List of countries by social welfare spending


This is a list of countries by spending on social welfare. Countries with the highest levels of spending are more likely to be considered welfare states.

As a percentage of GDP

These tables are lists of social welfare spending as a percentage of GDP compiled by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development into the OECD Social Expenditure Database which "includes reliable and internationally comparable statistics on public and mandatory and voluntary private social expenditure at programme level."

Public social spending

Country20182016201020052000
131.231.530.728.727.5
228.929.028.325.323.5
328.730.827.423.922.6
428.028.728.925.223.8
527.928.927.624.122.6
626.627.827.625.925.5
726.127.126.327.426.8
825.125.325.926.325.4
925.025.121.920.720.4
1023.724.625.820.419.5
1123.527.023.820.418.4
1222.624.124.522.318.5
1322.421.822.922.418.6
1421.9
1521.222.823.421.422.4
1621.120.220.620.920.2
1720.621.522.819.417.7
1819.420.623.021.920.1
1918.9
2018.719.419.818.118.0
2118.719.319.315.614.3
2218.417.418.313.013.8
2317.819.116.716.718.2
2417.3
2517.018.618.115.817.6
2616.722.022.120.518.4
2716.214.518.712.214.8
2816.2
2916.016.116.016.317.0
3016.019.718.418.416.3
3116.015.217.015.914.6
3214.416.122.414.912.6
3312.5
3411.110.48.36.14.5
3510.9
367.5

Total net social spending

Total net social spending takes into account public and private social expenditure, and also includes the effect of direct taxes, indirect taxation of consumption on cash benefits, as well as tax breaks for social purposes.
Country2015
131.7
230
326.7
426.3
525.4
625.4
725.3
824.8
924.5
1024.5
1124.3
1223.7
1323.5
1423.5
1523
1622.9
1722.4
1822
1920.9
20OECD Average20.9
2120.6
2218.6
2318.2
2418.2
2518.1
2617.6
2717.4
2816.5
2916.1
3014.9
3113.7
3213.3
3313
3411.2
357.7
360.9

Per capita

This table lists social spending per head 2015, 2010, and 2005, in constant 2010 prices adjusted for purchasing power parity, in US dollars.
Country201520102005
119,427.6019,806.9018,877.00
214,711.2012,780.7012,138.60
312,895.2012,308.1010,985.60
411,926.2011,592.2010,398.20
511,917.4011,338.909,798.50
611,796.1011,180.0010,248.40
711,664.1010,929.3010,920.60
811,514.6010,601.609,125.20
910,598.7010,347.009,731.60
109,734.409,317.307,574.00
119,456.909,417.108,765.80
129,397.8010,638.707,293.50
138,649.307,968.907,791.20
148,328.106,997.006,713.50
158,292.308,045.406,740.80
168,214.107,512.306,071.90
178,069.107,922.208,612.30
187,832.107,902.206,599.00
197,456.207,028.206,439.00
20OECD - Average7,071.107,203.406,289.20
216,612.506,416.605,448.00
226,589.206,514.006,273.80
236,418.806,689.805,947.80
246,364.506,495.205,593.00
256,027.607,001.905,762.20
265,799.705,439.704,541.20
275,031.104,965.404,721.00
285,005.804,465.703,129.70
294,852.404,452.303,905.40
304,639.203,948.402,801.50
314,084.303,899.702,418.90
323,493.302,495.801,563.20
333,481.503,427.302,068.00
342,656.902,131.801,582.40
352,243.101,894.201,405.60
361,280.001,124.10656.40
n/an/a4,292.703,454.90