Where in the world to live where people are cared about?

[Feathersandothers]

That’s it really . If you live somewhere where people have access to good healthcare, affordable bills, access to good free education , low crime .. where is it? Nowhere is perfect but some places must be better.
I didn’t live in the UK for most of my adult life, but I am British.
I’ve lived here for the past few years and don’t think I can do it much longer .
But I’m aware that places that I lived that were good before COVID etc are probably feeling the ramifications of global issues as we are here.
So if you live in a place where it feels that the government have your back, where are you?

Exactly, this is one of the things that makes it really difficult to compare between countries I think. Along with fluctuating exchange rates. You have to kind of assess somehow what lifestyle the average person in an average job can enjoy rather than looking at the bald figures.

we have one of the highest inflation rates in the world. We are truly 'world-beating'. Goldman has also forecast the UK to have exceeding 20% inflation.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/goldman-slashes-british-growth-forecast-predicts-q4-recession-2022-08-29/
UK could have the 11th highest inflation in the world by next year. Here's the current highest inflation rates:
Venezuela — 1198.0%
Sudan — 340.0%
Lebanon — 201.0%
Syria — 139.0%
Suriname — 63.3%
Zimbabwe — 60.7%
Argentina — 51.2%
Turkey — 36.1%
Iran — 35.2%
Ethiopia — 33.0%

UK (March next year?): 22%

Ukraine's current inflation rate is 22%. We could have an inflation rate to beat ukraine by next year.

Havent read all the thread.

This type of question was being asked on another forum.
And there they came up with almost completly different answers to the ones on pg 1.

They were far more into the med countries than scandinavia

you didn't @ me so didn't realise @Andante57 so didn't get a notification sorry for the delay in response..

Cuba for a few reasons, good weather, cheap energy, free healthcare, cheap good quality food, lower cost of living that a lot of the rest of latin america. Layed back lifestyle, very low crime rates, good beaches.

there are however some compromised when living there though especially with freedoms of expression, congregation, etc so its quite a change. Also its a difficult place to go live permanently unless you marry a Cuban. So its more a place where you can retire to on a 'snowbird' type visa.

Ive enjoyed Cuba when I have been there and felt very safe, but Its not for everyone hense the left field comment. I enjoyed it far more than India which while there were some great people and they were really hospitable being a white british women in the more rural areas is quite scary (was spat at for being british etc).

@Festoonlights are you joking/being sarcastic? Quality of life in Finland lower than UK? Worried about freezing to death?

We have something called remote heating in our terraced house. The heating comes from a plant/factory that burns woodchip (and other waste i think) which then arrives by a huge pipe underground and heats the whole terrace. We never worry about it, and its included in our overall maintenance fee. (Terraces form their own housing co-ops and look after costs together)

Quality of life is definitely better than we had in uk. Fresh air, clean streets, free education and school meals, safe cycling everywhere away from traffic (we hardly use the car in the summer), big library with loads of books in English, no crowds, litter, free picking of berries and musrooms in all forests.. An in-built sauna (everyone has one).

As far as alcoholism and suicides go, i dont know the numbers. But from what i can see (i work at a university) the young people hardly binge-drink anymore. They are all so sensible it makes me cringe thinking back to my own student days.. And russia..Theres intelligence, army and Nato for that..

I met a lady from Finland on holiday and she was very worried about her son as they still compulsory national service and with your neighbours being Russia I can see why. Italy always looks idyllic to me wish I had moved there when a lot younger.

Father in law retired and moved to India. The health care was appalling, he fell ill and died as a result of being poorly treated, passed from pillar to post and also wasn't free!

Re expensive elements, you also adjust your life to fit the culture. So my brother has now lived in Sweden for ten years - he and his wife don't eat out masses because that's expensive, but they do a lot of fika, shared meals, home entertaining and picnics at the lakeside because those are part of life there. Their house is large by UK standards and they house refugees as part of a church scheme.

DS2 spent 3 months working in Sweden this summer. He really liked fika. He also commented how every week they had a session where everyone stopped work for a while and just chatted over coffee and cake. He found it really easy to make friends there and will likely keep the contacts he made going.

What doesn't he like about Finland:
Lack of spicy food.
You have to build up holiday entitlement.
No decent cider.
The language is tough to learn.

What does he like:
Outdoorsy lifestyle- in winter he can ski or skate after work at no cost. Can swim, kayak or SUP at a lake 15 minutes from his apartment in the summer, again no cost. Forest walks just a few minutes easy.
Excellent health care, badly cut his hand and was home from hospital after being stitched in less than 3 hours including travel to and from hospital. Needed a dentist and easy to gey an appointment.
Excellent public transport - tram every 7 minutes into the city, runs 24 hours but less frequent after 10pm.
Cheaper housing where the rent also includes heating and broadband.
No uni fees and student support.
Lots of free or cheap language courses.

Having lived in Italy, I can say it's not all that idyllic. Great pizza, wine, scenery and so on of course, but it's actually a pretty tough place to live. Terrible bureaucracy, government inefficiency and often very poor public services, especially in the south. Quite conservative attitudes to women too.

You seem very defensive about your choices onetwo I am talking about my lived experience and those of my Finnish friends. Finland (and parts of Sweden) are in fact some of the darkest and gloomiest places on earth, there is no sunlight at all for long periods of time and I felt constantly tired, drained and depressed when we lived there. November to January is particularly hard going living in absolute, permanent darkness.
You can say it is all about fruit picking, but you can do that anywhere! In my own garden for instance, but that does not make up for such long period of overwhelming darkness.

As a young person there are limited employment prospects and some towns were 'dead' with nothing at all happening, as a result many travel if they have the resources to look for work and life outside of Finland. I found the fashion, food offering, restaurant options, quality of life basically everything was very limited. If you like saunas great, but if you don't then there is literally nothing to do. The suicide rate is higher than the rest of the European Union on average, surely you must know that if you live there.

I prefer the crowds and fun of England than the wasteland that is much of Finland, but that is my choice because I like a big social life and choices of things to do. Yes the snow is fun for the first few weeks, and then it is just a pain.

Obviously every country has its upsides, and Finland has plenty of things to celebrate but to cast it as some utopia is just ridiculous as in reality it is can be a brutal impoverished life in many places.

And as for Russia, I am sorry to tell you but you should already know that Finland does not belong to Nato...

Does anyone know what it's like living in Cyprus? We have enjoyed our holidays there and it is one of the safest countries in the world. I don't know much more.

Always visit in the middle of winter if you are thinking of a relocation like that, and for a longer stint. That will give you a feel for the place. It is likely to be empty, closed up and very quiet.

My advice, never sell up here (You will fall of the property ladder and will find it impossible to rejoin unless you are very wealthy) rent out your UK home, and the one you intend to live in and try it out for a year as a trial.

I would say healthcare is considerably better in Norway. I have had excellent service in the UK too, but here I have been seen by a doctor the same day as I called, had hospital tests done within days. When I have been on sick leave, I get full pay for months (not sure when the limit on this is, I think maybe two years? I have never been off more than six months, so don't know). I don't need a private pension as my state one is good enough to live on, and public services generally run well. Yes, we pay high tax, but I think we get a lot for it.

Regarding the energy costs, the Norwegian government had a scheme last winter that when electricity went over a certain cost per kilowatt, they paid the difference in electricity bills. I imagine they will introduce something similar this winter too if it is needed.

@Festoonlights sounds like you wre living in the far North or you are exaggerating. We were in Tampere and Kotka for a couple of weeks visiting family last Christmas, there for the shortest day and there were several hours of proper daylight. Most of the population of Finland lives in the southern 3rd. Comparing the north and south is a bit like comparing the Scottish Highlands with the UK Midlands or south east.
In Tampere there are 140 free skating rinks, ski trails, the Nokia stadium where the ice hockey world championship was held this year, museums, theatres, concerts, shops, restaurants, wild swimming in lakes etc. What else do you want to do? There's even cricket and rugby.

@Derbybound2022 - mate lived in Cyprus for a while. Said it was nice enough but very hot in the summer. Like many other countries that have been nominated on here it certainly has its downsides. Bank deposits were locked from leaving the country a few years back and it has a reputation for being a conduit for money leaving Russia.

It also has a nigh on 50 year split between the Turkish and Greek halves of the island which always has the potential to flare up again particularly with what else is going on in Europe.

I'd consider buying a holiday home there but not more

I like culture, museums, world class theatre opera, ballets, music concerts, huge festivals, stately home days out, National trust walks and picnics, west end shopping and vintage markets. I love gorgeous spa hotels or stays in castles on windswept beaches, sailing and beautiful beach days with warm weather every day of the summer. On Sundays meeting friends for brunch in historical towns that are full of energy and life. I adore the fact I can eat in pristine Michelin restaurants and the next day enjoy street food from Bangladesh. I enjoy choice, diversity and fluidity.

Ice rinks and ski trails are extremely limiting if you are used to a cultured life. I found Finland extremely limited culturally and narrow. Just my experience- I am glad you enjoy it.

@Festoonlights Yes, i see its all about individual preference really and what you consider as a quality of life. It is subjective.
Culture and ethnic cuisine is definitely in short supply in Finland, that's true. Also some of the activities you enjoy and value are literally my nightmare 😄 I dont care for shopping, spas, castles and national trust walks etc.. i prefer a peaceful bike ride, bbq with friends, skiing, hiking, canooing, tobogganing etc.. Fresh air and water on my doorstep, no crowds, litter and noise.

Winter is dark,but i like it, and i like the snow. Also, you are right in that there are many dead towns and villages that i would never move to, but you can pick any major university city (Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Helsinki) and the vibe is good and even international. It is where we are.

We still have a house in the uk, but prefer our life here. Kids have freedom and independence you can only dream of in the uk. Right now my 7yo is spending the whole day in the forest with school. In a few weeks they are going to the theatre. Local science museum is offering them a 2 day workshop in a teaching lab this term etc etc.. and the class size is 19 kids..

Well you certainly aren't going to find National Trust properties in Finland , Seden or anywhere else not the UK, what with it being a UK charity ans all that. DS2 plays cricket in Finland and he's the only white guy in the team. He says the match teas are excellent. While there we ate pizza, Vietnamese and Georgian cuisine perhaps your problem was you weren't near a large town. Though he does buy his chillies bulk online as the supermarket ones are too mild. Interestingly DS1 is a fanatical chilli grower (has about 20 varieties on the go this year) and he orders some seed from Finland as he can't get those varieties in the UK.