Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Cuba instead of Thailand, you would:

Health

live 1.7 years longer

In Thailand, the average life expectancy is 77 years (72 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024. In Cuba, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 2.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Thailand spends $1,067 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cuba spends $2,575 as of 2023.

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have 17.6 times more doctors per person

Thailand has 5.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2021. Cuba has 95.4 as of 2021.

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be 16.9% less likely to die by suicide

Thailand has a suicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cuba, it is 13.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 40.5% more likely to be obese

In Thailand, 16.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cuba, that number is 23.0% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 2.2 times more likely to be unemployed

In Thailand, 0.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cuba, that number is 1.8% as of 2025.

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Life

be 11.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Thailand, approximately 7.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Cuba, on the other hand, 6.8 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 22.4% less likely to have internet access

In Thailand, approximately 90.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cuba, about 70.5% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 3.3 times more on education

Thailand spends 2.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Cuba spends 8.4% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Thailand spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Cuba, that number is 9.4% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 16.0% more coastline

Thailand has a total of 3,219 km of coastline. In Cuba, that number is 3,735 km.

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Safety

be 78.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Thailand, road accidents kill 25.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Cuba, they kill 5.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 79.3% less home broadband

Thailand has 14.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cuba has 3.1 as of 2024.

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use 50.7% less electricity

Thailand uses 2,965 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Cuba uses 1,462 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 51.8% less CO2

Thailand emits 4.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cuba emits 1.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Compare further: Thailand vs. Cuba

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Cuba is 13.0% cheaper than Thailand overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Thailand is about 4.6 times bigger than Cuba.
→
Moving from Thailand to Cuba · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Cuba: At a glance

Cuba is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 109,820 sq km. The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. Subsequently, the 1901 Platt Amendment to the Cuban constitution authorized the US to intevene in Cuba in the event of instability. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4-6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source if its difficulties. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the US's southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard interdicted 1,357 Cuban nationals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2013. Also in 2013, 14,251 Cuban migrants presented themselves at various land border ports of entry through out the US.
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