Quality of life comparison
If you lived in San Marino instead of South Africa, you would:
Health
live 19.5 years longer
In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 66 years (63 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024. In San Marino, that number is 86 years (84 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024.
see 3.9 times more spent on your healthcare
South Africa spends $1,354 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). San Marino spends $5,231 as of 2023.
have 5.8 times more doctors per person
South Africa has 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. San Marino has 46.3 as of 2023.
Economy
make 9.1 times more money
South Africa has a GDP per capita of $6,598 as of 2025, while in San Marino, the GDP per capita is $59,871 as of 2023.
Life
be 93.2% less likely to die during childbirth
In South Africa, approximately 118.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In San Marino, 8.0 women do as of 2023.
be 95.0% less likely to die during infancy
In South Africa, approximately 24.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In San Marino, on the other hand, 1.2 children do as of 2024.
have 77.3% fewer children
In South Africa, there are approximately 18.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In San Marino, there are 4.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 14.0% more likely to have access to electricity
In South Africa, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2023. In San Marino, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.
be 24.2% more likely to have internet access
In South Africa, approximately 78.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In San Marino, about 97.3% do as of 2024.
be 10.9% more likely to have access to drinking water
In South Africa, approximately 90% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 73% in rural areas) as of 2024. In San Marino, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.
Expenditures
spend 51.8% less on education
South Africa spends 6.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. San Marino spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2022.
spend 25.8% less on healthcare
South Africa spends 8.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In San Marino, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2023.
Safety
be 75.9% less likely to die in a road accident
In South Africa, road accidents kill 24.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In San Marino, they kill 5.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.
Infrastructure
find 6.7 times more home broadband
South Africa has 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. San Marino has 35.8 as of 2022.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this
Compare further: South Africa vs. San Marino
San Marino: At a glance
How big is San Marino compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.