Muscat: Oman ranked 68th in Surfshark’s Digital Quality of Life Index 2025, falling from 56th place last year. The annual index, published by the Netherlands-based cybersecurity company, evaluates 121 countries across internet affordability, internet quality, digital infrastructure, digital security, and a newly added artificial intelligence (AI) pillar.
Within the GCC, the UAE led the rankings at 44th, followed by Qatar (46th), Saudi Arabia (49th), Bahrain (55th), and Kuwait (73rd). Finland topped the global index, while the United States ranked first in AI capabilities despite placing 16th overall.
Oman recorded its strongest performance in digital infrastructure, ranking 40th globally. It placed 55th in internet affordability, 70th in internet quality, and 60th in AI readiness, outperforming 61 countries in the AI category. Digital security remained a key challenge, with Oman ranked 89th, though it performed better than the UAE in this category but trailed Saudi Arabia.
Internet speeds in Oman remain below the global average, with fixed broadband averaging 140 Mbps and mobile internet 185 Mbps. However, mobile speeds improved by 45% year-on-year and fixed broadband by 26%. Affordability remained moderate, with users needing over five hours of work per month to afford fixed broadband and 38 minutes for mobile internet.
Surfshark’s Chief Security Officer Tomas Stamulis noted that AI is now central to digital competitiveness, stressing the importance of strong data protection laws and secure systems as countries expand AI adoption. The index is compiled using open-source data from institutions including the United Nations and the World Bank.
