Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Sweden, you would:

Health

live 3.1 years less

In Sweden, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022. In Costa Rica, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

be 24.8% more likely to be obese

In Sweden, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Costa Rica, that number is 25.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 73.7% lower top tax rate

Sweden has a top tax rate of 57.1% as of 2016. In Costa Rica, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

make 59.8% less money

Sweden has a GDP per capita of $64,200 as of 2023, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $25,800 as of 2023.

be 58.4% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Sweden, 16.1% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Costa Rica, however, that number is 25.5% as of 2022.

Life

be 4.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Sweden, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Costa Rica, 22.0 women do as of 2020.

be 3.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In Sweden, approximately 2.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Costa Rica, on the other hand, 8.4 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 30.7% less on healthcare

Sweden spends 11.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 7.9% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 59.9% less coastline

Sweden has a total of 3,218 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Skatteverket, Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica: At a glance

Costa Rica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 51,060 sq km. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
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How big is Costa Rica compared to Sweden? See an in-depth size comparison.

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