the top and bottom are robust).
The index measures the dimensions of prosperity & quality of life that official data captures; it is not a verdict on quality of life, policy or outcomes beyond them. We publish the full method and data precisely so others can reweight, extend or challenge it — reproducibility is the point.
Scoreboard (machine-readable data)
Every headline indicator with its value, period, source and confidence. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
Methodology & verification
The Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026 equal-weights 6 World Bank dimensions, each min-max normalised to 0–100 (dimensions where lower is better are inverted). The composite is the mean of the dimensions an economy reports; at least 4 are required. Scores are relative to the ranked set and shift as peer data updates. Every input is an official World Bank series (compiled from the IMF, WHO, UNESCO and national sources) with a source URL; nothing is estimated. This is Affärslivet's own composite — transparent and reproducible, not an official World Bank, IMF or UN index. Confidence: Medium-High.
Data dictionary
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| metric | string | prosperity_index |
| label | string | Country name |
| value | number | Composite score, 0–100 |
| unit | string | /100 |
| geography | string | Country |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026?
A composite ranking of 49 economies on prosperity & quality of life, combining 6 World Bank dimensions (Income, Health, Care, Education, Internet, Equality), each normalised 0–100 and equal-weighted. It is Affärslivet's own, transparent index.
Which country ranks first?
Iceland leads with 80.0/100. Top five: Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark.
Where does Sweden rank?
Sweden ranks 2nd of 49 with 80.0/100, strongest on education.
How is it calculated?
Each of 6 World Bank indicators is min-max normalised 0–100 (lower-is-better dimensions inverted), then equal-weighted into a mean. Minimum 4 dimensions required. Fully documented and reproducible.
Is this an official index?
No — it is Affärslivet's own composite, built transparently from official World Bank data. It is not a World Bank, IMF, UN or WEF index.
Can I download the data?
Yes — the full ranking with per-dimension scores is available as CSV and JSON under CC BY 4.0, free to reuse with attribution to Affärslivet.
Which countries rank in the top 5 of the Prosperity Index?
The top five are Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Denmark, based on the Prosperity Index (Affärslivet, 2026-08-01).
Where does Sweden rank in the Prosperity Index?
Sweden ranks #2 of 49 (80.0) in the Prosperity Index, as of 2026-08-01. Source: Affärslivet.
How many countries are ranked in the Prosperity Index?
49 economies are included in the Prosperity Index (2026-08-01). Full data is free to download as CSV or JSON under CC BY 4.0.
Glossary
- Composite index
- A single score combining several indicators, here the equal-weighted mean of 6 normalised dimensions. ↗
- Min-max normalisation
- Rescaling so the lowest value becomes 0 and the highest 100, making different indicators comparable; 'lower is better' dimensions are inverted. ↗
- Income
- Dimension of the index — World Bank series NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD (higher is better). ↗
- Health
- Dimension of the index — World Bank series SP.DYN.LE00.IN (higher is better). ↗
- Healthcare
- Dimension of the index — World Bank series SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS (higher is better). ↗
- Education
- Dimension of the index — World Bank series SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS (higher is better). ↗
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APA
Affärslivet Research. (2026). Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026. Affärslivet. Version 1.0. https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/prosperity-index
MLA
Affärslivet Research. "Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026." Affärslivet, 2026-07-01, https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/prosperity-index.
BibTeX
@techreport{affarslivet_prosperity_index,
title = {Affärslivet Prosperity Index 2026},
author = {{Affärslivet Research}},
year = {2026},
note = {Version 1.0},
url = {https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/prosperity-index}
} License CC BY 4.0 — free to cite, embed and republish with attribution to Affärslivet. Data also as CSV / JSON.