Ireland has come last in a study of quality of life, according to U-Switch, a British service comparison website.
Despite having one of the highest average income in Europe, it comes bottom in terms of quality of life issues.
Spain and France are at the top of U-Switch's European Quality of Life Index.
People in Ireland and Britain have to pay high prices for fuel, food and other essentials, while having among the shortest holidays, latest retirement age and lowest life expectancy, according to the survey of ten European countries.
The study assessed 19 factors affecting quality of life, ranging from income and working conditions to healthcare, education and cost of living.
British citizens have an average net income of more than £35,000 (€44,000) a year, about €7,000 more than the European average, while Ireland comes second on more than €36,600.
But we pay between 6-18% more for fuel and 49% more for petrol, not to mention spectacularly high housing costs. Irish petrol bills are more than twice the European average.
At work, this country comes worst in terms of retirement age, with an average of 64.1 years, followed by Britain on 63.2 years, while life expectancy is 78.1 years and 78.9 years respectively, the lowest barring Italy.
At the other end of the scale, Spaniards have the lowest average income at €21,000, but low taxation and cheaper essential goods prices put them at the top of the overall quality of life indicator.
France comes second, notably benefitting from the longest holidays in Europe at 40 days and the second-lowest retirement age at 58.9 years, just later than Poles who retire at 58.4 years old on average.
