Military expenditure (current LCU) in Mexico
Mexico: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 262.17 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Mexico, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Mexico recorded 262.17 billion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025.
The figure is down 30.5% on the previous year and up 202.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Mexico peaked at 376.99 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.05 million current LCU, in 1960.
Mexico ranks 53rd of 168 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Mexico, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.05 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 1.08 million current LCU | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 1.24 million current LCU | +14.8% |
| 1963 | 1.40 million current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1964 | 1.50 million current LCU | +7.1% |
| 1965 | 1.49 million current LCU | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 1.63 million current LCU | +9.4% |
| 1967 | 1.67 million current LCU | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 1.86 million current LCU | +11.4% |
| 1969 | 2.25 million current LCU | +21.0% |
| 1970 | 2.21 million current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1971 | 2.39 million current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1972 | 3.03 million current LCU | +26.8% |
| 1973 | 3.76 million current LCU | +24.1% |
| 1974 | 5.09 million current LCU | +35.4% |
| 1975 | 6.31 million current LCU | +24.0% |
| 1976 | 8.20 million current LCU | +30.0% |
| 1977 | 9.88 million current LCU | +20.5% |
| 1978 | 11.80 million current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1979 | 15.50 million current LCU | +31.4% |
| 1980 | 18.60 million current LCU | +20.0% |
| 1981 | 31.50 million current LCU | +69.4% |
| 1982 | 48.40 million current LCU | +53.7% |
| 1983 | 93.50 million current LCU | +93.2% |
| 1984 | 194.00 million current LCU | +107.5% |
| 1985 | 319.00 million current LCU | +64.4% |
| 1986 | 500.00 million current LCU | +56.7% |
| 1987 | 1.12 billion current LCU | +124.2% |
| 1988 | 2.23 billion current LCU | +99.1% |
| 1989 | 2.84 billion current LCU | +27.2% |
| 1990 | 3.41 billion current LCU | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 4.40 billion current LCU | +29.3% |
| 1992 | 5.65 billion current LCU | +28.2% |
| 1993 | 6.61 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 1994 | 8.89 billion current LCU | +34.5% |
| 1995 | 10.03 billion current LCU | +12.8% |
| 1996 | 14.31 billion current LCU | +42.6% |
| 1997 | 17.29 billion current LCU | +20.9% |
| 1998 | 20.68 billion current LCU | +19.6% |
| 1999 | 25.36 billion current LCU | +22.7% |
| 2000 | 28.66 billion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 2001 | 30.17 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 30.63 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 31.94 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 32.21 billion current LCU | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 34.04 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 33.08 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 46.15 billion current LCU | +39.5% |
| 2008 | 48.24 billion current LCU | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 61.00 billion current LCU | +26.4% |
| 2010 | 60.51 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 68.31 billion current LCU | +12.9% |
| 2012 | 75.29 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 82.67 billion current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2014 | 89.84 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2015 | 86.67 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 99.65 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 2017 | 95.74 billion current LCU | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 112.33 billion current LCU | +17.3% |
| 2019 | 127.95 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 172.87 billion current LCU | +35.1% |
| 2021 | 176.00 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 202.43 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 210.37 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 376.99 billion current LCU | +79.2% |
| 2025 | 262.17 billion current LCU | -30.5% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 262.17 billion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.44 billion current LCU, 4.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 262.17 billion current LCU is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.18 billion current LCU, 21.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Mexico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +124.2% | 500.00 million current LCU | 1.12 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.52 million current LCU | 1.05 million current LCU | 2.25 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.82 million current LCU | 2.21 million current LCU | 15.50 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 739.70 million current LCU | 18.60 million current LCU | 2.84 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.66 billion current LCU | 3.41 billion current LCU | 25.36 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.61 billion current LCU | 28.66 billion current LCU | 61.00 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.90 billion current LCU | 60.51 billion current LCU | 127.95 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 233.47 billion current LCU | 172.87 billion current LCU | 376.99 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More public sector data for Mexico
- 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 9.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3515 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -98.76 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Mexico?
- Military expenditure in Mexico was 262.17 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 376.99 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.05 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does Mexico rank for military expenditure?
- Mexico ranks 53rd out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 202.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mexico data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)