Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Switzerland instead of Iceland, you would:

Health

be 11.0% less likely to be obese

In Iceland, 21.9% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 24.7% more money

Iceland has a GDP per capita of $66,500 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

pay a 13.6% lower top tax rate

Iceland has a top tax rate of 46.3% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

be 13.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Iceland, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Switzerland, that number is 4.0% as of 2023.

be 67.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Iceland, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

Life

be 2.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Iceland, approximately 3.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Iceland, approximately 1.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 19.8% fewer children

In Iceland, there are approximately 12.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 32.5% less on education

Iceland spends 7.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 22.9% more on healthcare

Iceland spends 9.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 11.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, Directorate of Internal Revenue.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Iceland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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