Muscat – Oman has jumped four places to rank 61st in the world in Surfshark’s fifth annual Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL). In Asia, Oman takes 18th place, with Singapore the leader in the region.

Out of the index’s five pillars, Oman performed best in Internet affordability, claiming 40th place, while facing challenges in e-security, ranking 88th.

The sultanate ranks 43rd in e-infrastructure, 53rd in e-government and 74th in Internet quality. In the region, the UAE is placed 38th and Saudi Arabia 45th.

“In many nations, ‘digital quality of life’ has merged into the broader concept of overall ‘quality of life’. There’s no other way to look at it now that so many daily activities, including work, education and leisure, are done online. That’s why it’s crucial to pinpoint the areas in which a nation’s digital quality of life thrives and where attention is needed, which is the precise purpose of the DQL Index,” said Gabriele Racaityte-Krasauske, Surfshark’s spokeswoman.

Oman’s Internet quality is 10% lower than the global average. Fixed Internet averages 89Mbps in Oman, while the world’s fastest fixed Internet – Singapore’s – is 300Mbps. The slowest fixed Internet in the world – Yemen’s – is 11Mbps.

Mobile Internet averages 104Mbps. The fastest mobile Internet – the UAE’s – is 310Mbps, while the world’s slowest mobile Internet – Venezuela’s – is 10Mbps.

Since last year, mobile Internet speed in Oman has improved by 14%, while fixed broadband speed has grown by 31%.

The Internet is affordable in Oman compared to other countries. Omanis have to work five hours and 36 minutes a month to afford fixed broadband Internet. While this is less than average, it is 19 times more than in Romania, which has the world’s most affordable fixed Internet (Romanians have to work 18 minutes a month to afford it).

Omanis have to work 39 minutes and 55 seconds a month to afford mobile Internet. This is two times more than in Luxembourg, which has the world’s most affordable mobile Internet (Luxembourgers have to work 16 minutes a month to afford it).

The index ranks 121 countries by their digital wellbeing based on five core pillars.