Every year, the Misery Index tallies up inflation, unemployment, and interest rates to figure out where life is hitting hardest.
In 2025, it’s not just war zones and collapsing economies — some middle-income countries are slipping fast.
Here are the 10 most miserable places to live today, ranked by just how brutal the day-to-day really is.
Venezuela
Score: 3,828.
The undisputed heavyweight of misery. Hyperinflation, food shortages, power outages, and state failure have turned everyday life into survival mode. It’s not getting better.
Zimbabwe
Score: 547.
Currency chaos, 80%+ unemployment, and a government that’s run out of solutions. The cost of bread can change between breakfast and lunch.
Sudan
Score: 194.
Armed conflict, starvation, and total institutional collapse. One of the most dangerous places on Earth right now — and life expectancy is falling fast.
Lebanon
Score: 177.
A country without a functioning government, banking system, or reliable power. Savings are gone, jobs are scarce, and daily life is collapsing.
Suriname
Score: 145.
Corruption and debt default pushed this small South American nation into economic freefall. Inflation and unrest are rising by the week.
Libya
Score: 106.
Civil war and fractured leadership keep the country locked in chaos. Warlords run regions, oil wealth doesn’t trickle down, and the people pay the price.
Argentina
Score: 95–156 (depending on the model).
Economic boom-bust cycles have become the norm. Sky-high inflation, a collapsing peso, and constant political churn mean no stability in sight.
Iran
Score: 92.
International sanctions, economic mismanagement, and brutal crackdowns have left the population squeezed between poverty and fear.
Angola
Score: 61.
Rich in oil, poor in outcomes. Corruption and inequality dominate, while most citizens live with failing infrastructure and limited opportunity.
Madagascar
Score: 60.
One of the poorest nations on the planet, and little is improving. Health care, education, and jobs are all deeply under-resourced — and climate shocks make it worse.
The Trends
- Inflation kills: Nearly every country on this list is drowning in inflation, making essentials unaffordable.
- War zones show up — but not always on top: Countries like Sudan and Libya are horrific to live in, but economic pain alone can rank higher.
- Middle-income collapse is real: Argentina and Iran show how a country doesn’t have to be poor to be miserable — bad policy and instability can do the job just fine.
- Misery ≠ unhappiness: Some nations rank low on the Misery Index but high on happiness, and vice versa. But these 10? They’re in the dark on every scale.
