Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Laos instead of Puerto Rico, you would:
Health
live 13.5 years less
In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.
Economy
be 36.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Puerto Rico, 6.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 3.8% as of 2022.
pay a 27.3% lower top tax rate
Puerto Rico has a top tax rate of 33.0% as of 2016. In Laos, the top tax rate is 24.0% as of 2016.
make 77.0% less money
Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $34,300 as of 2022, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $7,900 as of 2022.
Life
have 2.5 times more children
In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 7.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
be 3.7 times more likely to die during childbirth
In Puerto Rico, approximately 34.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Laos, 126.0 women do as of 2020.
be 6.3 times more likely to die during infancy
In Puerto Rico, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Laos, on the other hand, 37.8 children do as of 2022.
Basic Needs
be 20.2% less likely to have internet access
In Puerto Rico, approximately 77.7% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Laos, about 62.0% do as of 2021.
be 11.2% less likely to have access to improved drinking water
In Puerto Rico, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Laos, 89% of people do as of 2020.
Expenditures
spend 36.1% less on education
Puerto Rico spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Laos spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Puerto Rican Department of Treasury, Ministry of Finance.
Laos: At a glance
How big is Laos compared to Puerto Rico? See an in-depth size comparison.