Australia vs Low & middle income: General government final consumption expenditure
General government final consumption expenditure over time
- Australia
- Low & middle income
How they compare
Australia currently reports 23.1% against 15.3% in Low & middle income, a difference of 7.8%.
That makes Australia's figure about 1.5 times Low & middle income's.
Across all 65 years both countries report, Australia has been ahead every year.
Australia ranks 33rd and Low & middle income ranks 30th of 187 countries.
Australia has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | Low & middle income | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.1% | 10.5% | 1.7% | Australia |
| 1970s | 15.8% | 12.0% | 3.8% | Australia |
| 1980s | 18.4% | 12.8% | 5.6% | Australia |
| 1990s | 18.6% | 13.2% | 5.4% | Australia |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 13.6% | 4.7% | Australia |
| 2010s | 19.3% | 14.9% | 4.3% | Australia |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 15.4% | 6.5% | Australia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher general government final consumption expenditure, Australia or Low & middle income?
- Australia, at 23.1% against 15.3% in Low & middle income as of 2025.
- What is the difference in general government final consumption expenditure between Australia and Low & middle income?
- 7.8%, with Australia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Low & middle income?
- 65 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2024.
- How do Australia and Low & middle income rank globally for general government final consumption expenditure?
- Australia ranks 33rd and Low & middle income ranks 30th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Final consumption expenditure is expenditure on goods and services by resident institutional units for the direct satisfaction of human needs or wants, whether individual or collective. General government FCE includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees), and most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.