Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.7 years less

In Switzerland, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 49.7% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $82,900 as of 2023, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $41,700 as of 2023.

be 60.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 4.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

be 11.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Switzerland, 14.7% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

pay a 41.2% higher top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Portugal, the top tax rate is 56.5% as of 2016.

Life

be 30.2% 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 Portugal, on the other hand, 2.5 children do as of 2022.

be 71.4% more likely to die during childbirth

In Switzerland, approximately 7.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Portugal, 12.0 women do as of 2020.

have 19.8% fewer children

In Switzerland, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 8.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

Basic Needs

be 14.6% less likely to have internet access

In Switzerland, approximately 96.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Portugal, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 10.2% less on healthcare

Switzerland spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 10.6% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira.

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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