Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of Switzerland, you would:

Health

live 1.4 years less

In Switzerland, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 82 years (79 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

be 13.3% more likely to be obese

In Switzerland, 19.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Belgium, that number is 22.1% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 29.5% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $68,400 as of 2020, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $48,200 as of 2020.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Belgium, that number is 5.4% as of 2019.

pay a 34.3% higher top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Belgium, the top tax rate is 53.7% as of 2016.

Life

be 10.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Switzerland, approximately 3.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Belgium, on the other hand, 3.2 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 30.6% more on education

Switzerland spends 4.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Belgium spends 6.4% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
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How big is Belgium compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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