Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Hungary instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 99.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Hungary, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2018.

live 11.9 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Hungary, that number is 77 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 2.8 times more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Hungary, the GDP per capita is $40,600 as of 2023.

be 85.2% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Hungary, that number is 4.1% as of 2023.

be 27.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Hungary, however, that number is 12.1% as of 2021.

pay a 66.7% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Hungary, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 88.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Hungary, 15.0 women do as of 2020.

be 82.1% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Hungary, on the other hand, 4.6 children do as of 2022.

have 48.6% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Hungary, there are 9.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Hungary, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 24.0% more likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Hungary, about 89.3% do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 27.3% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Hungary spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 15.1% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Hungary, that number is 7.3% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary, South African Revenue Service.

Hungary: At a glance

Hungary is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 89,608 sq km. Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU five years later. In 2011, Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the EU for the first time.
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How big is Hungary compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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