Cypriots happier than average in EU

With an average rating of 7.2 out of 10, Cyprus is closely aligned with the EU average in the well-being index in 2022, according to Eurostat.

Compared to 2021, Cyprus saw a 0.4 increase, rising from 6.8. Historical data for Cyprus indicates the index was at 6.2 in 2013 and 7.1 in 2018.

The survey, conducted across EU member states, asked people aged 16 and above to rate their overall life satisfaction on a scale from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied).

The EU average stood at 7.1 in 2022. In 18 out of the 27 EU member states, people rated their life satisfaction above or equal to the EU average, with 16 countries scoring above and two countries equal to the EU average.

Top-ranking countries for life satisfaction in 2022 were Austria (7.9), followed by Finland, Poland, and Romania, each scoring 7.7. Belgium and the Netherlands both scored 7.6.

Conversely, Bulgaria recorded the lowest average score (5.6), followed by Germany (6.5) and Greece (6.7).

The well-being index is influenced by various factors, including age, education level, family and economic status, as well as an individual’s experiences, choices, priorities and values.

Notably, life satisfaction tends to decrease steadily with age. In Cyprus, satisfaction scores ranged from 7.6 for individuals aged 16-19 to 6.6 for those aged 75 and above. Similarly, at the EU level, scores started at 7.7 and decreased to 6.7 for individuals aged 75 and above.