Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 1.1 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.7 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belgium, that number is 22.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 25.7% more money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $63,600 as of 2023.

be 14.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Belgium, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.

pay a 41.3% higher top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Belgium, the top tax rate is 53.7% as of 2016.

Life

be 37.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Belgium, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

have 56.1% more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Belgium, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 11.1% more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 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.

Expenditures

spend 42.6% more on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Belgium spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 32.1% more on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Belgium, that number is 11.1% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 97.2% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Belgium, that number is 66 km.

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

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.
Read more

How big is Belgium compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Belgium.or South Korea It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.