Final consumption expenditure in South Africa
South Africa: Final consumption expenditure was 84.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Final consumption expenditure in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for final consumption expenditure in South Africa is 84.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, final consumption expenditure in South Africa peaked at 84.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 64.7%, in 1974.
South Africa ranks 70th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Final consumption expenditure in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 68.4% | — |
| 1961 | 67.4% | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 67.6% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 66.2% | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 67.5% | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 66.7% | -1.2% |
| 1966 | 66.8% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 65.2% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 66.8% | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 67.3% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 69.1% | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 70.8% | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 70.0% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 66.6% | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 64.7% | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 70.0% | +8.1% |
| 1976 | 70.7% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 70.2% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 69.7% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 68.5% | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 66.3% | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 70.0% | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 73.1% | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 73.9% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 75.0% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 74.5% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 75.9% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 78.2% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 78.4% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 77.7% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 81.8% | +5.3% |
| 1991 | 82.3% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 83.0% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 81.9% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 82.7% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 81.2% | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 82.0% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 82.8% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 82.7% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 82.9% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 82.2% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 81.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 78.8% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 80.7% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 79.7% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 79.4% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 79.4% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 80.1% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 79.8% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 80.4% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 83.1% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 82.9% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 83.0% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 82.7% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 82.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 82.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 83.3% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 83.7% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 83.3% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 80.9% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 82.2% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 83.4% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 83.8% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 84.7% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 67.0% | 65.2% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 69.0% | 64.7% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.3% | 66.3% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 82.3% | 81.2% | 83.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.1% | 78.8% | 82.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.5% | 80.4% | 83.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 80.9% | 84.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 4.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1387 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 915.19 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 16,372 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 0.7139 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1196 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is final consumption expenditure in South Africa?
- Final consumption expenditure in South Africa was 84.7% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.7% in 1974.
- How does South Africa rank for final consumption expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 70th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is final consumption expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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. Final consumption expenditure can be measured for households, general government, the central bank and non-profit institutions serving households. 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.