Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 10.8% more likely to be obese

In Switzerland, 19.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In France, that number is 21.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 29.0% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $62,100 as of 2017, while in France, the GDP per capita is $44,100 as of 2017.

be 2.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 3.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In France, that number is 9.4% as of 2017.

be 2.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Switzerland, 6.6% live below the poverty line as of 2014. In France, however, that number is 14.2% as of 2015.

pay a 25.5% higher top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In France, the top tax rate is 50.2% as of 2016.

Life

have 13.3% more children

In Switzerland, there are approximately 10.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In France, there are 11.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.

be 60.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Switzerland, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In France, 8.0 women do as of 2017.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

France: At a glance

France is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 549,970 sq km. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-8, the G-20, the EU and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to take French forces out of NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion - became French regions and were made part of France proper.
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How big is France compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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