Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of Slovakia, you would:

Health

live 3.5 years longer

In Slovakia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 61.8% more money

Slovakia has a GDP per capita of $39,300 as of 2023, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $63,600 as of 2023.

be 10.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Slovakia, 13.7% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

pay a 2.1 times higher top tax rate

Slovakia has a top tax rate of 25.0% as of 2016. In Belgium, the top tax rate is 53.7% as of 2016.

Life

be 33.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Slovakia, approximately 4.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belgium, on the other hand, 3.2 children do as of 2022.

have 20.8% more children

In Slovakia, there are approximately 8.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Belgium, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 45.7% more on education

Slovakia spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Belgium spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 54.2% more on healthcare

Slovakia spends 7.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Belgium, that number is 11.1% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, Tax Directorate, Slovakia.

Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
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How big is Belgium compared to Slovakia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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