Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Bangladesh instead of Hong Kong, you would:

Health

live 8.9 years less

In Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Bangladesh, that number is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 87.2% less money

Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of $66,200 as of 2024, while in Bangladesh, the GDP per capita is $8,500 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 67.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Hong Kong, 2.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2024. In Bangladesh, that number is 4.7% as of 2024.

View global rankings →

pay a 100.0% higher top tax rate

Hong Kong has a top tax rate of 15.0% as of 2016. In Bangladesh, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

View global rankings →

Life

have 2.6 times more children

In Hong Kong, there are approximately 7.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2025. In Bangladesh, there are 19.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 11.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Hong Kong, approximately 2.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Bangladesh, on the other hand, 30.4 children do as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 53.1% less likely to have internet access

In Hong Kong, approximately 96.0% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Bangladesh, about 45.0% do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 47.5% less on education

Hong Kong spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Bangladesh spends 2.1% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 20.9% less coastline

Hong Kong has a total of 733 km of coastline. In Bangladesh, that number is 580 km.

View global rankings →

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh, Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong.

Bangladesh: At a glance

Bangladesh is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 130,170 sq km. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won independence for Bangladesh in a brief war in 1971, during which at least 300,000 civilians died. The post-independence, AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternately held power since then, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted, extending HASINA's term as prime minister. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has made great progress in food security since independence, and the economy has grown at an average of about 6 percent over the last two decades.
Read more

How big is Bangladesh compared to Hong Kong? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Bangladesh.or Hong Kong It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.