International Comparisons: Human Development Index

The level of development of a country depends on a variety of factors. One can look at each of these factors independently or one can attempt to combine these factors into one measurement for international comparisons. The Human Development Index combines measures related to education, life expectancy, and the standard of living into one measure for international comparisons.

The United Nations publishes the data for international comparisons in an annual Human Development Index report each year. This report ranks the countries of the world into countries with very high human development index values to low human development index values. One is then able to compare countries in terms of their development along a variety of different measures.

The values for the human development index can range from 0 to 1. A score of 1.00 indicates very high levels of human development. A score of 0.00 indicates very low levels of human development.

Human Development Index: Highest Levels of Human Development (0.95 to 1.00)

Countries falling in this category include the most economically developed countries in the world. Their human development index values are almost a perfect 1.00. These high human development index scores indicate that these countries have relatively high life expectancies, high levels of educational development, and very high standards of living.

These are probably the most ideal countries for work and the raising of families. They are also probably countries with highly developed health care systems and other infrastructure. If you retire abroad to these countries, you are retiring to a country with all of amenities that you are used to in America.

However, the one downside to countries in this category for a retirement abroad is that the high level of human development translates into a relatively high cost of living.

• Norway:0.971
• Australia:0.970
• Iceland:0.969
• Canada:0.966
• Ireland:0.965
• Netherlands:0.964
• Sweden:0.963
• France:0.961
• Switzerland:0.960
• Japan:0.960
• Luxembourg:0.960
• Finland:0.959
• United States:0.956
• Austria:0.955
• Spain:0.955
• Denmark:0.955
• Belgium:0.953
• Italy:0.951
• Liechtenstein:0.951
• New Zealand:0.950

Human Development Index: Very High Levels of Human Development (0.90 to 1.00)

Almost all of the countries that fall into the very high human development index category are developed countries. There are a handful of developing countries in this category that are oil producing nations that have been able to build modern educational, medical and economic infrastructures (e.g. Brunei Darussalam and Kuwait).

If you retire abroad to countries near the top of this category list, you will enter a country with a very high level of development and cost of living. However, there are a handful of location located in the bottom half of this category list with more moderate costs of living (e.g. Portugal, Czech Republic).

• United Kingdom:0.947
• Germany:0.947
• Singapore:0.944
• Hong Kong, China (SAR):0.944
• Greece:0.942
• Korea (Republic of):0.937
• Israel:0.935
• Andorra:0.934
• Slovenia:0.929
• Brunei Darussalam:0.920
• Kuwait:0.916
• Cyprus:0.914
• Qatar:0.910
• Portugal:0.909
• United Arab Emirates:0.903
• Czech Republic:0.903
• Barbados:0.903
• Malta:0.902

Human Development Index: High Levels of Human Development (0.80 to 0.90)

The countries with a high human development index score are all developing countries that have begun to make substantial investments in their basic infrastructure. The retiree will generally find that the major urban centers of these countries are well developed and modern. However, it is likely that there are significant parts of these countries that are not well developed with high levels of poverty.

The cost of living in these countries will be in the low to moderate range and these may make decent destinations for someone who wishes to retire abroad on a budget.

• Bahrain:0.895
• Estonia:0.883
• Poland:0.880
• Slovakia:0.880
• Hungary:0.879
• Chile:0.878
• Croatia:0.871
• Lithuania:0.870
• Antigua and Barbuda:0.868
• Latvia:0.866
• Argentina:0.866
• Uruguay:0.865
• Cuba:0.863
• Bahamas:0.856
• Mexico:0.854
• Costa Rica:0.854
• Libyan Arab Jamahiriya:0.847
• Oman:0.846
• Seychelles:0.845
• Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of):0.844
• Saudi Arabia:0.843
• Panama:0.840
• Bulgaria:0.840
• Saint Kitts and Nevis:0.838
• Romania:0.837
• Trinidad and Tobago:0.837
• Montenegro:0.834
• Malaysia:0.829
• Serbia:0.826
• Belarus:0.826
• Saint Lucia:0.821
• Albania:0.818
• Russian Federation:0.817
• Macedonia (the Former Yugoslav Rep. of):0.817
• Dominica:0.814
• Grenada:0.813
• Brazil:0.813
• Bosnia and Herzegovina:0.812
• Colombia:0.807
• Peru:0.806
• Turkey:0.806
• Ecuador:0.806
• Mauritius:0.804
• Kazakhstan:0.804
• Lebanon:0.803

Human Development Index: Moderate Levels of Human Development (0.70 to 0.80)

Countries with a moderate human development index score are all developing nations that still have a way to go in the development of their educational, medical and economic infrastructure. Urban centers are likely to be well developed and modern, but there is a wide variation in the level of infrastructure development. Rural areas are most likely not well developed and lacking in modern infrastructure.

If you retire abroad to these countries, there may be some missing pieces in terms of modern infrastructure, but the costs of living for these countries will be relatively low.

• Armenia:0.798
• Ukraine:0.796
• Azerbaijan:0.787
• Thailand:0.783
• Iran (Islamic Republic of):0.782
• Georgia:0.778
• Dominican Republic:0.777
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:0.772
• China:0.772
• Belize:0.772
• Samoa:0.771
• Maldives:0.771
• Jordan:0.770
• Suriname:0.769
• Tunisia:0.769
• Tonga:0.768
• Jamaica:0.766
• Paraguay:0.761
• Sri Lanka:0.759
• Gabon:0.755
• Algeria:0.754
• Philippines:0.751
• El Salvador:0.747
• Syrian Arab Republic:0.742
• Fiji:0.741
• Turkmenistan:0.739
• Occupied Palestinian Territories:0.737
• Indonesia:0.734
• Honduras:0.732
• Bolivia:0.729
• Guyana:0.729
• Mongolia:0.727
• Viet Nam:0.725
• Moldova:0.720
• Equatorial Guinea:0.719
• Uzbekistan:0.710
• Kyrgyzstan:0.710
• Cape Verde:0.708
• Guatemala:0.704
• Egypt:0.703

Human Development Index: Moderately Low Levels of Human Development (0.50 to 0.70)

Countries in this category are all developing that require a significant amount of development of their infrastructure. Major urban centers may have access to modern amenities, but there is a wide level of variation between countries and it is hard to generalize. Overall, costs of living will be quite low, but these will be challenging countries to retire abroad to because of gaps in their medical, educational and/or economic infrastructures.

• Nicaragua:0.699
• Botswana:0.694
• Vanuatu:0.693
• Tajikistan:0.688
• Namibia:0.686
• South Africa:0.683
• Morocco:0.654
• Sao Tome and Principe:0.651
• Bhutan:0.619
• Lao People’s Democratic Republic:0.619
• India:0.612
• Solomon Islands:0.610
• Congo:0.601
• Cambodia:0.593
• Myanmar:0.586
• Comoros:0.576
• Yemen:0.575
• Pakistan:0.572
• Swaziland:0.572
• Angola:0.564
• Nepal:0.553
• Madagascar:0.543
• Bangladesh:0.543
• Kenya:0.541
• Papua New Guinea:0.541
• Haiti:0.532
• Sudan:0.531
• Tanzania (United Republic of):0.530
• Ghana:0.526
• Cameroon:0.523
• Mauritania:0.520
• Djibouti:0.520
• Lesotho:0.514
• Uganda:0.514
• Nigeria:0.511

Human Development Index: Low Levels of Human Development (less than 0.50)

The typical American retiree will most likely not select these countries as a retirement destination. The infrastructure in lacking in many areas and one will have to make major adaptations for expatriate living in these countries. Of course the cost of living will be very low, but access to quality medical, educational and economic amenities will be difficult.

• Togo:0.499
• Malawi:0.493
• Benin:0.492
• Timor-Leste:0.489
• Côte d’Ivoire:0.484
• Zambia:0.481
• Eritrea:0.472
• Senegal:0.464
• Rwanda:0.460
• Gambia:0.456
• Liberia:0.442
• Guinea:0.435
• Ethiopia:0.414
• Mozambique:0.402
• Guinea-Bissau:0.396
• Burundi:0.394
• Chad:0.392
• Congo (Democratic Republic of the):0.389
• Burkina Faso:0.389
• Mali:0.371
• Central African Republic:0.369
• Sierra Leone:0.365
• Afghanistan:0.352
• Niger:0.340

Human Development Index: Summary

Your ideal retirement destination depends on a number of different factors. The Human Development Index can help you identify which countries are most suitable for your particular needs. For example, if access to modern healthcare is a major concern to you then countries that are high on the scale are best for you. If a low cost of living is the primary factor that you are concerned about, then the countries in the middle or lower range of the scale are more ideal.

As always, use statistics like this as a starting point, not for final decision-making. They can help you narrow down your options, but the final decision should be based on a more detailed analysis and assessment of where to retire abroad.

(Photo by: Auro Quieroz)

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