If you lived in Switzerland instead of Italy, you would:

Health

be 19.3% less likely to be obese

In Italy, 14.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 11.3% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Italy spends $4,993 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Switzerland spends $10,602 as of 2023.

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be 2.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Italy has a suicide rate of 7.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Switzerland, it is 14.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 23.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Italy, 6.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Switzerland, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.

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be 21.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Italy, 20.1% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Switzerland, however, that number is 15.8% as of 2021.

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make 2.7 times more money

Italy has a GDP per capita of $43,309 as of 2025, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $114,769 as of 2025.

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Life

be 16.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Italy, approximately 6.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Switzerland, 5.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 38.1% more children

In Italy, there are approximately 6.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 8.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 47.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Italy, approximately 2.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 19.4% more on education

Italy spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Switzerland spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 38.5% more on healthcare

Italy spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 11.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 52.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Italy, road accidents kill 5.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Switzerland, they kill 2.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 48.0% more home broadband

Italy has 31.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Switzerland has 47.0 as of 2024.

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live with 78.2% less strain on fresh water

Italy withdraws 30% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Switzerland withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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use 38.6% more electricity

Italy uses 5,137 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Switzerland uses 7,117 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 33.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Italy, air pollution causes 15.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Switzerland, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 26.2% less CO2

Italy emits 5.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Switzerland emits 3.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Italy? See an in-depth size comparison.

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