Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa
South Africa: Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare was 90.6 current international $ in 2023. ▼ Falling
Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current international $.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa is 90.6 current international $, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa peaked at 90.6 current international $ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 59.56 current international $, in 2014.
South Africa ranks 144th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current international $ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.89 current international $ | — |
| 2001 | 84.81 current international $ | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 79.6 current international $ | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 79.31 current international $ | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 79.84 current international $ | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 81.05 current international $ | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 81.87 current international $ | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 80.71 current international $ | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 79.17 current international $ | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 76.06 current international $ | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 78.74 current international $ | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 80.93 current international $ | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 80.27 current international $ | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 82.44 current international $ | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 59.56 current international $ | -27.8% |
| 2015 | 61.89 current international $ | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 63.2 current international $ | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 63.94 current international $ | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 63.07 current international $ | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 63.26 current international $ | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 73.5 current international $ | +16.2% |
| 2021 | 78.53 current international $ | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 86.72 current international $ | +10.4% |
| 2023 | 90.6 current international $ | +4.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 90.6 current international $ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 382.2 current international $, 24% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 90.6 current international $ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.04 current international $, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | -27.8% | 82.44 current international $ | 59.56 current international $ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.83 current international $ | 76.06 current international $ | 85.89 current international $ | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.73 current international $ | 59.56 current international $ | 82.44 current international $ | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.34 current international $ | 73.5 current international $ | 90.6 current international $ | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 141 Guinea 91.82 current international $ compare
- 142 Oman 91.15 current international $ compare
- 143 Senegal 91.14 current international $ compare
- 145 Syrian Arab Republic 88.66 current international $ compare
- 146 Sierra Leone 86.56 current international $ compare
- 147 Angola 80.84 current international $ compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa?
- Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare in South Africa was 90.6 current international $ in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.6 current international $ in 2023.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.56 current international $ in 2014.
- How does South Africa rank for out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare?
- South Africa ranks 144th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Out-of-pocket spending per capita on healthcare. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Out-of-pocket spending is defined as direct payments made by individuals to health care providers at the time of service use. This data is adjusted for differences in living costs between countries, but it is not adjusted for inflation.