Countries in South America Ranked by Health expenditure share of GDP (2023)
Health expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Chile ranks #1 with 10.5% of GDP (2024). Argentina is second with 10.3% of GDP, 2.5% behind. The top five are Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. The median across all 12 is 7.85% of GDP; Guyana is last at 2.47% of GDP. Chile's figure has risen 45% since 2000 (7% of GDP to 10.2% of GDP in 2023).
- #1
- Chile · 10.5% of GDP
- Median
- 7.85% of GDP
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Health expenditure share of GDP (% of GDP) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chile | 10.5 | 2024 |
| 2 | Argentina | 10.3 | 2023 |
| 3 | Brazil | 9.73 | 2023 |
| 4 | Uruguay | 9.02 | 2023 |
| 5 | Paraguay | 8.36 | 2023 |
| 6 | Colombia | 8.14 | 2024 |
| 7 | Ecuador | 7.56 | 2023 |
| 8 | Bolivia | 6.92 | 2023 |
| 9 | Peru | 5.64 | 2023 |
| 10 | Suriname | 5.41 | 2023 |
| 11 | Venezuela, RB | 3.78 | 2023 |
| 12 | Guyana | 2.47 | 2023 |
About the top 10
#1 Chile
Chile ranks #1 on this list with 10.5% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#2 Argentina
Argentina ranks #2 on this list with 10.3% of GDP.
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#3 Brazil
Brazil ranks #3 on this list with 9.73% of GDP.
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#4 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #4 on this list with 9.02% of GDP.
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
#5 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #5 on this list with 8.36% of GDP.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
#6 Colombia
Colombia ranks #6 on this list with 8.14% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#7 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #7 on this list with 7.56% of GDP.
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#8 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #8 on this list with 6.92% of GDP.
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
#9 Peru
Peru ranks #9 on this list with 5.64% of GDP.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#10 Suriname
Suriname ranks #10 on this list with 5.41% of GDP.
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 639,850 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.52 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,070 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in forest area share · #3 in irrigated land share · #3 in water resources per capita.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Health expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Current health expenditure (% of GDP): Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.