Score Updates
Short notes when we change a country rating on safety, cost of living, or another category. We link to sources and our country pages so you can compare with confidence.
Latest updates
Last 6 changes
SingaporeNewPublic TransportPublic Transport+0.29.59.7/10Singapore transit score up after Circle Line Stage 6 opens
We raised Singapore’s public transport score by 0.2 points to 9.7/10 after LTA opened Circle Line Stage 6 on 12 July 2026, closing the loop with three new stations.
United StatesJob MarketJob Market+0.28.89.0/10US job market score up after August hiring rebound
We raised the US job market score by 0.2 points to 9.0/10 after BLS reported 162,000 August payroll jobs, well above the prior year's soft monthly average.
GermanyJob MarketJob Market-0.29.59.3/10Germany job market score cut after August unemployment rises to 6.5%
We lowered Germany's job market rating by 0.2 points to 9.3/10 after the Federal Employment Agency reported a subdued August 2026 labour market and fewer vacancies.
GeorgiaHousing AffordabilityHousing Affordability-0.38.58.2/10Georgia housing affordability score cut after August rents rise 8.4%
We lowered Georgia's housing affordability rating by 0.3 points to 8.2/10 after Geostat reported August 2026 rents up 8.4% year on year and housing costs up 8.5%.
NetherlandsHousing AffordabilityHousing Affordability-0.37.37.0/10Netherlands housing affordability score cut after July rents rise 4.4%
We lowered the Netherlands housing affordability rating by 0.3 points to 7.0/10 after CBS reported July 2026 rents up 4.4% year on year, with Rotterdam at 4.7%.
SpainHousing AffordabilityHousing Affordability-0.38.38.0/10Spain housing affordability score cut after August rents rise 5.8%
We lowered Spain's housing affordability rating by 0.3 points to 8.0/10 after Idealista reported August asking rents up 5.8% year on year to €15.1 per m², with Madrid still above €23 per m².
IrelandHousing AffordabilityHousing Affordability-0.35.85.5/10Ireland housing affordability score cut after new-tenant rents jump 9.1%
We lowered Ireland's housing affordability rating by 0.3 points to 5.5/10 after RTB data showed new tenancy rents rose 9.1% year on year in Q1 2026 as March rent-reset rules took effect.
RomaniaInfrastructureInfrastructure-0.46.86.4/10Romania infrastructure score cut after Cernavodă outage and energy crisis extension
We lowered Romania's infrastructure rating by 0.4 points to 6.4/10 after both Cernavodă reactors stayed offline on low Danube levels and the government extended the energy crisis regime through 30 September 2026.
FranceClimateClimate+0.57.58.0/10France climate score restored as heat alerts ease and cooler spells return
We raised France's climate rating by 0.5 points to 8.0/10 after late-summer cooler nights, storms, and a softer heat pattern followed the Gironde fire shock.
GreeceClimateClimate+0.58.79.2/10Greece climate score restored after late-summer review of the Attica fire cut
We raised Greece's climate rating by 0.5 points to 9.2/10 after a late-August review of the early August Attica wildfire weeks that drove our earlier cut.
ItalyClimateClimate+0.58.38.8/10Italy climate score restored after late-summer review of the July fire weeks
We raised Italy's climate rating by 0.5 points to 8.8/10 after a late-August review of the Sicily fire and heatwave cut, as short heat spikes no longer define the full year for movers.
- SpainClimateClimate+0.38.79.0/10
Spain climate score restored as late-summer storms break the heatwave streak
We raised Spain's climate rating by 0.3 points to 9.0/10 after Atlantic storms and cooler air replaced the peak summer heatwave that drove our July cut.
PortugalJob MarketJob Market+0.37.57.8/10Portugal job market score up after unemployment hits a 15-year low
We raised Portugal's job market rating by 0.3 points to 7.8/10 after INE reported Q2 2026 unemployment at 5.3%, the lowest since 2011, with employment at a 15-year high.
ColombiaSafetySafety-0.37.06.7/10Colombia safety score cut after car bomb and conflict-zone attacks spike
We lowered Colombia's safety rating by 0.3 points to 6.7/10 after a car bomb on the Pan-American Highway and retaliatory attacks in Cauca, Norte de Santander, and Bolívar under the new security offensive.
JapanInfrastructureInfrastructure-0.59.69.1/10Japan infrastructure score cut after Kumamoto quake hits roads and rail
We lowered Japan's infrastructure rating by 0.5 points to 9.1/10 after the 28 July 2026 Kumamoto quake cracked expressways, halted Kyushu Shinkansen segments, and left water and gas repairs dragging into August.
- GreeceClimateClimate-0.59.28.7/10
Greece climate score cut after Attica wildfires and coastal evacuations
We lowered Greece's climate rating by 0.5 points to 8.7/10 after gale-driven wildfires west of Athens burned homes near Porto Germeno, forced sea rescues, and kept Attica and Boeotia under extreme fire risk.
- ItalyClimateClimate-0.58.88.3/10
Italy climate score cut after Sicily wildfires and a fourth summer heatwave
We lowered Italy's climate rating by 0.5 points to 8.3/10 after Sicily wildfires killed a firefighter, forced evacuations, and a fourth nationwide heatwave put major cities under red health alerts.
- FranceClimateClimate-0.58.07.5/10
France climate score cut as Gironde wildfires force mass evacuations near Bordeaux
We lowered France's climate rating by 0.5 points to 7.5/10 after Gironde wildfires burned about 42,000 hectares, forced more than 220,000 people from their homes, and pushed firestorms toward the Bordeaux metro area.
- United StatesTax FriendlinessTax Friendliness-0.54.74.2/10
US tax friendliness score cut as reciprocal tariffs keep expanding
We lowered the United States tax friendliness rating by 0.5 points to 4.2/10 after a run of reciprocal and partner-specific tariff hikes that raise import costs for households and small businesses.
AustraliaEconomyEconomy-0.38.27.9/10Australia economy score cut as living-standards growth tracks weakest decade since WWI
We lowered Australia's economy rating by 0.3 points to 7.9/10 after GDP per person rose only 4% so far this decade, putting the 2020s on track for the weakest living-standards growth since the 1910s.
IranSafetySafety-0.75.54.8/10Iran safety score cut as US strikes resume and Hormuz tensions rise
We lowered Iran's safety rating by 0.7 points to 4.8/10 after the US resumed multi-night strikes and the interim ceasefire broke down again.
TurkiyeEconomyEconomy+0.26.87.0/10Turkiye economy score raised as annual inflation eases from May peak
We raised Turkiye's economy rating by 0.2 points to 7.0/10 after annual inflation cooled to 32.11% in June 2026 from 32.61% in May, a small but clear step in the disinflation path.
BulgariaEconomyEconomy+0.26.87.0/10Bulgaria economy score raised after UniCredit lifts 2026 GDP growth forecast
We raised Bulgaria's economy rating by 0.2 points to 7.0/10 after UniCredit lifted its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 2.9%, up 0.4 percentage points from its March outlook.
- SpainClimateClimate-0.39.08.7/10
Spain climate score cut as heatwave fuels deadly wildfires in the south
We lowered Spain's climate rating by 0.3 points to 8.7/10 after extreme heat and fast-spreading wildfires in Andalusia killed at least 12 people and burned thousands of hectares.
- JapanJob MarketJob Market-0.38.98.6/10
Japan job market score cut as hiring slows and energy costs rise
We lowered Japan's job market rating by 0.3 points to 8.6/10 after Deloitte flagged slower employment growth, softer job openings, and new oil-price risks for wage-driven recovery.
ThailandInternet SpeedInternet Speed+0.87.07.8/10Thailand internet speed score raised after Thaicom Amazon Leo satellite deal
We raised Thailand's internet speed rating by 0.8 points to 7.8/10 after Thaicom partnered with Amazon Leo to bring high-speed LEO satellite broadband to rural and underserved areas nationwide.
MexicoSafetySafety+0.36.87.1/10Mexico safety score raised after homicide numbers fall during World Cup security push
We raised Mexico's safety rating by 0.3 points to 7.1/10 after homicide numbers fell during the World Cup security push, while public fear remains part of the risk picture.
VenezuelaInfrastructureInfrastructure-0.84.23.4/10Venezuela infrastructure score cut after twin earthquakes damage buildings and transport
We lowered Venezuela's infrastructure rating by 0.8 points to 3.4/10 after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes on June 24 damaged airports, hospitals, power, and tens of thousands of buildings across north-central Venezuela.
- GreeceEconomyEconomy-0.66.86.2/10
Greece economy score cut as producer inflation stays at a 3-year high
We lowered Greece's economy rating by 0.6 points to 6.2/10 after May producer prices rose 13.5% year on year, the strongest pace since early 2023, led by energy.
- PortugalHousing AffordabilityHousing Affordability-0.79.08.3/10
Portugal housing affordability score cut as Lisbon price-to-income ratio hits 18.7
We lowered Portugal's housing affordability rating by 0.7 points to 8.3/10 after Lisbon's price-to-income ratio reached 18.7, among Europe's worst, with wages lagging a decade of sharp house-price growth.
- United StatesFreedomFreedom-0.78.78.0/10
US freedom score cut as ICE detentions and visa revocations target pro-Palestinian speech
We lowered the United States freedom rating by 0.7 points to 8.0/10 after ICE detentions, student visa revocations, and foreign-policy deportation orders tied to Israel-critical activism and campus speech.
South KoreaJob MarketJob Market-0.68.88.2/10South Korea job market score cut as May hiring turns negative for the first time since 2024
We lowered South Korea's job market rating by 0.6 points to 8.2/10 after May employment fell by 40,000 year on year, with manufacturing shedding 140,000 jobs and hiring for people in their 20s sliding again.
- PortugalResidency PathwayResidency Pathway-1.08.57.5/10
Portugal residency pathway score cut after citizenship wait doubles to 10 years
We lowered Portugal's residency pathway rating by 1 point to 7.5/10 after non-EU nationals face 10 years of legal residence before citizenship, up from 5.
United KingdomFreedomFreedom-0.48.98.5/10UK freedom score cut as more people face police action over social media posts
We lowered the United Kingdom's freedom rating by 0.4 points to 8.5/10 after a run of arrests and charges tied to online posts under communications and Online Safety Act laws.
MyanmarSafetySafety-2.56.23.7/10Myanmar safety score cut after UN reports 700+ civilian deaths in six months
We lowered Myanmar's safety rating by 2.5 points to 3.7/10 after a UN report verified more than 700 civilian deaths during the military's election period.
RussiaSafetySafety-0.56.25.7/10Russia safety score cut as Ukrainian deep strikes widen across Russian cities
We lowered Russia's safety rating by 0.5 points to 5.7/10 as Ukraine's long-range drone campaign hits Moscow, border regions, and cities far from the front.
- TurkiyeCost of LivingCost of Living-0.77.87.1/10
Turkiye cost of living score cut as lira weakness fails to offset food inflation
We lowered Turkiye's cost of living rating by 0.7 points to 7.1/10. Dollar and euro income no longer stretch as far at the checkout, and grocery prices keep climbing faster than headline inflation.
- IranSafetySafety+1.34.25.5/10
Iran safety score raised as ceasefire holds with no major strikes in a month
We raised Iran's safety rating by 1.3 points to 5.5/10 after roughly four weeks without major US-Israel strikes and renewed talk of a durable ceasefire.
ChinaPublic TransportPublic Transport+0.78.39.0/10China public transport score raised as metro and high-speed rail keep expanding
We raised China's public transport rating by 0.7 points to 9.0/10 as urban metro mileage passes 10,000 km and the high-speed rail network tops 50,000 km.
- IranInternet SpeedInternet Speed-1.55.84.3/10
Iran internet speed score cut as restrictions continue after ceasefire
We lowered Iran's internet speed rating by 1.5 points to 4.3/10. Partial restoration is not normal service, and remote workers still face throttling and shutdown risk.
UkraineSafetySafety-1.04.63.6/10Ukraine safety score lowered after prolonged conflict
We cut Ukraine's safety rating by 1 point to 3.6/10 as active conflict and travel risk guidance stay elevated into mid-2026.