Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 1.3 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 13.2% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Puerto Rico, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

make 15.0% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $43,000 as of 2023.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2023.

Life

have 12.7% more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, there are 7.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 4.2 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 Puerto Rico, 34.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.1 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 Puerto Rico, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 20.7% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Puerto Rico, about 77.7% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 23.4% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Puerto Rico spends 3.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 79.2% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Puerto Rico, that number is 501 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Puerto Rican Department of Treasury, National Tax Service, South Korea.

Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
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How big is Puerto Rico compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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