Most open societies for global professionals
Ranked by GeoCompass Open Society Index — structured signals on openness and personal freedoms that shape how easy it is to live and work abroad. Norway leads with 9.49 / 10, ahead of Iceland (9.29 / 10) and Denmark (9.19 / 10). This view ranks 205 scored jurisdictions.
Methodology: rankings use the GeoCompass objective scores only. They do not include profile-specific dimensions such as visa fit or time zone fit.
Jurisdictions with a geopolitical stability score below 3.8 / 10 (active conflict or state fragility) are not ranked in this list. They appear without a rank below the table, and their scores stay visible on their country profiles.
What the Open Society Index measures
The Open Society Index measures how free and welcoming a place is for a foreign resident. It weighs personal freedom, social tolerance, and cultural openness, including freedom of expression, civil rights, and inclusivity. It captures something the economic dimensions miss: whether you can simply be yourself and feel at home rather than merely tolerated.
For many movers this is the difference between a base and a home. A country can be cheap, safe, and tax-friendly yet feel closed if its social norms clash with how you live. Use the ranking to weigh openness alongside the practical factors, especially if your profile or family situation makes social acceptance matter.
Ranking table
| Rank | Flag | Country | Open Society Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 9.49 / 10 | |
| 2 | Iceland | 9.29 / 10 | |
| 3 | Denmark | 9.19 / 10 | |
| 4 | Svalbard | 9.13 / 10 | |
| 5 | Sweden | 9.10 / 10 | |
| 6 | Finland | 9.09 / 10 | |
| 7 | Netherlands | 9.00 / 10 | |
| 8 | Canada | 8.90 / 10 | |
| 9 | Germany | 8.87 / 10 | |
| 10 | New Zealand | 8.84 / 10 | |
| 11 | Belgium | 8.83 / 10 | |
| 12 | Switzerland | 8.81 / 10 | |
| 13 | Portugal | 8.79 / 10 | |
| 14 | Ireland | 8.75 / 10 | |
| 15 | Luxembourg | 8.74 / 10 | |
| 16 | Spain | 8.66 / 10 | |
| 17 | Uruguay | 8.64 / 10 | |
| 18 | Greenland | 8.60 / 10 | |
| 19 | San Marino | 8.58 / 10 | |
| 20 | Austria | 8.57 / 10 |
Below the stability floor: 27 jurisdictions with scores but no rank
These jurisdictions sit below the 3.8 / 10 geopolitical stability floor (active conflict or state fragility), so they are listed without a rank. Their scores are shown here for transparency and stay fully visible on their country profiles.
- Ukraine6.02 / 10geo 1.65 / 10
- Lebanon4.45 / 10geo 3.01 / 10
- Venezuela3.99 / 10geo 3.34 / 10
- Pakistan3.90 / 10geo 3.12 / 10
- Haiti3.70 / 10geo 2.50 / 10
- Belarus3.69 / 10geo 2.44 / 10
- Democratic Republic of the Congo3.47 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Iraq3.46 / 10geo 2.94 / 10
- Niger3.44 / 10geo 2.56 / 10
- Russia3.42 / 10geo 1.67 / 10
- Palestinian Territories3.42 / 10geo 1.34 / 10
- Central African Republic3.41 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Chad3.24 / 10geo 2.76 / 10
- Burundi3.22 / 10geo 3.73 / 10
- Ethiopia3.21 / 10geo 3.48 / 10
- Syria3.21 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Mali3.17 / 10geo 1.46 / 10
- Burkina Faso3.05 / 10geo 3.28 / 10
- Libya2.95 / 10geo 1.48 / 10
- Myanmar2.83 / 10geo 1.18 / 10
- South Sudan2.44 / 10geo 1.13 / 10
- Somalia2.38 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Eritrea2.38 / 10geo 3.74 / 10
- Iran2.31 / 10geo 2.75 / 10
- Yemen2.28 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Sudan2.26 / 10geo 1.00 / 10
- Afghanistan1.75 / 10geo 1.06 / 10
Top five spotlight
#1Norway9.49 / 10
- Open Society Index: 9.49 / 10 — Exceptional open society index
- Environmental Quality Index: 9.35 / 10 — Exceptional environmental quality index
#2Iceland9.29 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index: 9.44 / 10 — Exceptional environmental quality index
- Open Society Index: 9.29 / 10 — Exceptional open society index
#3Denmark9.19 / 10
- Admin Ease Index: 9.60 / 10 — Minimal day-to-day bureaucracy
- Currency Stability Index: 9.50 / 10 — Exceptional currency stability index
#4Svalbard9.13 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index: 9.40 / 10 — Exceptional environmental quality index
- SafetyShield Index: 9.23 / 10 — Exceptional safety and stability
#5Sweden9.10 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index: 9.33 / 10 — Exceptional environmental quality index
- Admin Ease Index: 9.24 / 10 — Minimal day-to-day bureaucracy
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Open Society Index measure?
Personal freedom, social tolerance, and cultural openness for foreign residents, including freedom of expression, civil rights, and inclusivity.
Why include this alongside tax and cost?
Because day-to-day comfort is not only financial. Social openness shapes whether you feel at home, which the practical dimensions do not capture.
Who should weight this dimension most?
Anyone whose profile, lifestyle, or family situation makes social acceptance and personal freedom a priority in choosing where to live.
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Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.