Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Bulgaria instead of Laos, you would:
Health
live 6.5 years longer
In Laos, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Bulgaria, that number is 76 years (72 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024.
see 24.1 times more spent on your healthcare
Laos spends $123 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Bulgaria spends $2,970 as of 2023.
have 13.1 times more doctors per person
Laos has 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Bulgaria has 43.3 as of 2022.
have 40.4% more access to essential health services
Laos scores 52 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Bulgaria scores 73 as of 2021.
be 2.2 times more likely to be obese
In Laos, 9.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Bulgaria, that number is 20.3% of people as of 2024.
be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide
Laos has a suicide rate of 4.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Bulgaria, it is 9.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Economy
make 8.7 times more money
Laos has a GDP per capita of $2,325 as of 2025, while in Bulgaria, the GDP per capita is $20,328 as of 2025.
be 3.0 times more likely to be unemployed
In Laos, 1.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Bulgaria, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
be 41.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Laos, 15.0% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Bulgaria, however, that number is 21.2% as of 2024.
Life
be 94.6% less likely to die during childbirth
In Laos, approximately 112.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Bulgaria, 6.0 women do as of 2023.
be 30.1% more likely to be literate
In Laos, the literacy rate is 75.6% as of 2023. In Bulgaria, it is 98.4% as of 2021.
be 83.1% less likely to die during infancy
In Laos, approximately 27.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Bulgaria, on the other hand, 4.6 children do as of 2024.
have 60.3% fewer children
In Laos, there are approximately 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Bulgaria, there are 8.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 25.7% more likely to have internet access
In Laos, approximately 65.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Bulgaria, about 82.4% do as of 2024.
Expenditures
spend 3.7 times more on education
Laos spends 1.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Bulgaria spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.
spend 6.0 times more on healthcare
Laos spends 1.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Bulgaria, that number is 7.9% of GDP as of 2023.
Safety
be 48.8% less likely to die in a road accident
In Laos, road accidents kill 16.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Bulgaria, they kill 8.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
find 13.6 times more home broadband
Laos has 2.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Bulgaria has 37.0 as of 2023.
use 3.2 times more electricity
Laos uses 1,665 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Bulgaria uses 5,360 kWh as of 2023.
live with 8.4 times more strain on fresh water
Laos withdraws 5% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Bulgaria withdraws 40% as of 2022.
Environment
emit 58.5% more CO2
Laos emits 3.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Bulgaria emits 5.3 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Compare further: Laos vs. Bulgaria
Bulgaria: At a glance
How big is Bulgaria compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.