Health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 13.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia stood at 13.7%.
The figure is down 5.6% on the previous year and up 56.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia peaked at 14.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 2010.
That places Saudi Arabia 58th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.2% | — |
| 2001 | 8.8% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | -12.1% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | -16.8% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | -9.0% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | +10.8% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 10.1% | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 12.6% | +25.3% |
| 2017 | 13.5% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 11.0% | -18.2% |
| 2019 | 12.0% | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 13.3% | +11.2% |
| 2021 | 14.4% | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 14.5% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 13.7% | -5.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.5% | 7.1% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.0% | 6.8% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 13.3% | 14.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 55 United Arab Emirates 14.4% compare
- 56 Cape Verde 13.8% compare
- 57 France 13.7% compare
- 59 Russian Federation 13.7% compare
- 60 Bahamas 13.5% compare
- 61 Palau 13.3% compare
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 7.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 5.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0027 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Saudi Arabia was 13.7% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 2010.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 58th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.