Kuwait ranked 64th globally out of 196 countries in the 2026 Human Progress Index published by CEO World magazine, placing it in the “very high” category with a score of 85.65. The index assesses how effectively countries translate economic opportunities, public services and individual freedoms into living conditions, going beyond traditional measures of income and economic output.
The index looks beyond traditional measures of economic output and income to assess how effectively countries translate economic resources, public services and individual freedoms into quality-of-life outcomes. For businesses and investors, the assessment offers a broader view of the operating environment by examining factors such as housing, healthcare, safety, infrastructure, education and work-life balance.
Kuwait fifth among GCC countries
Each category accounts for one-third of the overall score, although individual indicators carry different weights within the three categories. Within the GCC, Kuwait ranked fifth among the six countries covered, with the UAE in 31st place globally at 92.59 points, followed by Qatar in 47th at 87.46, Bahrain in 54th at 86.66, Saudi Arabia in 60th at 86.00, Kuwait in 64th at 85.65, and Oman in 71st at 84.26. All six GCC countries were classified in the “very high” category.
The GCC results underline the role of quality-of-life factors alongside income and economic performance when companies, employees and families assess locations. Housing affordability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, safety and work-life balance can all form part of decisions on where to invest, operate, work or live, according CEOWORLD Magazine’s 2026 Human Progress Index.
Singapore topped the global ranking with 97.88 points, followed by Switzerland with 97.78 and Denmark with 97.70. Norway and Ireland ranked fourth and fifth, while Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Germany completed the top 10. European countries accounted for nine of the 10 leading positions, with Singapore the only Asian country in the group.
The index is based on three equally weighted categories, stability, satisfaction and balance, covering 23 indicators. Stability includes economic growth, taxation, life expectancy, job and income security, housing and spending conditions, household income after taxes and transfers, and net financial wealth.
The satisfaction category examines factors affecting daily life and public services, including safety, happiness, governance, perceptions of corruption, child and maternal mortality, infrastructure and transport, healthcare and education. The balance category covers human rights, civil liberties, political rights, work-life balance, religious freedom, gender equality and environmental stewardship.
CEO World said the index draws on international economic, development, institutional and environmental datasets, using the latest available data for each source alongside expert review and editorial assessment. It also noted that “Human Progress 2026” refers to the release year of the index and does not mean that all underlying data was collected in 2026, as individual datasets follow different update cycles.
