If you lived in Uruguay instead of Moldova, you would:

Health

live 7.0 years longer

In Moldova, the average life expectancy is 71 years (67 years for men, 76 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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see 2.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Moldova spends $1,181 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uruguay spends $3,135 as of 2023.

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have 16.4% more doctors per person

Moldova has 40.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Uruguay has 46.7 as of 2022.

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have 15.5% more access to essential health services

Moldova scores 71 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Uruguay scores 82 as of 2021.

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be 56.8% more likely to be obese

In Moldova, 22.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 75.0% more likely to die by suicide

Moldova has a suicide rate of 14.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uruguay, it is 24.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 48.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Moldova, 33.6% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Uruguay, however, that number is 17.3% as of 2024.

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make 2.9 times more money

Moldova has a GDP per capita of $8,622 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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be 5.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Moldova, 1.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 21.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Moldova, approximately 19.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Uruguay, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 58.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Moldova, approximately 15.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Uruguay, on the other hand, 6.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 18.9% more likely to have internet access

In Moldova, approximately 77.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uruguay, about 92.0% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 27.4% less on education

Moldova spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Uruguay spends 4.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 33.8% more on healthcare

Moldova spends 6.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 4.4 times more likely to be murdered

Moldova has a homicide rate of 2.5 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Uruguay, that number is 11.2 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 42.9% more likely to die in a road accident

In Moldova, road accidents kill 9.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Uruguay, they kill 13.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 11.5% more home broadband

Moldova has 29.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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use 57.2% more electricity

Moldova uses 2,412 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uruguay uses 3,790 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 72.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Moldova, air pollution causes 58.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uruguay, it causes 16.0 as of 2019.

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emit 24.9% less CO2

Moldova emits 3.4 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 (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

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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