Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Military expenditure (current USD), per capita was 2,276 current USD per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current USD per person.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 2,276 current USD per person for military expenditure (current usd), per capita in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Saudi Arabia peaked at 3,970 current USD per person in 1982 and was at its lowest, 28.32 current USD per person, in 1961.
That places Saudi Arabia 6th out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | current USD per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 57.85 current USD per person | — |
| 1961 | 28.32 current USD per person | -51.0% |
| 1962 | 32.13 current USD per person | +13.5% |
| 1963 | 41.84 current USD per person | +30.2% |
| 1964 | 43.78 current USD per person | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 60.7 current USD per person | +38.6% |
| 1966 | 98.83 current USD per person | +62.8% |
| 1967 | 106.49 current USD per person | +7.7% |
| 1968 | 103.17 current USD per person | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 125.64 current USD per person | +21.8% |
| 1970 | 132.37 current USD per person | +5.4% |
| 1971 | 157.7 current USD per person | +19.1% |
| 1972 | 238.26 current USD per person | +51.1% |
| 1973 | 381.26 current USD per person | +60.0% |
| 1977 | 2,279 current USD per person | +497.8% |
| 1978 | 2,491 current USD per person | +9.3% |
| 1979 | 3,089 current USD per person | +24.0% |
| 1980 | 3,427 current USD per person | +10.9% |
| 1981 | 3,800 current USD per person | +10.9% |
| 1982 | 3,970 current USD per person | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 3,016 current USD per person | -24.0% |
| 1984 | 2,945 current USD per person | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 2,166 current USD per person | -26.5% |
| 1987 | 1,584 current USD per person | -26.9% |
| 1988 | 1,387 current USD per person | -12.4% |
| 1989 | 1,259 current USD per person | -9.2% |
| 1990 | 1,537 current USD per person | +22.1% |
| 1991 | 1,465 current USD per person | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 1,314 current USD per person | -10.3% |
| 1993 | 1,347 current USD per person | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 1,120 current USD per person | -16.8% |
| 1995 | 993.31 current USD per person | -11.3% |
| 1996 | 964.5 current USD per person | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 1,261 current USD per person | +30.7% |
| 1998 | 1,398 current USD per person | +10.9% |
| 1999 | 1,184 current USD per person | -15.3% |
| 2000 | 1,234 current USD per person | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 1,234 current USD per person | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 1,033 current USD per person | -16.3% |
| 2003 | 997.91 current USD per person | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 1,063 current USD per person | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 1,235 current USD per person | +16.2% |
| 2006 | 1,378 current USD per person | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 1,586 current USD per person | +15.0% |
| 2008 | 1,641 current USD per person | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 1,704 current USD per person | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 1,887 current USD per person | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 1,934 current USD per person | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 2,159 current USD per person | +11.6% |
| 2013 | 2,426 current USD per person | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 2,853 current USD per person | +17.6% |
| 2015 | 2,924 current USD per person | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 2,057 current USD per person | -29.7% |
| 2017 | 2,273 current USD per person | +10.5% |
| 2018 | 2,471 current USD per person | +8.7% |
| 2019 | 2,174 current USD per person | -12.0% |
| 2020 | 2,046 current USD per person | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 2,053 current USD per person | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 2,204 current USD per person | +7.4% |
| 2023 | 2,307 current USD per person | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 2,276 current USD per person | -1.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 2,276 current USD per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 755.22 current USD per person, 3.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 2,276 current USD per person is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 168.48 current USD per person, 13.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +497.8% | 381.26 current USD per person | 2,279 current USD per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 69.88 current USD per person | 28.32 current USD per person | 125.64 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,253 current USD per person | 132.37 current USD per person | 3,089 current USD per person | 7 |
| 1980s | 2,617 current USD per person | 1,259 current USD per person | 3,970 current USD per person | 9 |
| 1990s | 1,258 current USD per person | 964.5 current USD per person | 1,537 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,311 current USD per person | 997.91 current USD per person | 1,704 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,316 current USD per person | 1,887 current USD per person | 2,924 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,177 current USD per person | 2,046 current USD per person | 2,307 current USD per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 3 United States 2,933 current USD per person compare
- 4 United Arab Emirates 2,823 current USD per person compare
- 5 Singapore 2,495 current USD per person compare
- 7 Norway 1,873 current USD per person compare
- 8 Ukraine 1,709 current USD per person compare
- 9 Denmark 1,666 current USD per person compare
More public sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Democracy 0 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 0 (2025)
- Elected parliament 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Arms imports 1.11 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 31.47 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0009 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Saudi Arabia?
- Military expenditure (current usd), per capita in Saudi Arabia was 2,276 current USD per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 3,970 current USD per person in 1982.
- What is the lowest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.32 current USD per person in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for military expenditure (current usd), per capita?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 6th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure (current usd), per capita rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military expenditure (current USD) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military expenditure SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.