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The cost of happiness across 128 countries in 2026 was calculated by analysts at the Remity portal based on a study of income saturation conducted by Purdue University and data from the International Labor Organization, adjusted for purchasing power, inflation, and exchange rates.
However, reality lags far behind the dream. In Moldova, the projected average monthly salary for the economy in 2026 is 17,400 lei (about 208,800 lei per year before taxes, or $12,000). Meanwhile, the actual average monthly salary recorded in the first quarter of 2026 stood at 15,987 lei (about 191,844 lei annually, or $11,025).
In Romania, the situation is not as dire: with an income of $21,000, a resident of the neighboring country needs $27,000 to be happy—even less than in Moldova.
In other words, a Romanian’s income covers 76.3% of their needs, while that of a resident of the Republic of Moldova covers only 38.37%.
Slovenia occupies a unique position among the countries analyzed. Its average salary of $42,800 is 16.3% higher than the estimated “price of happiness” of $36,800, meaning that a typical worker earns more than the income corresponding to the peak level of well-being.
No other country crosses this threshold. Luxembourg comes closest, where wages cover 92.8% of the $118,400 happiness threshold, followed by Estonia (90.5%), Singapore (90.0%), and Lithuania (89.2%).
The Rich Cry, Too
In the U.S., the average salary ranks third in the study at $75,300, but the country has one of the highest “costs of happiness”—$134,800. As a result, salaries cover only 55.8% of the threshold.
Australia has the highest “cost of happiness” in the ranking—$161,300—which is more than double the average salary of $59,000. Salaries cover 36.6% of the threshold.
A similar pattern is observed in the United Kingdom (35.9%), Canada (44.4%), and New Zealand (34.0%). Despite relatively high wages, workers in these countries are still far from the income level associated with peak well-being, compared to workers in several Central and Eastern European countries with lower wage levels.
Ecuador ranks last among the countries surveyed, with an average wage of $6,500, covering 32.9% of the “happiness price” of $19,700.
