Out-of-pocket expenditure in India
India: Out-of-pocket expenditure was 43.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Out-of-pocket expenditure in India, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-pocket expenditure in India is 43.9%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 36.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket expenditure in India peaked at 74.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 43.9%, in 2023.
India ranks 48th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket expenditure in India, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 71.7% | — |
| 2001 | 74.1% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 73.4% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 72.5% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 73.1% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 72.3% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 70.8% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 69.1% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 66.8% | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 65.2% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 62.2% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 63.0% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 69.1% | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 67.0% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 64.7% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 63.2% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 55.1% | -12.8% |
| 2018 | 53.2% | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 52.0% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 49.5% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 45.1% | -8.9% |
| 2022 | 44.5% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 43.9% | -1.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 43.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.6%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 43.9% is below the median for South Asia, which is 49.3%, 89% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 71.7% | 66.8% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.5% | 52.0% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.8% | 43.9% | 49.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 45 Lao People's Democratic Republic 44.8% compare
- 46 Philippines 44.4% compare
- 47 Senegal 44.3% compare
- 49 Burkina Faso 43.8% compare
- 50 Mauritania 43.8% compare
- 51 Iran, Islamic Republic of 43.1% compare
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % 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 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % 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 expenditure in India?
- Out-of-pocket expenditure in India was 43.9% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 74.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.9% in 2023.
- How does India rank for out-of-pocket expenditure?
- India ranks 48th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket expenditure rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Share of out-of-pocket payments of total current health expenditures. Out-of-pocket payments are spending on health directly out-of-pocket by households.