Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Sweden instead of Thailand, you would:

Health

live 5.0 years longer

In Thailand, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.1 times more likely to be obese

In Thailand, 10.0% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Sweden, that number is 20.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.0 times more money

Thailand has a GDP per capita of $21,100 as of 2023, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $64,200 as of 2023.

be 8.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Thailand, 0.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.

be 2.6 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Thailand, 6.3% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Sweden, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.

pay a 63.1% higher top tax rate

Thailand has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Sweden, the top tax rate is 57.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 82.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Thailand, approximately 29.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Sweden, 5.0 women do as of 2020.

be 64.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Thailand, approximately 6.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Sweden, on the other hand, 2.3 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.2 times more on education

Thailand spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Sweden spends 7.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 2.6 times more on healthcare

Thailand spends 4.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Sweden, that number is 11.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, Skatteverket.

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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How big is Sweden compared to Thailand? See an in-depth size comparison.

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