If you lived in Portugal instead of Romania, you would:

Health

live 5.9 years longer

In Romania, the average life expectancy is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 82 years (80 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 44.3% less likely to be obese

In Romania, 32.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 88.5% more spent on your healthcare

Romania spends $2,614 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 61.4% more doctors per person

Romania has 36.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 12.8% more access to essential health services

Romania scores 78 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 19.8% more likely to die by suicide

Romania has a suicide rate of 9.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Portugal, it is 11.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 10.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Romania, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

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make 42.3% more money

Romania has a GDP per capita of $22,538 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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Life

be 55.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Romania, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Portugal, on the other hand, 2.7 children do as of 2024.

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be 25.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Romania, approximately 12.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Portugal, 15.0 women do as of 2023.

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Expenditures

spend 38.7% more on education

Romania spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 79.3% more on healthcare

Romania spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 10.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 8.0 times more coastline

Romania has a total of 225 km of coastline. In Portugal, that number is 1,793 km.

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Safety

be 35.1% less likely to be murdered

Romania has a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 25.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Romania, road accidents kill 9.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Portugal, they kill 7.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 26.4% more home broadband

Romania has 35.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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use 2.0 times more electricity

Romania uses 2,585 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Portugal uses 5,294 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 61.5% more strain on fresh water

Romania withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 78.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Romania, air pollution causes 46.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 10.8% less CO2

Romania emits 3.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Portugal emits 3.3 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

Portugal: At a glance

Portugal is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 91,470 sq km. Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
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How big is Portugal compared to Romania? See an in-depth size comparison.

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