Updated
Overview
Peru has 3.8 times the population of Switzerland: 34.58 million people against 9.09 million (2025).
Switzerland's economy is 3.1 times the size of Peru's, at $1.04T versus $334.85B.
Per person, Switzerland is the wealthier of the two: $114,769 against $9,684 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Peru | Switzerland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $334.85B | Higher: $1.04T | 2025 | $289.22B / $936.56B |
| GDP per capita | $9,684 | Higher: $114,769 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.4% | 1.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 1.5% | Lower: 0.2% | 2025 | 2.0% / 1.1% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | Lower: 4.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 51 | 112 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $563 | Higher: $7,309 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $273 | Higher: $4,784 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.99 | $9.04 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 34.58 million | 9.09 million | 2025 | 32.77 million / 8.93 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 30.2 yrs | 42.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.94 | 1.44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 77.9 yrs | Higher: 84.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 86% | 86% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 82% | Higher: 97% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,285,216 km² | 41,284 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.9/km² | 220.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 70 Mt | Lower: 32 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 2.1 t | 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.57B | $6.72B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 158,000 | 20,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Peru is growing faster: 3.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.3%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.5% in Peru and 0.2% in Switzerland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Peru: a price level of 51 versus 112 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Switzerland: $7,309 against $563 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Peru is the far younger society: median age 30.2 versus 42.9 years.
Life expectancy is 6.5 years longer in Switzerland (84.4 vs 77.9).
Internet adoption is higher in Switzerland (97% vs 82% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Peru is 31 times the size of Switzerland: 1,285,216 km² versus 41,284 km².
Switzerland is far more densely settled: 220 people per km² against 27.
Military
Switzerland spends 2.6 times as much on defence as Peru: $6.72B versus $2.57B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Peru fields the larger armed forces: 158,000 personnel against 20,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Peru bigger than Switzerland?
- Peru is larger by land area. Peru covers 1,285,216 km² while Switzerland covers 41,284 km², so Peru is 31 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Peru or Switzerland?
- Peru has the larger population: 34.58 million versus 9.09 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Peru richer than Switzerland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Switzerland is richer: $114,769 against $9,684. Total GDP tells the same story: $334.85B for Peru versus $1.04T for Switzerland.
- Who spends more on their military, Peru or Switzerland?
- Switzerland spends more: $6.72B versus $2.57B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).