Australia vs South Africa: Government expenditure per student, primary

Australia
19.3%
in 2016
South Africa
17.9%
in 2018
Australia rank
38th
South Africa rank
41st

Government expenditure per student, primary over time

  • Australia
  • South Africa
05101520199520062018

How they compare

Australia currently reports 19.3% against 17.9% in South Africa, a difference of 1.4%.

That makes Australia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 10 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Australia ahead.

Australia ranks 38th and South Africa ranks 41st of 122 countries.

Australia has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Australia South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 17.9% 14.2% 3.7% Australia
2010s 19.7% 17.9% 1.8% Australia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher government expenditure per student, primary, Australia or South Africa?
Australia, at 19.3% against 17.9% in South Africa as of 2016.
What is the difference in government expenditure per student, primary between Australia and South Africa?
1.4%, with Australia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and South Africa?
10 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2014.
How do Australia and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure per student, primary?
Australia ranks 38th and South Africa ranks 41st of 122 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Australia vs South Africa: Government expenditure per student, primary. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/government-expenditure-per-student-primary-percent-of-gdp-per-capita/australia/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita)
Unit
% of GDP per capita
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
143 places, 1,741 data points, 1995–2018
Last refreshed

Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.