Home Comfort vs. Daily Friction
Across 60+ countries, one question keeps returning: what makes a place feel livable, not just liveable-on-paper
Home isn’t only where you live. It’s how your days move. It’s whether you exhale when you return at night. It’s whether the future feels like something you can plan for, or something you brace for.
We analysed 132,432 people across 60+ countries to understand how satisfied they feel with daily life, how safe they feel in their neighbourhood, what pressures shape routine choices, whether their environment is improving, how connected they feel to local culture, how often they travel for leisure, and how confident they feel coping with rapid change.
Now, it’s your turn!
1. Satisfaction is high, but neutrality is the real swing group
A strong 71.8% global satisfaction baseline sounds reassuring, until you notice the 22.1% who feel neutral.
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Why it matters:
Neutrality is not calm. It is conditional. This is the group whose mood can shift quickly based on what changes first: rent, commuting friction, access to healthcare, local cleanliness, or whether public spaces feel maintained. If you want a place to feel “better,” this is where progress becomes visible.
Here’s a question for you!
2. Safety is not just protection, it’s permission
About 77.9% say they generally feel safe, but safety confidence varies widely by market.
No Data Found
Why it matters:
Safety creates daily freedoms that people rarely name until they lose them. Evening walks, local errands, letting children play outside, trusting public services, staying out later without planning escape routes. Where safety is lower, people spend more money and energy on avoiding risk, not building life.
Quick question!
3. Improvement exists, but “stuck” is almost as common
Only 42.4% report improvement. 28.5% say things are the same, while a meaningful share feel things have worsened.
No Data Found
Why it matters:
“Same” can mean stable, but it can also mean stalled systems. When people cannot point to visible upgrades, optimism fades even if life is not collapsing. This is where practical wins matter most: cleaner streets, safer public spaces, more reliable services, and healthcare access that feels reachable.
What’s your take?
4. Cultural connection is strong, but many feel only loosely held
Globally, 67.6% feel connected to the culture around them, while 24.9% are neutral.
Why it matters:
Culture is belonging made visible. It’s how communities celebrate, look out for each other, and feel proud of where they live. Lower cultural connectedness does not always mean dislike. Sometimes it means life feels private, fragmented, or transactional.
What do you think?
5. Travel is a signal of stability, not only a hobby
73.1% travel at least once a year for leisure, but some markets show more limited travel, often linked to costs.
No Data Found
Why it matters:
Travel reflects disposable time, disposable income, and the belief that you can plan ahead. Where travel is low, people often rely more on local leisure, smaller escapes, and community events to recharge.
Now, it’s your turn!
6. People say they’re adaptable, but many are quietly unsure
What we’re seeing
About 70.7% feel confident adapting to rapid change, but 25.1% stay neutral.
No Data Found
Why it matters:
Self-rated adaptability suggests people believe they can cope. But coping is not the same as thriving. In places where costs rise or services lag, adaptability can become a constant posture, not a strength. People adjust, but feel tired.
Here’s a question for you!
Across markets, people are not asking for perfection. They are asking for steadiness.
When life feels good, it usually comes down to practical basics that work without drama: affordable routines, safe neighbourhoods, reliable services, breathable streets, and the feeling that tomorrow will be manageable.
And the most telling group is not the satisfied. It’s the neutral. Because “neutral” is where small improvements create the biggest emotional lift.
Quick question!
Read the insight story?
So, here’s a survey readily available for you! Do you want to participate?
Disclaimer:
These insights are not just for brands; they are for anyone trying to understand how decisions are made in 2025-26. The more people share, the clearer the picture becomes.
FAQ's
1. What is “quality of life” in global surveys?
It usually refers to how people feel about daily living where they are, including affordability, safety, services, healthcare access, and general wellbeing.
2. Why does “neutral” matter so much in quality of life satisfaction?
Because neutral often reflects conditional wellbeing. This group can shift quickly based on small changes like cost pressures, safety, or access to reliable public services.
3. What factors most shape daily life globally?
Cost of living and job opportunities tend to lead, followed by healthcare access, pollution, and public services.
4. Why is neighbourhood safety such a strong wellbeing driver?
Safety affects behaviour. When people feel safe, they move freely, participate locally, and use public spaces. When they do not, they limit movement and spend more energy managing risk.
5. What does travel frequency reveal about a country or a community?
Leisure travel can signal disposable income, disposable time, and future confidence. Where travel is lower, costs and local constraints often play a larger role.
6. How can a place improve quality of life without massive policy overhauls?
Small visible fixes can shift daily experience quickly: cleaner streets, better lighting, safer public spaces, improved transit reliability, and easier access to healthcare services.
7. What does high adaptability mean in everyday life?
It suggests people feel capable of coping with change. But if services and affordability lag, adaptability can also mask fatigue, where people adjust constantly without feeling stable.
