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

Health

live 6.4 years longer

In Serbia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 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 17.3% less likely to be obese

In Serbia, 21.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Portugal, that number is 18.1% of people as of 2024.

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see 2.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Serbia spends $2,303 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Portugal spends $4,928 as of 2024.

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have 88.8% more doctors per person

Serbia has 31.0 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Portugal has 58.5 as of 2022.

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have 22.2% more access to essential health services

Serbia scores 72 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Portugal scores 88 as of 2021.

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be 23.9% less likely to die by suicide

Serbia has a suicide rate of 15.1 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 13.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Serbia, 7.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Portugal, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

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be 16.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Serbia, 19.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Portugal, however, that number is 16.4% as of 2021.

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make 2.1 times more money

Serbia has a GDP per capita of $15,262 as of 2025, while in Portugal, the GDP per capita is $32,082 as of 2025.

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Life

be 41.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Serbia, approximately 4.6 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 36.4% more likely to die during childbirth

In Serbia, approximately 11.0 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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have 14.1% fewer children

In Serbia, there are approximately 9.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Portugal, there are 7.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 33.8% more on education

Serbia spends 3.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Portugal spends 4.5% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 27.5% more on healthcare

Serbia spends 8.0% 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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Safety

be 45.0% less likely to be murdered

Serbia has a homicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Portugal, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 35.6% more home broadband

Serbia has 33.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Portugal has 45.2 as of 2024.

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live with 2.1 times more strain on fresh water

Serbia withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Portugal withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 77.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Serbia, air pollution causes 45.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Portugal, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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 Serbia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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