Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Portugal instead of Malaysia, you would:

Health

live 5.4 years longer

In Malaysia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 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 33.3% more likely to be obese

In Malaysia, 15.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Portugal, that number is 20.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 24.1% more money

Malaysia has a GDP per capita of $33,600 as of 2023, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $41,700 as of 2023.

be 68.1% more likely to be unemployed

In Malaysia, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 2.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Malaysia, 6.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

pay a 2.0 times higher top tax rate

Malaysia has a top tax rate of 28.0% 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 Malaysia, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Portugal, 12.0 women do as of 2020.

be 62.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Malaysia, approximately 6.6 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 43.0% fewer children

In Malaysia, there are approximately 14.2 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 15.5% less likely to have internet access

In Malaysia, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Portugal, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 28.2% more on education

Malaysia spends 3.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Portugal spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.6 times more on healthcare

Malaysia spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 10.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 61.6% less coastline

Malaysia has a total of 4,675 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, 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 Malaysia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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