Subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Subsidies and other transfers was 11.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
11.3%
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
146th
of 152 countries
All-time high
19.2%
in 2012
All-time low
7.0%
in 2010
Years of data
14
2010–2023

Subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia, 2010–2023

051015202010201620232010: 7 % of expense2011: 8.9 % of expense2012: 19.2 % of expense2013: 10.5 % of expense2014: 11.9 % of expense2015: 10.6 % of expense2016: 7.7 % of expense2017: 8.2 % of expense2018: 8.4 % of expense2019: 13.2 % of expense2020: 12.9 % of expense2021: 11.2 % of expense2022: 11 % of expense2023: 11.3 % of expense

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.

Analysis

In 2023, subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia stood at 11.3%.

That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia peaked at 19.2% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 2010.

Saudi Arabia ranks 146th of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia, year by year

Annual values for Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Saudi Arabia, 2010 to 2023.
Year % of expense Change
2010 7.0%
2011 8.9% +26.2%
2012 19.2% +116.5%
2013 10.5% -45.6%
2014 11.9% +13.6%
2015 10.6% -10.9%
2016 7.7% -27.5%
2017 8.2% +6.6%
2018 8.4% +2.8%
2019 13.2% +57.4%
2020 12.9% -2.7%
2021 11.2% -13.0%
2022 11.0% -2.0%
2023 11.3% +2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 10.6% 7.0% 19.2% 10
2020s 11.6% 11.0% 12.9% 4

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

  1. 143 Guinea-Bissau 11.9% compare
  2. 144 Mozambique 11.9% compare
  3. 145 Lao People's Democratic Republic 11.7% compare
  4. 147 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10.7% compare
  5. 148 Tonga 10.6% compare
  6. 149 Afghanistan 10.5% compare

See the full ranking of 192 places →

More public sector data for Saudi Arabia

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia?
Subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia was 11.3% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The highest recorded value was 19.2% in 2012.
What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 2010.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for subsidies and other transfers?
Saudi Arabia ranks 146th out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Subsidies and other transfers in Saudi Arabia. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/subsidies-and-other-transfers-percent-of-expense/saudi-arabia/

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About this data

Indicator
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense)
Unit
% of expense
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
192 places, 4,500 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.