Military expenditure (current USD) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Military expenditure was 80.33 billion current USD in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
80.33 billion current USD
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
7th
of 168 countries
All-time high
87.19 billion current USD
in 2015
All-time low
71.56 million current USD
in 1961
Years of data
61
1960–2024
Military expenditure in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2024
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current USD.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 80.33 billion current USD for military expenditure in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Saudi Arabia peaked at 87.19 billion current USD in 2015 and was at its lowest, 71.56 million current USD, in 1961.
Saudi Arabia ranks 7th of 168 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | current USD | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 140.89 million current USD | — |
| 1961 | 71.56 million current USD | -49.2% |
| 1962 | 84.22 million current USD | +17.7% |
| 1963 | 113.78 million current USD | +35.1% |
| 1964 | 123.56 million current USD | +8.6% |
| 1965 | 177.78 million current USD | +43.9% |
| 1966 | 300.44 million current USD | +69.0% |
| 1967 | 336.22 million current USD | +11.9% |
| 1968 | 338.67 million current USD | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 429.33 million current USD | +26.8% |
| 1970 | 471.56 million current USD | +9.8% |
| 1971 | 587.27 million current USD | +24.5% |
| 1972 | 930.58 million current USD | +58.5% |
| 1973 | 1.57 billion current USD | +68.2% |
| 1977 | 11.58 billion current USD | +640.0% |
| 1978 | 13.40 billion current USD | +15.7% |
| 1979 | 17.62 billion current USD | +31.4% |
| 1980 | 20.72 billion current USD | +17.6% |
| 1981 | 24.40 billion current USD | +17.7% |
| 1982 | 27.10 billion current USD | +11.0% |
| 1983 | 21.87 billion current USD | -19.3% |
| 1984 | 22.67 billion current USD | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 17.66 billion current USD | -22.1% |
| 1987 | 14.46 billion current USD | -18.1% |
| 1988 | 13.35 billion current USD | -7.6% |
| 1989 | 12.75 billion current USD | -4.5% |
| 1990 | 16.36 billion current USD | +28.3% |
| 1991 | 16.36 billion current USD | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 15.36 billion current USD | -6.1% |
| 1993 | 16.45 billion current USD | +7.1% |
| 1994 | 14.28 billion current USD | -13.2% |
| 1995 | 13.20 billion current USD | -7.6% |
| 1996 | 13.34 billion current USD | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 18.13 billion current USD | +35.9% |
| 1998 | 20.86 billion current USD | +15.1% |
| 1999 | 18.32 billion current USD | -12.2% |
| 2000 | 19.96 billion current USD | +9.0% |
| 2001 | 21.03 billion current USD | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 18.50 billion current USD | -12.0% |
| 2003 | 18.75 billion current USD | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 20.91 billion current USD | +11.5% |
| 2005 | 25.39 billion current USD | +21.4% |
| 2006 | 29.58 billion current USD | +16.5% |
| 2007 | 35.47 billion current USD | +19.9% |
| 2008 | 38.22 billion current USD | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 41.27 billion current USD | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 45.24 billion current USD | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 48.53 billion current USD | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 56.50 billion current USD | +16.4% |
| 2013 | 67.02 billion current USD | +18.6% |
| 2014 | 80.76 billion current USD | +20.5% |
| 2015 | 87.19 billion current USD | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 63.67 billion current USD | -27.0% |
| 2017 | 70.40 billion current USD | +10.6% |
| 2018 | 74.61 billion current USD | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 65.36 billion current USD | -12.4% |
| 2020 | 64.56 billion current USD | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 63.19 billion current USD | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 70.92 billion current USD | +12.2% |
| 2023 | 77.77 billion current USD | +9.7% |
| 2024 | 80.33 billion current USD | +3.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 80.33 billion current USD is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.62 billion current USD, 12.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 80.33 billion current USD is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.04 billion current USD, 19.9× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure 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 | +640.0% | 1.57 billion current USD | 11.58 billion current USD |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 211.64 million current USD | 71.56 million current USD | 429.33 million current USD | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.59 billion current USD | 471.56 million current USD | 17.62 billion current USD | 7 |
| 1980s | 19.44 billion current USD | 12.75 billion current USD | 27.10 billion current USD | 9 |
| 1990s | 16.27 billion current USD | 13.20 billion current USD | 20.86 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.91 billion current USD | 18.50 billion current USD | 41.27 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.93 billion current USD | 45.24 billion current USD | 87.19 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.35 billion current USD | 63.19 billion current USD | 80.33 billion current USD | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
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 in Saudi Arabia?
- Military expenditure in Saudi Arabia was 80.33 billion current USD in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 87.19 billion current USD in 2015.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.56 million current USD in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for military expenditure?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 7th out of 168 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)