Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Africa instead of Bolivia, you would:
Health
see 79.1% more spent on your healthcare
Bolivia spends $756 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). South Africa spends $1,354 as of 2023.
be 43.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS
In Bolivia, 0.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2024.
live 2.4 years less
In Bolivia, the average life expectancy is 69 years (66 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 66 years (63 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.
have 38.2% fewer doctors per person
Bolivia has 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. South Africa has 7.9 as of 2022.
be 5.3 times more likely to die by suicide
Bolivia has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In South Africa, it is 22.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Economy
be 15.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Bolivia, 44.7% live below the poverty line as of 2025. In South Africa, however, that number is 37.9% as of 2022.
make 28.2% more money
Bolivia has a GDP per capita of $5,148 as of 2025, while in South Africa, the GDP per capita is $6,598 as of 2025.
be 10.9 times more likely to be unemployed
In Bolivia, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In South Africa, that number is 32.4% as of 2025.
Life
be 19.2% less likely to die during childbirth
In Bolivia, approximately 146.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In South Africa, 118.0 women do as of 2023.
be 70.4% more likely to die during infancy
In Bolivia, approximately 14.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In South Africa, on the other hand, 24.2 children do as of 2024.
have 12.1% fewer children
In Bolivia, there are approximately 21.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In South Africa, there are 18.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 12.1% less likely to have access to electricity
In Bolivia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In South Africa, that number is 88% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2023.
Expenditures
spend 20.2% less on education
Bolivia spends 7.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. South Africa spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2024.
spend 28.8% more on healthcare
Bolivia spends 6.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In South Africa, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2023.
Safety
be 9.9 times more likely to be murdered
Bolivia has a homicide rate of 4.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Africa, that number is 43.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.
be 37.0% less likely to feel safe walking alone at night
In Bolivia, 59% of people feel safe walking alone at night as of 2021. In South Africa, that number is 37% as of 2022.
be 39.2% more likely to die in a road accident
In Bolivia, road accidents kill 17.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In South Africa, they kill 24.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
use 3.6 times more electricity
Bolivia uses 890 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. South Africa uses 3,247 kWh as of 2023.
find 55.7% less home broadband
Bolivia has 12.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. South Africa has 5.3 as of 2024.
live with 338.0 times more strain on fresh water
Bolivia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. South Africa withdraws 68% as of 2022.
Environment
be 13.0% less likely to die from air pollution
In Bolivia, air pollution causes 54.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In South Africa, it causes 47.0 as of 2019.
emit 3.0 times more CO2
Bolivia emits 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. South Africa emits 6.9 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022). How we calculate this
Compare further: Bolivia vs. South Africa
South Africa: At a glance
How big is South Africa compared to Bolivia? See an in-depth size comparison.