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Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) by country

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.

Countries reporting
122
Highest
49.1%
Cuba
Lowest
3.3%
Monaco
Median
15.3%
Years covered
24
1995–2018
Data points
1,741

What the numbers show

Government expenditure per student, primary (% of GDP per capita) is currently reported for 122 countries. The highest value is 49.1% in Cuba; the lowest is 3.3% in Monaco.

The median across all reporting countries is 15.3%, and the mean is 16.0%.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 15.

Over the past decade 75 countries rose and 45 fell. The largest increase was in Zambia (up 169.7%), and the largest decrease in Romania (down 78.4%).

Government expenditure per student, primary: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Cuba 49.1% 2010 up 73.5% rising
2 Serbia 43.7% 2015 down 13.0% falling
3 Djibouti 37.3% 2016 up 73.5% falling
4 Republic of Moldova 32.5% 2018 down 3.3% falling
5 Cyprus 31.9% 2016 up 44.1% rising
6 Oman 31.8% 2016 up 122.2% rising
7 Ukraine 30.3% 2017 up 7.8% falling
8 Denmark 25.1% 2014 up 3.5% flat
9 Switzerland 24.8% 2016 up 18.1% rising
10 Latvia 24.5% 2016 down 27.2% rising
11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 24.2% 2016 up 22.5% rising
12 Slovenia 23.6% 2016 down 17.0% flat
13 Austria 23.5% 2016 up 4.0% flat
14 Thailand 23.3% 2013 up 74.0% rising
15 Poland 23.1% 2016 down 7.0% rising
16 Bulgaria 23.0% 2013 up 27.9% rising
17 Malta 22.8% 2015 up 87.8% rising
18 Portugal 22.5% 2015 up 3.8% rising
19 Iceland 22.1% 2016 down 12.5% rising
20 Sweden 21.7% 2016 down 5.9% flat
21 Norway 21.7% 2016 up 22.2% falling
22 Jamaica 21.7% 2018 up 31.9% rising
23 Israel 21.5% 2016 up 4.6% flat
24 Finland 21.5% 2016 up 24.1% rising
25 Viet Nam 21.1% 2013 up 17.3% rising
26 Costa Rica 20.8% 2018 up 28.4% rising
27 Slovakia 20.8% 2016 up 39.5% rising
28 Barbados 20.8% 2016 up 8.2% rising
29 Lesotho 20.7% 2018 down 3.9% falling
30 New Zealand 20.3% 2016 — rising
31 Estonia 20.3% 2016 up 4.5% rising
32 Brazil 20.1% 2015 up 32.0% rising
33 United States of America 19.9% 2016 down 10.0% falling
34 Luxembourg 19.7% 2015 up 28.7% flat
35 Italy 19.5% 2016 down 17.6% falling
36 Morocco 19.5% 2013 up 22.7% rising
37 Lithuania 19.5% 2016 up 23.7% rising
38 Australia 19.3% 2016 up 8.9% rising
39 Hungary 19.1% 2016 down 23.9% flat
40 Chile 18.4% 2017 up 63.9% rising
41 South Africa 17.9% 2018 up 34.7% rising
42 Liechtenstein 17.8% 2011 up 60.3% rising
43 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17.5% 2018 down 12.8% flat
44 Germany 17.4% 2016 up 11.8% rising
45 Tunisia 17.4% 2008 up 16.9% rising
46 France 17.4% 2016 up 0.9% flat
47 Spain 17.1% 2016 down 10.0% flat
48 Namibia 17.1% 2010 down 9.7% falling
49 Aruba 17.1% 2014 up 49.7% rising
50 Colombia 17.0% 2018 up 37.8% rising
51 Syrian Arab Republic 16.9% 2012 up 28.2% rising
52 Cape Verde 16.7% 2017 up 24.6% flat
53 Belize 16.6% 2017 up 17.2% rising
54 Eswatini 16.5% 2014 up 64.9% rising
55 Dominican Republic 16.2% 2018 up 140.9% rising
56 Togo 16.2% 2016 up 155.4% rising
57 Malaysia 16.1% 2017 up 49.2% rising
58 Burkina Faso 16.1% 2015 down 51.6% falling
59 El Salvador 16.1% 2018 up 54.1% rising
60 Maldives 16.1% 2016 up 15.0% rising
61 Mauritius 15.6% 2018 up 71.9% rising
62 Trinidad and Tobago 15.1% 2009 up 45.0% flat
63 Argentina 15.0% 2017 up 18.0% rising
64 Hong Kong, China 14.8% 2018 up 19.8% rising
65 Saint Lucia 14.7% 2018 up 19.1% falling
66 Dominica 14.6% 2015 up 6.8% flat
67 Kuwait 14.4% 2014 up 1.1% volatile
68 Seychelles 14.2% 2016 down 7.9% rising
69 Mongolia 14.1% 2017 up 3.9% rising
70 Czechia 13.9% 2016 up 12.1% rising
71 Mexico 13.8% 2016 up 2.5% rising
72 Vanuatu 13.5% 2015 down 19.1% rising
73 Jordan 13.3% 2018 down 3.8% falling
74 Niger 13.3% 2017 down 60.3% falling
75 Indonesia 13.3% 2015 up 15.6% rising
76 Côte d'Ivoire 13.3% 2018 down 14.7% falling
77 Türkiye 13.0% 2016 — flat
78 Burundi 12.9% 2013 up 22.3% rising
79 Zambia 12.9% 2017 up 169.7% rising
80 Bhutan 12.8% 2014 up 54.8% rising
81 Uruguay 12.6% 2017 up 44.7% rising
82 Sierra Leone 12.4% 2018 up 60.5% rising
83 Nepal 12.4% 2015 up 11.7% rising
84 Mali 12.3% 2017 up 19.4% falling
85 Andorra 12.3% 2018 up 24.1% rising
86 Guatemala 11.9% 2018 up 11.4% rising
87 Ireland 11.8% 2016 down 16.9% rising
88 Paraguay 11.7% 2016 up 62.0% rising
89 Peru 11.2% 2018 up 30.5% rising
90 Iran, Islamic Republic of 11.1% 2017 down 30.3% falling
91 Kenya 11.0% 2015 down 55.7% falling
92 Senegal 10.9% 2018 down 17.9% rising
93 Benin 10.3% 2015 up 1.4% flat
94 Afghanistan 10.3% 2017 down 14.2% falling
95 Mauritania 10.2% 2016 up 21.7% flat
96 Armenia 10.2% 2017 down 5.9% flat
97 India 9.8% 2013 down 13.7% falling
98 Comoros 9.8% 2014 up 75.0% rising
99 Tanzania, United Republic of 9.5% 2014 down 13.1% falling
100 Ecuador 9.5% 2016 down 14.4% rising
101 Lao People's Democratic Republic 9.1% 2014 down 6.6% rising
102 Philippines 9.1% 2008 down 27.5% falling
103 Samoa 9.0% 2016 down 15.1% rising
104 Gambia 8.5% 2015 up 61.0% volatile
105 Malawi 8.2% 2016 up 60.4% falling
106 Bermuda 8.1% 2015 down 26.3% falling
107 Sri Lanka 7.9% 2018 up 9.5% rising
108 Ethiopia 7.9% 2015 down 14.1% falling
109 Romania 7.8% 2016 down 78.4% volatile
110 Guyana 7.8% 2012 down 57.1% falling
111 Guinea 6.8% 2016 up 48.0% rising
112 Cambodia 6.6% 2014 up 29.7% rising
113 Madagascar 6.6% 2012 down 41.6% flat
114 Ghana 6.4% 2014 down 72.9% falling
115 Chad 6.3% 2012 up 13.4% falling
116 Panama 6.3% 2011 down 39.8% falling
117 British Virgin Islands 6.2% 2017 down 15.3% flat
118 Turks and Caicos Islands 5.7% 2018 down 41.1% falling
119 Uganda 5.6% 2014 down 45.5% falling
120 Cameroon 5.4% 2012 down 9.6% falling
121 Rwanda 4.3% 2018 down 42.4% falling
122 Monaco 3.3% 2016 down 5.4% rising

Regions and income groups

Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.

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Government expenditure per student, primary by country. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-per-student-primary-percent-of-gdp-per-capita/

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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.