Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 7.1 years less

In Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 85 years (83 years for men, 88 years for women) as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 78 years (74 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 2.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Hong Kong, 2.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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make 55.7% less money

Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of $56,983 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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Life

have 100.0% more children

In Hong Kong, there are approximately 4.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Uruguay, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.4 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 Uruguay, on the other hand, 6.2 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 24.9% more on education

Hong Kong spends 3.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Uruguay spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 29.6 times more likely to be murdered

Hong Kong has a homicide rate of 0.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 11.2 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 18.0% less home broadband

Hong Kong has 40.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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use 40.4% less electricity

Hong Kong uses 6,359 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uruguay uses 3,790 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 44.1% less CO2

Hong Kong emits 4.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Uruguay emits 2.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2023–2025), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Hong Kong vs. Uruguay

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Uruguay is 40.4% cheaper than Hong Kong overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Hong Kong is about 159 times smaller than Uruguay.
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Moving from Hong Kong to Uruguay · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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How big is Uruguay compared to Hong Kong? See an in-depth size comparison.

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