Which countries have the best living standards?

Emilie Steinmark News editor The Economist. For many of us, the pandemic is a speck in the rearview mirror. The remnants of pandemic life—hybrid working, staycations, ubiquitous alcogel dispensers—are mostly benign. But looking at living standards across the world, the pandemic’s impact, compounded by conflict and worsening climate change, has been detrimental. The UN’s Human Development Index fell for the first time in 2020. Though living standards are rising again, they may have suffered a permanent setback. The poorest countries have been hit the hardest. The difference between those with the highest and those with the lowest living standards has grown, upending a decades-long trend. People living in rich parts of Asia, Europe and North America not only live longer and enjoy more years of schooling, they also live in cities that are far easier and more pleasant to live in (even if some are more expensive). It will take a large effort and a long time for the rich and poor worlds to get back onto a path of convergence.