Updated
Overview
Thailand has 7.9 times the population of Switzerland: 71.62 million people against 9.09 million (2025).
Switzerland's economy is about 80% larger than Thailand's, at $1.04T versus $577.01B.
Per person, Switzerland is the wealthier of the two: $114,769 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Switzerland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $577.01B | Higher: $1.04T | 2025 | $526.41B / $936.56B |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $114,769 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.4% | 1.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 0.2% | 2025 | 1.4% / 1.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 4.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | 112 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | Higher: $7,309 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | Higher: $4,784 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | $9.04 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 9.09 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 8.93 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 42.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 1.44 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | Higher: 84.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 86% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 91% | Higher: 97% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 41,284 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 220.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 268 Mt | Lower: 32 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 3.7 t | Lower: 3.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | $6.72B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | 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
Thailand is growing faster: 2.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.3%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.1% in Thailand and 0.2% in Switzerland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 112 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Switzerland: $7,309 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Thailand is the younger society: median age 40.6 versus 42.9 years.
Life expectancy is 7.8 years longer in Switzerland (84.4 vs 76.6).
Switzerland is considerably more urbanized: 86% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is 12 times the size of Switzerland: 513,120 km² versus 41,284 km².
Military
Switzerland spends 22% more on defence than Thailand: $6.72B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 20,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Switzerland?
- Thailand is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Switzerland covers 41,284 km², so Thailand is 12 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Switzerland?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 9.09 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Switzerland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Switzerland is richer: $114,769 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $1.04T for Switzerland.
- Who spends more on their military, Thailand or Switzerland?
- Switzerland spends more: $6.72B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).