Out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa
South Africa: Out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare was 90.6 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa is 90.6, 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 expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa peaked at 90.6 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 59.56, 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 expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.89 | — |
| 2001 | 84.81 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 79.6 | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 79.31 | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 79.84 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 81.05 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 81.87 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 80.71 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 79.17 | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 76.06 | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 78.74 | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 80.93 | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 80.27 | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 82.44 | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 59.56 | -27.8% |
| 2015 | 61.89 | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 63.2 | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 63.94 | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 63.07 | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 63.26 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 73.5 | +16.2% |
| 2021 | 78.53 | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 86.72 | +10.4% |
| 2023 | 90.6 | +4.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 90.6 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 382.2, 24% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 90.6 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.04, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out of pocket expenditure 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 | 59.56 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.83 | 76.06 | 85.89 | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.73 | 59.56 | 82.44 | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.34 | 73.5 | 90.6 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,333 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.046 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa?
- Out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare in South Africa was 90.6 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.6 in 2023.
- What is the lowest out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.56 in 2014.
- How does South Africa rank for out of pocket expenditure per capita on healthcare?
- South Africa ranks 144th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out of pocket expenditure 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Out of pocket expenditure 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).