Goods and services expense (% of expense) in Singapore
Singapore: Goods and services expense (% of expense) was 27.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Goods and services expense in Singapore, 1972–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for goods and services expense in Singapore is 27.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 13.0% on the previous year and down 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, goods and services expense in Singapore peaked at 43.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 1987.
Singapore ranks 21st of 154 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Goods and services expense (% of expense) in Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 31.8% | — |
| 1973 | 30.4% | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 30.6% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 36.9% | +20.5% |
| 1976 | 37.7% | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 39.9% | +5.9% |
| 1978 | 34.4% | -13.6% |
| 1979 | 34.8% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 36.1% | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 43.1% | +19.3% |
| 1982 | 39.3% | -8.7% |
| 1983 | 32.8% | -16.6% |
| 1984 | 33.8% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 27.9% | -17.6% |
| 1986 | 20.3% | -27.2% |
| 1987 | 16.7% | -17.7% |
| 1988 | 23.4% | +40.1% |
| 1989 | 24.6% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 28.4% | +15.4% |
| 1991 | 25.0% | -12.0% |
| 1992 | 27.8% | +11.3% |
| 1993 | 29.2% | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 37.1% | +27.1% |
| 1995 | 38.2% | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 27.7% | -27.6% |
| 1997 | 33.3% | +20.5% |
| 1998 | 32.8% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 35.5% | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 32.9% | -7.3% |
| 2001 | 30.6% | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 34.4% | +12.3% |
| 2003 | 34.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 34.6% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 39.6% | +14.5% |
| 2006 | 36.1% | -8.7% |
| 2007 | 43.5% | +20.4% |
| 2008 | 39.7% | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 35.6% | -10.5% |
| 2010 | 35.8% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 32.5% | -9.2% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 33.0% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 32.7% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 28.6% | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 32.6% | +13.9% |
| 2017 | 33.8% | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 33.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 34.2% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 23.7% | -30.9% |
| 2021 | 31.2% | +31.7% |
| 2022 | 32.0% | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 27.9% | -13.0% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 27.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.6%, 2.9× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 27.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 22.3%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.6% | 30.4% | 39.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 29.8% | 16.7% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.5% | 25.0% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.1% | 30.6% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.0% | 28.6% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.7% | 23.7% | 32.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 18 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28.3% compare
- 19 East Timor 28.3% compare
- 20 Seychelles 27.9% compare
- 22 Rwanda 27.8% compare
- 23 Democratic Republic of Congo 27.5% compare
- 24 Saudi Arabia 27.4% compare
More public sector data for Singapore
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 57.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 57.65 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.95 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is goods and services expense in Singapore?
- Goods and services expense in Singapore was 27.9% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest goods and services expense recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 43.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest goods and services expense recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 1987.
- How does Singapore rank for goods and services expense?
- Singapore ranks 21st out of 154 countries with data for 2023.
- Is goods and services expense rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Goods and services expense (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Use of goods and services for own account capital formation is excluded. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.