💰 Income and jobs
A secure, well-paid job gives money to spend on food, clothes and household goods. Unemployment or low pay keeps the standard of living low.
Measuring Development » Quality of Life and Standard of Living
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Cambridge spec: 8.1.3
- The difference between standard of living and quality of life
- The factors that affect each one
- Why two people in the same place can have very different lives
- How to write about both in the exam
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Unlock This CourseTwo ways of asking "how well off are people?"
Imagine two families on the same street. One has a big income, a large house and the latest phones. The other earns less, but its members are healthy, relaxed and close to their friends and relatives. Which family is doing better? It depends on what you measure. Geographers use two different ideas to answer this question.
Key terms:
- Standard of living: how much material wealth people have, shown by their income and the goods and services they can afford.
- Quality of life: how good life feels overall. It covers well-being, including health, safety, freedom, the environment and happiness.
Standard of living is about what you have. Quality of life is about how well you live. You can often count standard of living with money and numbers. Quality of life is harder to count because it includes feelings and freedoms.
Factors affecting standard of living
These are the things that decide how much wealth and how many goods and services a household can reach.
🏠 Housing
Good housing has enough space, a solid roof and electricity. Overcrowded or temporary housing means a lower standard of living. It also affects comfort and health, so quality of life.
🍎 Food
Being able to afford enough food, and a good variety of it, is a basic part of material wealth. It also affects health, so quality of life.
🎓 Education
Schooling helps people get better-paid jobs, so it raises income over time. It also gives people more choices, which helps quality of life.
Factors affecting quality of life
Quality of life depends on some of the same factors, but also on things money cannot easily buy.
🏥 Healthcare
Access to doctors, clinics and medicines means people live longer and healthier lives.
💧 Clean water and sanitation
Safe drinking water and working toilets prevent disease and save time.
🗳 Political freedom
Being able to vote, speak openly and choose how to live improves well-being.
🚓 Crime and safety
Feeling safe from crime and violence lets people go out, work and sleep without fear.
🌳 Environment and pollution
Clean air, green space and low noise are good for health and happiness. Heavy pollution lowers quality of life.
👪 Social and family networks
Friends, relatives and a strong community give support, and people feel less lonely.
Summary table
| Factor | Mainly affects | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Income and jobs | Standard of living | Gives money for goods and services |
| Housing | Both | Material wealth, and also comfort and health |
| Food | Both | Affordable food, and also good health |
| Healthcare, clean water and sanitation | Mainly quality of life | Protect health and well-being (healthcare is also a service people can afford or reach) |
| Education | Both | Raises income and gives people more choices |
| Political freedom, safety, environment, social networks | Quality of life | Affect well-being and happiness, not wealth |
Notice that the factors overlap. A high income can pay for better housing, healthcare and food, so standard of living often pushes quality of life up. But it does not always.
Same place, different lives
Standard of living and quality of life can differ inside one country, one city or even one street. Here are some ways it happens:
- High standard of living, lower quality of life. A well-paid city worker may have a large income but work very long hours, breathe polluted air and have little time with family.
- Lower standard of living, higher quality of life. A farming family in a quiet village may have little money and few goods. Yet they may have clean air, a safe community and close family ties.
- Different groups. Older people, disabled people, women, and ethnic minorities may be treated differently. They may have less access to jobs or services than other people nearby.
- Different areas. One part of a city can have parks and clinics while another has pollution and crime.
Remember from earlier lessons that indicators such as GNI per capita and the Human Development Index measure development. Because GNI is an average, it hides these differences between people.
Common mistakes
1. Saying the two terms mean the same thing. Standard of living is about money and goods. Quality of life is about well-being as a whole. 2. Writing only about money when asked about quality of life. Mention health, safety, freedom or the environment. 3. Listing factors without saying how they affect people. Always add a "because" or "so".
Exam-style question
Fig. 1.1 shows made-up data for two people living in the same city.
| Factor | Person A | Person B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly income | High | Low |
| Housing | Large flat | Small shared room |
| Air quality where they live | Very polluted | Clean |
| Feels safe in the area | No | Yes |
| Time with family | Very little | A lot |
(a) Define the term quality of life. [2 marks]
(b) Identify one factor in Fig. 1.1 that suggests Person A has a high standard of living. [1 mark]
(c) Explain why Person B may have a better quality of life than Person A. [3 marks]
(d) To what extent is income the most important factor affecting how well people live? [6 marks]
Model answer
(a) Quality of life is how good life is for a person overall (1), including well-being such as health, safety, freedom, the environment and happiness (1).
(b) High monthly income (or a large flat) (1).
(c) Person B has clean air, which is better for their health (1). They feel safe in the area, so they have less worry about crime (1). They spend more time with family, which gives them support and happiness (1).
(d) Level 3 answer: Income is very important because it pays for housing, food and goods, so it raises standard of living. A person with a high income can also afford healthcare and a better home, which improves health and quality of life. In Fig. 1.1, Person A has a high income and a large flat. However, income is not the only factor. Person A lives in polluted air, does not feel safe and has little time with family, so their well-being is lower. Person B has little money but clean air, safety and family support. Other factors such as political freedom, clean water and healthcare also matter. Income is therefore important, but it does not decide quality of life on its own. Overall, I agree to a limited extent: income matters most for standard of living, but quality of life depends on many other factors too.
Exam tip
In a "To what extent" question, give a view for and a view against, use the data in Fig. 1.1, and finish with a clear judgement.