Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Switzerland instead of Sri Lanka, you would:

Health

live 5.7 years longer

In Sri Lanka, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.8 times more likely to be obese

In Sri Lanka, 5.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 6.4 times more money

Sri Lanka has a GDP per capita of $13,000 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

be 36.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Sri Lanka, 6.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Switzerland, that number is 4.0% as of 2023.

pay a 2.7 times higher top tax rate

Sri Lanka has a top tax rate of 15.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 75.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In Sri Lanka, approximately 29.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 56.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Sri Lanka, approximately 8.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 30.3% fewer children

In Sri Lanka, there are approximately 14.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 43.3% more likely to have internet access

In Sri Lanka, approximately 67.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Switzerland, about 96.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 2.7 times more on education

Sri Lanka spends 1.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.9 times more on healthcare

Sri Lanka spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Switzerland, that number is 11.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Sri Lanka? See an in-depth size comparison.

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