A recent study ranked countries where citizens can pay off national debt the fastest, based on GDP per person, debt per person, and average yearly salary. San Marino tops the list, with citizens able to pay off their national debt in just 2.7 months.
Overall, Europe is home to 4 of the top 10 financially strongest countries.
This comes from a recent study by Atmos. This compared over 150 countries to identify which nations could pay off their debt fastest in 2025. The research focused on financial stability, contrasting countries against key economic metrics, including GDP per capita, debt per capita, and the average yearly salary. Additionally, the study calculates the time required for an average citizen to cover their country’s national debt, providing insight into which economies are best positioned to manage and eliminate their financial obligations.
The top ten nations were:
- San Marino
- Finland
- Austria
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Japan
- Brunei
- Bahamas
- Qatar
- Belgium
As indicated above, San Marino takes first place, with citizens able to pay off their national debt in just 2.7 months. San Marino has the lowest national debt per capita at only $10,604, while the average salary is $47,120. This makes San Marino’s residents the most prepared to handle their country’s debts.
Finland ranks second, with citizens needing just 8.5 months to clear their national debt of $38,756 per person. Finland maintains a strong GDP per capita of $50,871 and an average salary of $54,930, creating a solid foundation for financial stability.
Austria follows closely in third place, with citizens able to pay off national debt in 9.4 months. Austria’s debt per capita is higher than Finland’s at $44,168, but its citizens earn an average of $55,720 per year, helping to offset the burden.
Ireland holds the fourth position, with citizens able to clear the national debt in 9.6 months. Ireland has both the highest GDP per capita in the top 10 and the highest average salary at $79,730 – over $24,000 more than Austria.
New Zealand ranks fifth, with citizens able to eliminate national debt in 9.7 months. While New Zealand’s GDP is smaller than Finland’s or Ireland’s, its national debt is relatively modest at $39,924 per person, with citizens earning an average of $49,090 yearly.
Japan ranks sixth, with citizens needing 9.8 months to clear the national debt. Brunei takes seventh place, with citizens requiring 10.4 months to pay off the national debt. The Bahamas holds the eighth position, with residents able to clear debt in 11 months.
Qatar ranks ninth, with residents needing just over a year to clear the national debt. Belgium completes the top 10, with citizens requiring 1.03 years to clear the national debt. Like Austria and Finland, Belgian residents earn a high average income of $53,890, though Belgium’s GDP is somewhat lower at $49,926 per capita.
