New Zealand vs United States: Alcohol consumption per person
New Zealand
10.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2020
United States
9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2020
New Zealand rank
27th
United States rank
29th
Alcohol consumption per person over time
- New Zealand
- United States
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 10.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age against 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in United States, a difference of 0.12 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Across all 21 years both countries report, New Zealand has been ahead every year.
New Zealand ranks 27th and United States ranks 29th of 185 countries.
New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.03 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.25 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 0.772 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 9.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.49 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 0.442 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 10.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 0.12 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher alcohol consumption per person, New Zealand or United States?
- New Zealand, at 10.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age against 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in United States as of 2020.
- What is the difference in alcohol consumption per person between New Zealand and United States?
- 0.12 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and United States?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2020.
- How do New Zealand and United States rank globally for alcohol consumption per person?
- New Zealand ranks 27th and United States ranks 29th of 185 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.