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

Health

see 49.1% more spent on your healthcare

Costa Rica spends $1,928 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Hungary spends $2,875 as of 2023.

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have 28.6% more doctors per person

Costa Rica has 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Hungary has 34.6 as of 2022.

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live 4.3 years less

In Costa Rica, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Hungary, that number is 77 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 2.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Costa Rica has a suicide rate of 8.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Hungary, it is 16.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 33.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Costa Rica, 6.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Hungary, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.

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make 29.7% more money

Costa Rica has a GDP per capita of $19,970 as of 2025, while in Hungary, the GDP per capita is $25,907 as of 2025.

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Life

be 50.0% less 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 Hungary, 12.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 65.9% less 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 Hungary, on the other hand, 3.1 children do as of 2024.

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have 17.9% fewer children

In Costa Rica, there are approximately 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Hungary, there are 8.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 28.4% less on education

Costa Rica spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Hungary spends 3.8% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Safety

be 95.9% less likely to be murdered

Costa Rica has a homicide rate of 17.8 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Hungary, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 52.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Costa Rica, road accidents kill 15.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Hungary, they kill 7.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 61.2% more home broadband

Costa Rica has 23.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Hungary has 37.5 as of 2024.

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use 2.1 times more electricity

Costa Rica uses 2,282 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Hungary uses 4,812 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 37.9% more strain on fresh water

Costa Rica withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Hungary withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 2.8 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 Hungary, it causes 42.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.7 times more CO2

Costa Rica emits 1.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Hungary emits 4.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021). How we calculate this

Hungary: At a glance

Hungary is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 89,608 sq km. Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU five years later. In 2011, Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the EU for the first time.
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