Countries with the highest GDP per capita worldwide 2025

In 2025, Liechtenstein had the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world at just over 231,700 U.S. dollars. The top five largest economies in terms of GDP per capita were all in Europe, with the Singapore having the largest GDP per capita in the rest of the world. The United States had the largest GDP per capita among American countries, while Qatar had the largest GDP per capita in the Middle East. 

Correlation with high living standards

While GDP is a useful indicator for measuring the size or strength of an economy, GDP per capita is much more reflective of living standards. For example, when compared to life expectancy or indices such as the Human Development Index or the World Happiness Report, there is a strong overlap - 14 of the 20 countries on this list are also ranked among the 20 happiest countries in 2024, and all 20 have "very high" HDIs.

Misleading metrics?

GDP per capita figures, however, can be misleading, and to paint a fuller picture of a country's living standards then one must look at multiple metrics. GDP per capita figures can be skewed by inequalities in wealth distribution, and in countries such as those in the Middle East, a relatively large share of the population lives in poverty while a smaller number live affluent lifestyles.