Mexico vs South Korea
Mexico vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $13.8B in Mexico and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $35.1B, or 3.54 times that in Mexico.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 1966, when it overtook Mexico.
- In 2025, Mexico ranked 28 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Mexico | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13.8B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $20.6B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $12B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $12.2B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $11.5B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $11.9B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $9.11B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $8.29B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $7.41B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $8.18B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $7.31B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $7.79B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $7.45B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $7.05B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $6.66B | $32B |
| 2010 | $6.1B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $6.4B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $5.33B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $5.36B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $4B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $4.26B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $4.19B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $4.35B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $4.36B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $4.51B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $4.56B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $4.42B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $4.2B | $20B |
| 1997 | $4.07B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $4.07B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $3.83B | $20B |
| 1994 | $4.58B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $3.65B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $3.42B | $17B |
| 1991 | $3.08B | $16B |
| 1990 | $2.92B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $3.08B | $15B |
| 1988 | $2.91B | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $3.13B | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $3.23B | $13B |
| 1985 | $3.84B | $12B |
| 1984 | $3.69B | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $2.94B | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $3.07B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $3.18B | $10B |
| 1980 | $2.4B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $2.53B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $2.27B | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $2.24B | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $2.39B | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $2.13B | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $1.98B | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $1.81B | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $1.64B | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $1.36B | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $1.32B | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $1.41B | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $1.21B | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $1.11B | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $1.12B | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $1.06B | $767M |
| 1964 | $1.11B | $730M |
| 1963 | $1.06B | $771M |
| 1962 | $943M | $933M |
| 1961 | $831M | $804M |
| 1960 | $821M | $771M |
| 1959 | $728M | $796M |
| 1958 | $744M | $750M |
| 1957 | $800M | $635M |
| 1956 | $737M | $739M |
| 1955 | $722M | $516M |
| 1954 | $762M | $465M |
| 1953 | $604M | $185M |
| 1952 | $533M | – |
| 1951 | $576M | – |
| 1950 | $569M | – |
| 1949 | $511M | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Mexico vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyMexico: 75.1 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMexico: 1.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMexico: 10.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMexico: 43% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionMexico: 2.79% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateMexico: 5.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMexico: 130 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthMexico: 0.88% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMexico: 1.91 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMexico: 80% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageMexico: 28.9 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMexico: 8% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateMexico: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMexico: 0.74% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personMexico: $104 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMexico: 2.5% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMexico: 341,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerMexico: 1.14% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMexico: 0.64% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMexico: 9 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMexico: 1 million TIV in 2019South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025