Why life expectancy at 60 differs between countries
Imagine two people turn 60 on the same day. One lives in Japan and one lives in Mexico. How many more years does each expect?
The World Health Organization's 2019 life tables say 26.7 years for Japan and 22.2 for Mexico, both sexes combined. That is a gap of 4.5 years.
Years of life expected at 60, 2019, both sexes (World Health Organization)
| Country | Years at 60 | Change since 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 26.7 | +2.0 |
| Spain | 25.4 | +2.7 |
| Costa Rica | 24.5 | +2.0 |
| Portugal | 24.2 | +3.0 |
| Panama | 24.0 | +1.9 |
| Greece | 23.7 | +1.9 |
| Thailand | 23.4 | +2.7 |
| United States | 23.2 | +1.9 |
| Colombia | 22.7 | +2.4 |
| Mexico | 22.2 | +0.8 |
| Malaysia | 19.8 | +1.5 |
Figures are expected remaining years at age 60 to 64. 2019 is the last year before the pandemic.
The spread is wide. Across 185 countries the figure runs from 12.6 to 26.7 years. Among the countries in our retirement workbook, it runs from 16.0 in Fiji to 26.7 in Japan.
Most of the places retirees consider fall in a narrower band, from about 22 to 25 years. Within it, a country can be two or three years ahead of another.
Mexico stands out in the table for its small gain. Its figure rose 0.8 years from 2000 to 2019, while Portugal's rose 3.0 and Spain's rose 2.7.
These tables do not say what explains the gaps. The Global Burden of Disease study ranks the leading risk factors for older people as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and smoking. Across all ages, particulate air pollution ranks first.
Other articles in this series cover the pieces: the five habits, the gap between Americans and Europeans at the same wealth, and clean air.
A country average covers many places and many ways of living. It describes a population. It does not describe one person.
If you moved, would you take on the new country's figure? Studies of migrants suggest a partial shift over time. Our life expectancy calculator lets you test one-quarter, one-half or all of the gap.
Which country's number surprised you? Tell us in the comments. Someone may be comparing the same places.
Sources we read
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, life tables: life expectancy at age 60 to 64, 2019 and 2000 (indicator LIFE_0000000035). https://www.who.int/data/gho
GBD 2021 Risk Factors Collaborators, Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors, The Lancet, 2024. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00933-4/fulltext
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, GBD 2021 risk factors highlights (leading risks among older people). https://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/GBD_2021_Risk_Factors_infographic_3G_2024.05.15.pdf
Our life expectancy calculator on this site. https://claude.ai/artifact/UgScC4Cit4CGiZZMkP41Wi
Tell us in the comments