Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Portugal instead of United Kingdom, you would:

Health

be 25.2% less likely to be obese

In United Kingdom, 27.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Portugal, that number is 20.8% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 11.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In United Kingdom, 18.6% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

make 22.9% less money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $54,100 as of 2023, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $41,700 as of 2023.

be 59.9% more likely to be unemployed

In United Kingdom, 4.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.

pay a 25.6% higher top tax rate

United Kingdom has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2016. In Portugal, the top tax rate is 56.5% as of 2016.

Life

be 34.6% less likely to die during infancy

In United Kingdom, approximately 3.8 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 20.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 10.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Portugal, 12.0 women do as of 2020.

have 25.0% fewer children

In United Kingdom, there are approximately 10.8 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 15.5% less likely to have internet access

In United Kingdom, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Portugal, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 11.7% less on healthcare

United Kingdom spends 12.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Portugal, that number is 10.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 85.6% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, HM Revenue & Customs.

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 United Kingdom? See an in-depth size comparison.

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