Lithuania is the happiest place in the world for under-30s — Gen Zs say low rent, free university, and good nightlife are to thank

Lithuania was ranked 19th on the overall happiness list, but secured the top spot in the under-30 rankings.

Lithuania’s under-30s rated themselves 7.76 out of 10 on the happiness scale. In comparison, those in the same age group in the US rated themselves 6.392 out of 10, placing it 62nd globally.

The Guardian looked into why Lithuanian Gen Zs and younger millennials are so satisfied with their quality of life.

One reason young Lithuanians are happier is that university is free for a large chunk of the population.

Gantas Bendikas, 23, told The Guardian that he will graduate with no debt. Meanwhile, in the US the average student debt is about $39,000, according to Experian.

Rents are also low — according to Eurostat, Lithuania is one of the cheapest places in Europe to rent.

Jolita Vaitkutė, 28, told The Guardian that this also extends to renting studio space. “When I talk to friends in other places — Paris, Tokyo, London — I realize how lucky I am to have my own space,” she said.

According to The Guardian, studio spaces in Vaitkutė’s building costs the equivalent of $109 to $544 a month.

This allows those in the arts to thrive in Lithuania.

Artists feel like they can “still make it” in Lithuania, filmmaker Marija Kavtaradzė told the newspaper.

In comparison, the nonprofit news outlet Prism reported that unaffordable housing, expensive studio spaces, and unsteady incomes make working in the arts a challenging prospect in the US.

In an as-told-to essay earlier this year, Ricardo Sergio Schmitz, a Brazilian consultant in Vilnius, told Business Insider that young people have ample career opportunities and that money goes further in Lithuania than in many other places.

He also noted Vilnius’s “startup mentality,” with tech unicorns like Vinted and Nord Security emerging out of the city.

Beyond economic opportunities, a Gen-Z resident of Vilnius said Lithuania also offers a vibrant nightlife.

“I would rate the nightlife one of the best in Europe,” Daniil Švager, 21, told The Guardian.