If you lived in Fiji instead of Costa Rica, you would:

Health

live 13.5 years less

In Costa Rica, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Fiji, that number is 67 years (65 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 19.4% more likely to be obese

In Costa Rica, 32.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Fiji, that number is 39.0% of people as of 2024.

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see 71.6% less spent on your healthcare

Costa Rica spends $1,928 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Fiji spends $548 as of 2023.

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have 28.4% less access to essential health services

Costa Rica scores 81 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Fiji scores 58 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 21.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Costa Rica, 6.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Fiji, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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make 66.7% less money

Costa Rica has a GDP per capita of $19,970 as of 2025, while in Fiji, the GDP per capita is $6,642 as of 2025.

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Life

have 78.8% more children

In Costa Rica, there are approximately 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Fiji, there are 17.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 25.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Costa Rica, approximately 24.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Fiji, 30.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In Costa Rica, approximately 9.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Fiji, on the other hand, 23.5 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 14.3% less likely to have internet access

In Costa Rica, approximately 87.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Fiji, about 74.7% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 20.0% less on education

Costa Rica spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Fiji spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 47.3% less on healthcare

Costa Rica spends 6.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 3.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 12.5% less coastline

Costa Rica has a total of 1,290 km of coastline. In Fiji, that number is 1,129 km.

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Safety

be 88.4% less likely to be murdered

Costa Rica has a homicide rate of 17.8 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 2.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 65.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Costa Rica, road accidents kill 15.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Fiji, they kill 5.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 94.9% less strain on fresh water

Costa Rica withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Fiji withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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find 92.3% less home broadband

Costa Rica has 23.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Fiji has 1.8 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 2.5 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Costa Rica, air pollution causes 15.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Fiji, it causes 37.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Fiji: At a glance

Fiji is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 18,274 sq km. Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and initially refused to hold elections. In 2012, he promised to hold elections in 2014.
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How big is Fiji compared to Costa Rica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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