Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 1.7 years less

In Switzerland, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Greece, that number is 81 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

be 27.7% more likely to be obese

In Switzerland, 19.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Greece, that number is 24.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 56.2% less money

Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $72,300 as of 2022, while in Greece, the GDP per capita is $31,700 as of 2022.

be 2.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Switzerland, 4.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Greece, that number is 12.4% as of 2022.

be 27.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Switzerland, 14.7% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Greece, however, that number is 18.8% as of 2021.

pay a 20.0% higher top tax rate

Switzerland has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Greece, the top tax rate is 48.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 26.7% fewer children

In Switzerland, there are approximately 10.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Greece, there are 7.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 18.8% less likely to have internet access

In Switzerland, approximately 96.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Greece, about 78.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 15.4% less on education

Switzerland spends 5.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Greece spends 4.4% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 19.5% less on healthcare

Switzerland spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Greece, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Swiss Federal Tax Administration, GSIS, Greece.

Greece: At a glance

Greece is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 130,647 sq km. Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 1974, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed.
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How big is Greece compared to Switzerland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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