The Sultanate of Oman continues to strengthen its position among countries that place human quality of life and well-being at the forefront of their development priorities. This is underpinned by an integrated framework of policies and programmes aimed at enhancing social and economic stability, developing essential services, and providing a safe and sustainable environment that meets the needs of society and keeps pace with its aspirations. These efforts are reflected in Oman’s ranking third globally, and first in Asia and the Arab world, in the 2026 Quality of Life Index issued by Numbeo, a result that demonstrates the Sultanate’s progress across a number of areas directly related to people’s daily lives and standards of living.
In the mid-2026 edition of the index, Oman recorded a score of 203.89 points, placing it behind the Netherlands, which topped the ranking with 205.56 points, and Luxembourg, which ranked second with 204.83 points. Oman also matched Denmark in its overall score. The Sultanate ranked first among the Asian and Arab countries included in the index, ahead of several countries with high levels of development and advanced services.
The Quality of Life Index is based on a range of factors directly associated with residents’ daily lives, including purchasing power, safety, healthcare quality, cost of living, the property price-to-income ratio, commuting time, pollution levels, and climate. Oman achieved strong results across several of these components, recording 152.56 points in the Purchasing Power Index and 81.67 points in the Safety Index, reflecting a high level of perceived security and stability. The property price-to-income ratio stood at 3.79, while the Traffic Commute Time Index reached 24.78 points. These indicators contribute to enhancing comfort and stability in everyday life.
Security is one of the key factors supporting quality of life, as it provides a stable environment that enables individuals to work, study, invest, and engage in a wide range of economic and social activities in safety. The resulting social stability also contributes to enhancing overall well-being.
This progress is aligned with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, which places people at the heart of its priorities and identifies well-being and social protection as one of the key priorities under the People and Society pillar, guided by the strategic direction of achieving “A Decent and Sustainable Life for All.” The Vision seeks to strengthen the social protection system, improve the quality of healthcare and education services, support family stability, and develop cities and communities in ways that provide a suitable environment for living and working. It also aims to achieve a balance between economic growth and social and environmental requirements.
The Government is translating these directions into action through continued spending on social and essential sectors. Around OMR 5.2 billion has been allocated to these sectors in the State General Budget for 2026, representing an increase of 4 percent compared with 2025 and accounting for approximately 44 percent of total public expenditure. These allocations cover education, social security and welfare, healthcare, and housing. Around OMR 614 million has also been allocated to support the social protection system, with the number of beneficiaries expected to exceed 1.6 million.
In the healthcare sector, the 2026 budget aims to complete the construction of six government hospitals and nine healthcare institutions and centres, in addition to expanding a number of existing facilities. These projects will help broaden the reach of healthcare services and strengthen their capacity to meet the population’s growing needs.
The focus on quality of life also extends to housing and family stability. OMR 100 million has been allocated to the housing assistance programme, which is expected to benefit around 3,500 families during 2026 and 2027. These programmes and projects reflect an integrated development approach that combines improved services, stronger social protection, and the provision of a safe and stable environment, thereby reinforcing quality of life as one of the fundamental pillars of comprehensive and sustainable development in the Sultanate of Oman.