Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Laos instead of Senegal, you would:
Health
be 20.8% less likely to be obese
In Senegal, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Laos, that number is 9.2% of people as of 2024.
have 3.0 times more doctors per person
Senegal has 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Laos has 3.3 as of 2022.
be 32.2% less likely to die by suicide
Senegal has a suicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Laos, it is 4.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.
see 40.1% less spent on your healthcare
Senegal spends $206 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Laos spends $123 as of 2023.
Economy
be 56.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Senegal, 2.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Laos, that number is 1.2% as of 2025.
be 60.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Senegal, 37.5% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Laos, however, that number is 15.0% as of 2024.
make 18.9% more money
Senegal has a GDP per capita of $1,955 as of 2025, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $2,325 as of 2025.
Life
be 52.7% less likely to die during childbirth
In Senegal, approximately 237.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Laos, 112.0 women do as of 2023.
be 50.2% more likely to be literate
In Senegal, the literacy rate is 50.4% as of 2023. In Laos, it is 75.6% as of 2023.
have 28.3% fewer children
In Senegal, there are approximately 29.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 30.1% more likely to have access to electricity
In Senegal, approximately 74% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Laos, that number is 96% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 95% in rural areas) as of 2023.
Expenditures
spend 80.0% less on education
Senegal spends 6.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Laos spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.
spend 69.2% less on healthcare
Senegal spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Laos, that number is 1.3% of GDP as of 2023.
Safety
be 21.2% less likely to die in a road accident
In Senegal, road accidents kill 20.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Laos, they kill 16.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
live with 70.6% less strain on fresh water
Senegal withdraws 16% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Laos withdraws 5% as of 2022.
use 4.1 times more electricity
Senegal uses 410 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Laos uses 1,665 kWh as of 2023.
find 32.7% less home broadband
Senegal has 4.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Laos has 2.7 as of 2023.
Environment
emit 4.4 times more CO2
Senegal emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Laos emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this
Compare further: Senegal vs. Laos
Laos: At a glance
How big is Laos compared to Senegal? See an in-depth size comparison.