Standard of Living vs. Quality of Life: An Overview

Standard of living refers to the level of wealth, comfort, material goods, and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class or geographic area.Quality of life, on the other hand, is a subjective term that can measure happiness.

The two terms are often confused because there may be some perceived overlap in how they are defined. But knowing the different nuances of each can affect how you evaluate a country where you might be looking to invest some money.

Key Takeaways

  • Standard of living is a tangible, quantifiable term that refers to factors available to a certain socioeconomic class or geographic area.
  • Quality of life is a subjective term that can measure happiness.
  • Both can be flawed indicators because the factors can vary between people in the same geographic area or socioeconomic class.