Forecasting Fragility
The L'Atelier Sustainable Economy Barometer is a new way to measure how equitably economic surplus is distributed across a society.
Forcasting Fragility is Part 03 in a series about The Digital Age of Social Mobility.
Deterioration in upward social mobility consistently manifests as socio-civic activism and protest. If unchecked, fragile systems rupture into division, extremism and conflict.
Social mobility is both the foundation and the keystone of contemporary democracies. The promise of equitably distributed, algorithmic opportunity compels order, alignment and sacrifice. It stands to reason that should the prospect of social mobility become degraded or less dependable then so too will the democracies built upon it.
We often assume, incorrectly, that macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, unemployment and inflation tell the story of an economy, but they are, with increasing regularity, potemkin. These statistics can paint a picture of rude health but is an economy actually robust if an average person working an average job for an average wage can not afford an average home or any home at all? Or if the cost of education makes education disadvantageous? Or if minor treatable health issues become terminal because healthcare is unaffordable?
Deterioration in upward social mobility consistently manifests as socio-civic activism and protest. If unchecked, fragile systems rupture into division, extremism and conflict. Economic protests across the world since 2008 are testament to this relationship. Declining disposable incomes and increasing asset prices have eviscerated the prospects of many, depriving them of hope for themselves and their children.
Equitable Economy
GDP has been the principal measure of economic productivity in the post war period. We have used it to assess the relative success or failure of both systems and regimes. But the world has changed and so too must our economies and the way we measure them. GDP was designed to measure corporate productivity.
Implicitly, a strong economy would lead to more opportunity and mobility for the electorate and a higher level of satisfaction with government.
This was an elegant solution in a world where the salaries provided by corporations could be expected to ensure socioeconomic-mobility in the long term. That is no longer the case. Socioeconomic mobility increasingly relies on enterprise in some form, whether that be starting a company, becoming an influencer, crypto-investor or Axie Scholarship manager.
A successful economy is one that can maintain or increase the level of opportunity and socio-economic mobility for its citizenry as it grows. It effectively distributes surplus productivity equitably across a society to ensure that all citizens have an opportunity to prosper as the country does. An economy that grows, (i.e. increases GDP per capita) but sees proportionate increases in cost of living and consequential decrease in socio-economic mobility is not successful.
We have created an economic barometer that measures how effectively and equitably an economy distributes surplus value to its citizens. We call it the Sustainable Economy Barometer. It measures whether or not excess economic growth is redistributed in the form of wages and mitigated cost of living across healthcare, childcare, education and accomodation.
A successful economy is one that can maintain or increase the level of opportunity and socio-economic mobility for its citizenry as it grows.
L’Atelier Sustainable Economy Barometer
The Sustainable Economy Barometer assesses whether or not a country can expect to maintain its current level of economic performance based on both macro-economic indicators and weighted cost of living inputs. It assesses whether or not these indicators are improving or worsening over the period 2012 -2020 and ranks countries based on a combined score. Higher ranking countries should be seen as the economies most capable of deploying value achieved through increases in productivity equitably across society at this current moment. The rate of decline/incline combined with the gap between economic performance and cost of living is a measure of the positive or negative velocity of change.
Fragility Index
The L’Atelier Fragility Index predicts which developed nations are most likely to suffer from future economic protest, activism and political extremism due to declining social mobility potential. The index is calculated by analysing average disposable income after paying rent in capital cities. Declining disposable incomes in capital cities is an effective proxy indicating generally declining social mobility. This measure implicitly considers the impact the rising housing costs both decrease primary asset yields as well as increasing and elongating the debt burden on borrowers.
These two measures, the Sustainable Economy Barometer and the Fragility Index, used in conjunction, can help us forecast which countries have the most sustainable political-economies and the most fragile social-economies. Countries experiencing a decline in sustainability as well as a high level of fragility are more likely to experience civic activism, political extremism and protest.
How to read the Sustainable Economy Barometer
The Sustainable Economy Barometer ranks 36 OECD countries from most to least performing. You can expand each country to learn more about the scores that make up their social economic standing, and learn how we calculated those scores.
Order By
DESCRIPTION
Luxembourg has a strong sustainable economy. Since 2012 its economic sustainability has further improved and now is ranked first among the OECD countries. It ranks 7th in economic performance (up from 8th rank in 2012), 27th in cost of living (down from 11th rank in 2012), and 1st in financial standing (same rank in 2012). Luxembourg has a low fragility due to its strong economic performance and very high financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostGood
CostGood
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Norway has a strong sustainable economy, which it is holding up since 2012. It ranks 5th in economic performance (down from 1st rank in 2012), 4th in cost of living (up from 6th rank in 2012), and 20th in financial standing (down from 18th rank in 2012). Norway has a low fragility thanks to its excellent economic performance and low cost of living.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Sweden has a strong sustainable economy. Its sustainability remains at a high level since 2012. It ranks 11th in economic performance (up from 13th rank in 2012), 7th in cost of living (down from 2nd rank in 2012), and 16th in financial standing (down from 13th rank in 2012). Sweden has a low fragility due to its strong economic performance, low cost of living, and relatively high financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Austria has a moderately sustainable economy. It is more sustainable now than it was in 2012. It ranks 27th in economic performance (down from 9th rank in 2012), 8th in cost of living (down from 4th rank in 2012), and 2nd in financial standing (up from 8th rank in 2012). This economy is considered to have moderate fragility due to deteriorating economic performance. The main suspect behind falling growth is the weaker external demand growth.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Slovenia had a strong sustainable economy with a significant improvement since 2012. It ranks 20th in economic performance (up from 31st rank in 2012), 12th in cost of living (up from 21st rank in 2012), and 14th in financial standing (up from 22nd rank in 2012). Slovenia has a low fragility thanks to its robust economic performance, lower cost of living, and improved financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Germany has a strong sustainable economy and has experienced further improvement since 2012. It ranks 8th in economic performance (down from 5th rank in 2012), 15th in cost of living (down from 12th rank in 2012), and 17th in financial standing (down from 6th rank in 2012). Despite the relative deterioration in its economic performance, cost of living and financial standing, Germany is ranked high among OECD countries in terms of its sustainability and it has lots of build-up leverage to compensate for weaker performance. For these reasons, Germany has a low fragility.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Switzerland has a strong sustainable economy. It ranks 3ed in economic performance (same rank in 2012), 33ed in cost of living (up from 35th rank in 2012), and 3ed in financial standing (up from 4th rank in 2012). Despite its very high cost of living, Switzerland has a low fragility thanks to its robust economic performance and very high financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostPoor
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Israel has a strong sustainable economy relative to its OECD counterparts. It has marked further improvements in its sustainability since 2012. It ranks 16th in economic performance (down from 11th rank in 2012), 21st in cost of living (up from 30th rank in 2012), and 8th in financial standing (down from 2nd rank in 2012). Despite the worsening in its economic performance and financial standing, it still ranks relatively high among OECD countries. This coupled with a significant fall in the cost of living it provides for Israel's low fragility. The fall in the cost of living was mainly due to the fall in the mortgage burden. In response to COVID-crisis, banks were encouraged to allow a postponement of mortgage and other household credit repayments.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Italy has a moderately sustainable economy with significant improvement in its sustainability registered since 2012. It ranks 32nd in economic performance (down from 30th rank in 2012), 1st in cost of living (up from 25th rank in 2012), and 4th in financial standing (up from 10th rank in 2012). Italy has a moderate fragility due to the lower cost of living and high financial standing. The key factor behind the falling cost of living lies in the housing market where the house prices started to fall following 2008 financial crisis and Euro crisis, and unlike in other more vibrant markets, house prices have not recovered and instead have been on the downward trajectory.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Belgium has experienced an improvement in its sustainability and currently has a strong sustainable economy. It ranks 26th in economic performance (down from 20th rank in 2012), 11th in cost of living (up from 15th rank in 2012), and 14th in financial standing (up from 16th rank in 2012). Despite the weaker economic performance over the period, Belgium is currently considered to have low fragility due to the improvement in the cost of living and household's financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Denmark has a strong sustainable economy and it has marked a slight improvement in its sustainability since 2012. It ranks 4th in economic performance (up from 19th rank in 2012), 17th in cost of living (down from 9th rank in 2012), and 23ed in financial standing (no change in rank since 2012). Despite its considerable improvement in economic performance, Denmark is currently considered to have moderate fragility due to its rising cost of living and no improvement in household's financial standing. Its strong economic performance was primarily driven by labour productivity growth led by high labour market flexibility, market competition, strong adoption of digital tools and a business-friendly climate, which have underpinned investment and productivity. However, the cost of living was fueled by rising house prices and rental growth in excess of incomes, which exacerbated affordability problems and increased inquality.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostGood
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Turkey had a moderately sustainable economy with a slight improvement in its sustainability since 2012. It ranks 31st in economic performance (down from 16th rank in 2012), 3ed in cost of living (up from 10th rank in 2012), and 9th in financial standing (up from 14th rank in 2012). Despite its low cost of living and good financial standing, Turkey has a high fragility due to its worsening economic performance. Its fragility is expected to increase significantly during 2022 due to the poor policy response to contain the rising inflation.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
The Netherlands has a strong sustainable economy. Its sustainability has significantly improved since 2012. It ranks 9th in economic performance (up from 17th rank in 2012), 32nd in cost of living (up from 36th rank in 2012), and 6th in financial standing (down from 3ed rank in 2012). Despite its overall economic performance and high financial standing, the Netherlands has one of the highest costs of living among OECD countries. This implies that the Netherlands has a moderate fragility.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostPoor
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Despite weaker economic sustainability since 2012, Korea is still considered to have a strong sustainable economy. It ranks 6th in economic performance (down from 2nd rank in 2012), 14th in cost of living (down from 13th rank in 2012), and 26th in financial standing (up from 34th rank in 2012). Korea has a low fragility due to the overall good rankings in economic performance and cost of living coupled with a significant improvement in households' financial standing since 2012.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
France marked an improvement in its economic sustainability since 2012 and is currently considered to have a strong sustainable economy relative to other OECD countries. It ranks 29th in economic performance (down from 26th rank in 2012), 16th in cost of living (up from 32nd rank in 2012), and 7th in financial standing (down from 5th rank in 2012). Despite its slight deterioration in economic performance and financial standing, France has experienced a fall in its cost of living which currently means that it has moderate fragility. Falling cost of living is attributed to the reforms that have improved the financing and targeting of education and vocational training.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Finland has experienced an improvement in its economic sustainability since 2012 and currently is considered to be moderate sustainable economy relative to its OECD counterparts. It ranks 14th in economic performance (up from 21st rank in 2012), 6th in cost of living (up from 23rd rank in 2012), and 27th in financial standing (down from 25th rank in 2012). Finland is currently considered to have low fragility due to the improvement in its economic performance and fall in its cost of living.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostGood
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Australia has a moderately sustainable economy. It ranks 2nd in economic performance (an improvement of 5 ranks since 2012), 28th in the cost of living (down from 27th rank since 2012), and 24th in financial standing (up from 27th rank since 2012). Despite the relatively high economic performance, this economy is currently considered to have Moderate Fragility due to relatively higher cost of living and deteriorating household's financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Iceland has a moderately sustainable economy, but since 2012 its sustainability has weakened. It ranks 28th in economic performance (down from 18th rank in 2012), 23ed in cost of living (down from 7th rank in 2012), and 11th in financial standing (up from 9th rank in 2012). Iceland has a moderate fragility due to the deterioration in its economic performance, cost of living, and financial standing. The increase in the cost of living is mainly due to a surge in real estate market activity with the number of first-time buyers increasing rapidly that fueled the property prices.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Portugal has a moderately sustainable economy with no significant changes in its sustainability since 2012. It ranks 22nd in economic performance (up from 34th rank in 2012), 26th in cost of living (down from 19th rank in 2012), and 13th in financial standing (down from 13th rank in 2012). Despite its worsening cost of living, Portugal has a moderate fragility due to its reasonably robust economic performance and reasonably high financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Ireland has a moderately sustainable economy with marked improvements in its sustainability registered since 2012. It ranks 1st in economic performance (up from 33rd rank in 2012), 28th in cost of living (down from 18th rank in 2012), and 29th in financial standing (down from 20th rank in 2012). Despite its incredible improvements in its economic performance, Ireland has experienced the significantly higher cost of living and a deterioration in the households' financial standing. Due to these reasons, Ireland is considered to have moderate fragility.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Hungary has a moderately sustainable economy and its sustainability remains relatively unchanged since 2012. It ranks 23ed in economic performance (up from 32nd rank in 2012), 25th in cost of living (down from 3ed rank in 2012), and 18th in financial standing (up from 24th rank in 2012). Based on these rankings, Hungary has improved its economic performance and financial standing. However, its overall low rankings among OECD countries and a significant increase in the cost of living contribute to its high fragility. The key factor behind an increase in the cost of living price increases in the housing market. The generous mortgage subsidies and an advantageous tax treatment are some of the reasons for the housing price increases coupled with the limited housing supply.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
The Czech Republic has a moderately sustainable economy and it has a marked improvement since 2012. It ranks 17th in economic performance (up from 23rd rank in 2012), 24th in cost of living (up from 27th rank in 2012), and 22nd in financial standing (up from 25th rank in 2012). The Czech Republic is considered to have low fragility due to the improvement in its economic performance, cost of living and financial standing. The past decade was characterized by the impressive convergence to the OECD average incomes and rising living standards. Geographical location and openness to foreign direct investment, boosted by the accession to the EU and the single market, spurred integration to global value chains. Coupled with sound economic policies, this helped lift productivity, wages and the quality of life. The Czech Republic has also maintained one of the lowest inequality and poverty rates in the OECD, supported by high employment rates and comprehensive redistribution through taxes and transfers (OECD Economic Surveys, 2020).
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostPoor
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Poland had a moderately sustainable economy with no significant change since 2012. It ranks 13th in economic performance (up from 25th rank in 2012), 9th in cost of living (up from 16th rank in 2012), and 32nd in financial standing (up from 35th rank in 2012). Poland has a moderate fragility thanks to its good economic performance and low cost of living. However, its households have a very low financial standing, among the lowest for the OECD country.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Japan has a moderately sustainable economy. Its sustainability, however, has deteriorated since 2012. It ranks 21st in economic performance (down from 15th rank in 2012), 19th in cost of living (up from 22nd rank in 2012), and 25th in financial standing (down from 15th rank in 2012). Despite some improvement in its cost of living since 2012, Japan has a moderate fragility due to the worsening of its economic performance and not enough fast improvements in financial standing making it lag behind other OECD countries.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Canada has seen deterioration in its economic barometer and it would be considered to have weak sustainable economy among its OECD counterparts. It ranks 30th in economic performance (down from 10th rank in 2012), 31st in cost of living (down from 28th rank in 2012), and 10th in financial standing (up from 17th rank in 2012). Despite the household's improvement in financial standing, Canada is currently considered to have a moderate fragility due to its lower-ranking among OECD countries and due to its deteriorating overall economic performance and higher cost of living. Sluggish business investment is a key factor behind Canada's falling growth rates.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Estonia has a weak sustainable economy and it has marked a relatively large deterioration in its sustainability since 2012.It ranks 10th in economic performance (down from 14th rank in 2012), 2nd in cost of living (down from 1st rank in 2012), and 34th in financial standing (up from 36th rank in 2012). Estonia's economic performance is ranked high among OECD countries and it has further improved since 2012. Additionally, it has the lowest cost of living among OECD countries. Estonia is currently considered to have low fragility.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostGood
CostGood
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Mexico has a weak sustainable economy. Its sustainability has deteriorated since 2012. It ranks 24th in economic performance (down from 12th rank in 2012), 5th in cost of living (same rank in 2012), and 33th in financial standing (same rank in 2012). Mexico has a high fragility due to its worsening economic performance and very low financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
New Zealand has a strong sustainable economy, which has marked significant improvement since 2012. It ranks 12th in economic performance (down from 6th rank in 2012), 36th in cost of living (down from 29th rank in 2012), and 19th in financial standing (same rank in 2012). New Zealand has a moderate fragility due to the highest cost of living among its OECD counterparts.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
The Slovak Republic has a moderately sustainable economy and has marked a significant improvement since 2012. It ranks 20th in economic performance (up from 31st rank in 2012), 30th in cost of living (down from 14th rank in 2012), and 30th in financial standing (down from 25th rank in 2012). The Slovak Republic has a high fragility due to its higher cost of living and deteriorating financial standing.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostPoor
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostGood
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Chile has seen deterioration in its sustainability since 2012 and currently is considered to have a weak sustainable economy. It ranks 25th in economic performance (down from 4th rank in 2012), 22th in cost of living (down from 17th rank in 2012), and 31st in financial standing (down from 28th rank in 2012). Chile is considered to have high fragility due to the deterioration in its economic performance, cost of living and financial standing. Over the past decade, Chile has experienced tremendous economic progress and sustained poverty reduction. However, during 2020, Chile faced an unprecedented recession after two large shocks, the social protests at the end of 2019 and the COVID-19 outbreak.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
The US has a weak sustainable economy with only slight improvement detected since 2012. It ranks 34th in economic performance (down from 27th rank in 2012), 35th in cost of living (down from 33ed rank in 2012), and 5th in financial standing (up from 11th rank in 2012). Despite the relatively poor economic performance and high cost of living, the US has a moderate fragility thanks to the very high financial standing. The increase in the households' financial standing is mainly due to the soaring equity markets and rising real estate values.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostPoor
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Spain has a weak sustainable economy. Despite the slight improvement since 2012 it still ranks very low among OECD countries. It ranks 36th in economic performance (down from 35th rank in 2012), 18th in cost of living (up from 20th rank in 2012), and 12th in financial standing (down from 7th rank in 2012). Spain has a moderate fragility due to the lowest economic performance among OECD countries.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Greece has a weak sustainable economy. It is ranked very low among OECD countries, despite its slight ranking improvement since 2012. It ranks 35th in economic performance (up from 36th rank in 2012), 13th in cost of living (up from 31st rank in 2012), and 28th in financial standing (down from 21st rank in 2012). Despite the slight improvement in economic performance and significant improvement in its cost of living, Greece is currently considered to have high fragility due to its overall low rankings among the OECD countries.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostGood
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Lithuania has a weak sustainable economy with a significant fall in its sustainability registered since 2012. It ranks 18th in economic performance (up from 24th rank in 2012), 10th in cost of living (up from 24th rank in 2012), and 35th in financial standing (down from 31st rank in 2012). Despite the improvements in economic performance and lower cost of living, Lithuanian's households have a very low financial standing (second lowest, after Latvia, among the OECD countries). For these reasons, Lithuania is considered to have moderate fragility.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostGood
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
The UK has a weak sustainable economy. Its sustainability has fallen since 2012. It ranks 33ed in economic performance (down from 28th rank in 2012), 34th in cost of living (same rank in 2012), and 21st in financial standing (up from 32ed rank in 2012). The UK has a high fragility due to the very high cost of living and deteriorating economic performance caused principally by a growing deficit fueled by Brexit and Covid borowing. The past decade has seen an improvement in the financial standing of the households. The largest contribution to household wealth came from an increase in average house prices, followed by the rising value in insurance and pensions, and bank deposits.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostPoor
CostPoor
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012
DESCRIPTION
Latvia has a weak sustainable economy. Since 2012 it has experienced a significant worsening in its sustainability, falling from 13th to 36th rank. It ranks 15th in economic performance (up from 22nd rank in 2012), 20th in cost of living (down from 8th rank in 2012), and 36th in financial standing (down from 29th rank in 2012). Latvia has a moderate fragility due to the rising cost of living and worsening of households' financial standing. Its financial standing is the lowest among OECD countries meaning that its households do not have a sufficient buffer to protect them from economic troubles.
LIVING COST SCORING HEATMAP
Living scores (ranging from 0 to 100) make up the final "Cost of the Living" score. Generally, the higher the score, the better the country is doing. The score is considered "Moderate" if it falls within +/- 10% of the median score for the OECD countries. Any score above this range is considered "Good" and any score below it is considered "Poor".
CostModerate
CostModerate
CostGood
CostModerate
HISTORICAL RANKINGS
Note: Lack of Data for years 2013 - 2019. Starting year is 2012