Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.6 years longer

In Ireland, the average life expectancy is 82 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 22.9% less likely to be obese

In Ireland, 25.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 16.7% lower top tax rate

Ireland has a top tax rate of 48.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

make 28.3% less money

Ireland has a GDP per capita of $115,600 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

Life

be 40.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Ireland, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 67.7% more on education

Ireland spends 3.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 66.2% more on healthcare

Ireland spends 7.1% 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, The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

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 Ireland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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