Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.4 years longer

In Slovakia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 63.4% more money

Slovakia has a GDP per capita of $39,300 as of 2023, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $64,200 as of 2023.

be 30.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Slovakia, 5.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.

be 17.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Slovakia, 13.7% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Sweden, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.

pay a 2.3 times higher top tax rate

Slovakia has a top tax rate of 25.0% as of 2016. In Sweden, the top tax rate is 57.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 52.3% 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 Sweden, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

have 19.7% more children

In Slovakia, there are approximately 8.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Sweden, there are 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 56.5% more on education

Slovakia spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Sweden spends 7.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 58.3% more on healthcare

Slovakia spends 7.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Sweden, that number is 11.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Skatteverket, Tax Directorate, Slovakia.

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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How big is Sweden compared to Slovakia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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