Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 14.8 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.

be 12.8% more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Laos, that number is 5.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 55.3% less likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Laos, that number is 1.2% as of 2023.

pay a 36.8% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Laos, the top tax rate is 24.0% as of 2016.

make 83.4% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $8,400 as of 2023.

be 27.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Laos, however, that number is 18.3% as of 2018.

Life

have 2.9 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Laos, there are 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 15.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Laos, 126.0 women do as of 2020.

be 11.1% less likely to be literate

In South Korea, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2019. In Laos, it is 87.1% as of 2021.

be 13.2 times 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 Laos, on the other hand, 37.8 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 36.7% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Laos, about 62.0% do as of 2021.

be 11.1% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Korea, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Laos, 89% of people do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 51.1% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Laos spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 67.9% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Laos, that number is 2.7% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Laos: At a glance

Laos is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 230,800 sq km. Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.
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How big is Laos compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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