Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of Switzerland, you would:

Health

live 1.4 years less

In Switzerland, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 13.3% more likely to be obese

In Switzerland, 19.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belgium, that number is 22.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 16.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Switzerland, 14.7% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Belgium, however, that number is 12.3% as of 2022.

make 23.3% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $82,900 as of 2023, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $63,600 as of 2023.

be 36.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 4.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Belgium, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.

pay a 34.3% higher top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Belgium, the top tax rate is 53.7% as of 2016.

Life

be 28.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Switzerland, approximately 7.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Belgium, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Switzerland, approximately 3.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belgium, on the other hand, 3.2 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 28.8% more on education

Switzerland spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Belgium spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
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How big is Belgium compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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