Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.6 years less

In Japan, the average life expectancy is 85 years (82 years for men, 88 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 4.5 times more likely to be obese

In Japan, 4.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 65.2% more money

Japan has a GDP per capita of $41,400 as of 2019, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $68,400 as of 2020.

pay a 28.5% lower top tax rate

Japan has a top tax rate of 56.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 49.1% more children

In Japan, there are approximately 7.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Switzerland, there are 10.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 88.4% more likely to die during infancy

In Japan, approximately 1.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 53.1% more on education

Japan spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2017. Switzerland spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, National Tax Agency Japan.

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 Japan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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