Austria’s Charming Dual Nature: A Top Quality of Life Meets “Grumpiness”
Austria remains a land of contrasts. While Austria ranks among the world’s best in terms of quality of life and natural beauty, recent studies reveal a deep divide between how Austrians perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Whether it’s politeness or openness toward expats, the proverbial “Viennese grumpiness” seems to leave its mark on the international stage.
When it comes to assessing their own politeness, Austria ranks 12th. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons; Ninanuri, CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)
A recent study by the British financial services provider Remitly, published in March 2026, paints a sobering picture: In a survey of over 4,600 people from 25 countries, Austria came in last place (25th) in the global politeness ranking.
Particularly curious: Austrians themselves see things completely differently, as reported by “DerStandard.” In their self-assessment, respondents here in Austria catapulted themselves to 12th place. “We are polite—even if others don’t notice,” seems to be the unofficial motto. In stark contrast stands Japan, which is considered the most polite nation globally (1st place), but out of modesty ranked itself only second-to-last.
Expats in a “love-hate relationship”: Nature top, social integration flop
The annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations (September 2025) also confirms this picture. Austria ranks only 23rd out of 46 in the overall ranking. While quality of life (4th place) as well as the environment and mobility receive top marks, social integration (“Ease of Settling In”) is a disaster due to unfriendliness, as only 43% consider Austrians to be generally friendly (global average: 62%). When it comes to interacting with foreigners, the figure drops to just 37%. The country also lags in cashless payments (43rd place).
Vienna Loses the Crown: Safety Weighs Down Ranking
Even Vienna, the long-standing “flagship,” had to take a hit as reported by "DerStandard". In The Economist’s renowned “Global Liveability Index 2025,” the federal capital was dethroned by Copenhagen after three years at the top and now shares second place with Zurich.
The main reason for the drop was a decline in the stability score (from 100 to 95 points), triggered by the public disclosure of attack plans targeting Taylor Swift concerts in the summer of 2024, as well as threats against Vienna Central Station in early 2025.
For newcomers and tourists, Austria remains a country that is loved for its infrastructure and nature, but sometimes cursed for its residents. While Mayor Michael Ludwig praises the “social infrastructure,” the population continues to grapple with its reputation as “polite grumblers.”