Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Singapore instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 32.7 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 54 years (52 years for men, 55 years for women) as of 2022. In Singapore, that number is 86 years (84 years for men, 89 years for women) as of 2022.

be 10.9% more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 5.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Singapore, that number is 6.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 63.8 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $2,000 as of 2022, while in Singapore, the GDP per capita is $127,500 as of 2023.

be 75.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 14.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Singapore, that number is 3.5% as of 2023.

pay a 10.0% higher top tax rate

Afghanistan has a top tax rate of 20.0% as of 2016. In Singapore, the top tax rate is 22.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 98.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 620.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Singapore, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.6 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Singapore, it is 97.5% as of 2019.

be 98.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 104.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Singapore, on the other hand, 1.6 children do as of 2022.

have 74.3% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 34.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Singapore, there are 8.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Singapore, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 5.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 18.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Singapore, about 91.0% do as of 2021.

be 30.7% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Singapore, 100% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 60.6% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Singapore, that number is 6.1% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Afghanistan Revenue Department, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

Singapore: At a glance

Singapore is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 709 sq km. Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
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How big is Singapore compared to Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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