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

Health

see 3.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Peru spends $956 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Uruguay spends $3,135 as of 2023.

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have 2.8 times more doctors per person

Peru has 16.9 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

Peru 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 19.9% more likely to be obese

In Peru, 29.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 16.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Peru has a suicide rate of 1.5 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 32.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Peru, 25.7% live below the poverty line as of 2025. In Uruguay, however, that number is 17.3% as of 2024.

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make 2.6 times more money

Peru has a GDP per capita of $9,684 as of 2025, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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be 46.9% more likely to be unemployed

In Peru, 5.1% 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 70.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Peru, approximately 51.0 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 43.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Peru, approximately 11.0 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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have 37.8% fewer children

In Peru, there are approximately 15.8 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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Basic Needs

be 12.2% more likely to have internet access

In Peru, approximately 82.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Uruguay, about 92.0% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 59.9% more on healthcare

Peru spends 5.6% 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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Geography

see 72.7% less coastline

Peru has a total of 2,414 km of coastline. In Uruguay, that number is 660 km.

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Safety

be 30.8% more likely to be murdered

Peru has a homicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Uruguay, that number is 11.2 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 2.8 times more home broadband

Peru has 11.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Uruguay has 33.0 as of 2024.

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use 2.4 times more electricity

Peru uses 1,595 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Uruguay uses 3,790 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 2.5 times more strain on fresh water

Peru withdraws 5% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Uruguay withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 38.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Peru, air pollution causes 26.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Uruguay, it causes 16.0 as of 2019.

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emit 27.2% more CO2

Peru emits 2.0 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), The World Factbook. 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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