Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Moldova instead of Puerto Rico, you would:

Health

be 47.4% less likely to be obese

In Puerto Rico, 42.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Moldova, that number is 22.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 10.6 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Moldova, that number is 71 years (67 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 2.6 times more likely to die by suicide

Puerto Rico has a suicide rate of 5.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Moldova, it is 14.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 75.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Puerto Rico, 6.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Moldova, that number is 1.5% as of 2025.

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make 78.8% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $40,620 as of 2025, while in Moldova, the GDP per capita is $8,622 as of 2025.

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Life

have 85.8% more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Moldova, there are 10.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 72.7% more likely to die during childbirth

In Puerto Rico, approximately 11.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Moldova, 19.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In Puerto Rico, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Moldova, on the other hand, 15.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 11.4% less likely to have internet access

In Puerto Rico, approximately 87.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Moldova, about 77.4% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 53.6% more on education

Puerto Rico spends 4.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Moldova spends 6.6% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 82.6% less likely to be murdered

Puerto Rico has a homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Moldova, that number is 2.5 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 27.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Puerto Rico, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Moldova, they kill 9.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 35.7% less strain on fresh water

Puerto Rico withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Moldova withdraws 13% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 29.0% less CO2

Puerto Rico emits 4.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Moldova emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Puerto Rico vs. Moldova

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Moldova is 49.4% cheaper than Puerto Rico overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Puerto Rico is about 3.7 times smaller than Moldova.
→
Moving from Puerto Rico to Moldova · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Moldova: At a glance

Moldova is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 32,891 sq km. Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although the country has been independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River supporting the separatist region of Transnistria, composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizeable ethnic Moldovan minority. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a communist, Vladimir VORONIN, as its president in 2001. VORONIN served as Moldova's president until he resigned in September 2009, following the opposition's gain of a narrow majority in July parliamentary elections and the Communist Party's (PCRM) subsequent inability to attract the three-fifths of parliamentary votes required to elect a president and, by doing so, put into place a permanent government. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), iterations of which have acted as Moldova's governing coalitions since. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty between 2009 and early 2012, holding three general elections and numerous presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president. Following November 2010 parliamentary elections, a reconstituted AEI-coalition consisting of three of the four original AEI parties formed a government, and in March 2012 was finally able to elect an independent as president. As of late May 2013, the ruling coalition - comprised of two of the original AEI parties and a splinter group from a third - is called the Pro-European Coalition. In November 2013, the Moldovan Government initialed an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU), advancing the coalition's policy priority of EU integration.
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