Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.5 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Greece, that number is 81 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

be 5.3 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Greece, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 28.3% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Greece, the GDP per capita is $36,300 as of 2023.

be 4.2 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Greece, that number is 11.0% as of 2023.

be 30.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Greece, however, that number is 18.8% as of 2021.

pay a 26.3% higher top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Greece, the top tax rate is 48.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 23.7% 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 Greece, on the other hand, 3.5 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 20.4% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Greece, about 78.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 13.1% more on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Greece, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 5.7 times more coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Greece, that number is 13,676 km.

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

Greece: At a glance

Greece is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 130,647 sq km. Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 1974, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed.
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How big is Greece compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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