Out-of-pocket expenditure in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Out-of-pocket expenditure was 54.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Sri Lanka, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 54.8% for out-of-pocket expenditure in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 21.0% on the previous year and up 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket expenditure in Sri Lanka peaked at 54.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 37.5%, in 2020.
That places Sri Lanka 24th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.0% | — |
| 2001 | 41.1% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 40.5% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 37.6% | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 41.0% | +9.1% |
| 2005 | 40.5% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 40.9% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 44.9% | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 50.6% | +12.9% |
| 2009 | 53.3% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 53.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 51.2% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 51.9% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 48.9% | -5.8% |
| 2014 | 48.7% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 48.9% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 50.1% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 49.3% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 46.8% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 44.3% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | -15.3% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | +8.6% |
| 2022 | 45.3% | +11.2% |
| 2023 | 54.8% | +21.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 54.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 30.1%, 1.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 54.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 49.3%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 43.0% | 37.6% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 44.3% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.6% | 37.5% | 54.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Out-of-pocket expenditure in Sri Lanka was 54.8% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 54.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.5% in 2020.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for out-of-pocket expenditure?
- Sri Lanka ranks 24th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket expenditure rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.
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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.