Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Portugal instead of United States, you would:

Health

live 0.9 years longer

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 42.5% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Portugal, that number is 20.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 44.6% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $64,600 as of 2022, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $35,800 as of 2022.

be 64.7% more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Portugal, that number is 6.0% as of 2022.

pay a 42.7% higher top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Portugal, the top tax rate is 56.5% as of 2016.

Life

be 42.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Portugal, 12.0 women do as of 2020.

be 51.6% less likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Portugal, on the other hand, 2.5 children do as of 2022.

have 33.6% fewer children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 8.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 10.9% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Portugal, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 18.0% less on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Portugal spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 43.6% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 10.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 91.0% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Internal Revenue Service, Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira.

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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