Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iceland instead of San Marino, you would:

Health

see 32.4% more spent on your healthcare

San Marino spends $5,231 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Iceland spends $6,927 as of 2024.

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have 15.6% more access to essential health services

San Marino scores 77 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Iceland scores 89 as of 2021.

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live 3.0 years less

In San Marino, the average life expectancy is 86 years (84 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Iceland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 64.2% more money

San Marino has a GDP per capita of $59,871 as of 2023, while in Iceland, the GDP per capita is $98,323 as of 2025.

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Life

be 62.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In San Marino, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Iceland, 3.0 women do as of 2023.

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have 2.7 times more children

In San Marino, there are approximately 4.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Iceland, there are 11.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 75.0% more likely to die during infancy

In San Marino, approximately 1.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Iceland, on the other hand, 2.1 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.5 times more on education

San Marino spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Iceland spends 7.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 35.9% more on healthcare

San Marino spends 6.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Iceland, that number is 9.0% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 59.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In San Marino, road accidents kill 5.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Iceland, they kill 2.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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

Compare further: San Marino vs. Iceland

Size Comparison · See true size
San Marino is about 1,689 times smaller than Iceland.
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Moving from San Marino to Iceland · OECD 2021
2 people moved from San Marino to Iceland.
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Iceland: At a glance

Iceland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 100,250 sq km. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
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How big is Iceland compared to San Marino? See an in-depth size comparison.

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