Gross domestic product (GDP), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Gross domestic product (GDP), per capita was 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
119th
of 198 countries
All-time high
14,681 international-$ in 2021 prices per person
in 2013
All-time low
9,977 international-$ in 2021 prices per person
in 1993
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Gross domestic product (GDP), per capita in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per person.
Analysis
In 2025, gross domestic product (gdp), per capita in South Africa stood at 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person.
That represents a change of down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per capita in South Africa peaked at 14,681 international-$ in 2021 prices per person in 2013 and was at its lowest, 9,977 international-$ in 2021 prices per person, in 1993.
South Africa ranks 119th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10,811 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | — |
| 1991 | 10,459 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 10,054 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 9,977 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 10,131 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 10,319 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 10,624 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 10,770 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 10,694 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 10,832 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 11,184 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 11,388 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 11,698 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 11,923 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 12,341 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 12,862 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 13,444 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 14,016 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 14,298 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 13,911 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 14,165 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 14,434 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 14,564 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 14,681 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 14,643 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 14,542 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 14,501 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 14,574 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 14,554 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 14,353 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 13,251 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 13,682 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 13,768 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 13,695 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 13,598 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | -0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17,772 international-$ in 2021 prices per person, 76% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,722 international-$ in 2021 prices per person, 3.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10,467 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 9,977 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 10,832 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 12,706 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 11,184 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 14,298 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,501 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 14,165 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 14,681 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,598 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 13,251 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 13,768 international-$ in 2021 prices per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 116 Libya 14,118 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
- 117 Fiji 13,961 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
- 118 Equatorial Guinea 13,786 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
- 120 Tunisia 13,018 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
- 121 Guatemala 12,986 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
- 122 Belize 12,789 international-$ in 2021 prices per person compare
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp), per capita in South Africa?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per capita in South Africa was 13,592 international-$ in 2021 prices per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14,681 international-$ in 2021 prices per person in 2013.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,977 international-$ in 2021 prices per person in 1993.
- How does South Africa rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 119th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross domestic product (GDP) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Gross domestic product (GDP) Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.