BACKGROUND: Researchers have paid scant attention to comparative studies of quality of life (QOL) issues among psychiatric diagnostic groups; the studies of patient-caregiver concordance ratings had small sample sizes; and the reports are rare from the African and Arab worlds. OBJECTIVES: to assess the subjective QOL of stable Sudanese outpatients, using the WHOQOL-Bref, compared with a general population sample; examine the caregiver-patient concordance; and assess the variables that impact on domains of QOL. METHOD: The responses of outpatients with schizophrenia (99), major affective disorders (120) and neuroses (81) (mean age 33.8) were compared with 211 controls and the impression of their family caregivers. RESULTS: Patients were dissatisfied with life circumstances; the schizophrenia group and those with co-morbidity had significantly lower QOL scores; while the control group had higher QOL scores. There was no significant impact on QOL domains, of socio-demographic factors, duration of illness and treatment side effects. The schizophrenia group had least concordance with caregivers, but eight items were judged to be satisfactorily concordant for all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric patients in stable condition can make reliable judgments of QOL, with relatives providing additional information. Differences in QOL and concordance of ratings reflect disease severity.