Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita was 17.4 current US$ per person in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
17.4 current US$ per person
Change on year
up 12.1%
World rank
132nd
of 196 countries
All-time high
34.45 current US$ per person
in 1980
All-time low
10.53 current US$ per person
in 2002
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 17.4 current US$ per person for personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita in 2025.
That represents a change of up 12.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita in South Africa peaked at 34.45 current US$ per person in 1980 and was at its lowest, 10.53 current US$ per person, in 2002.
South Africa ranks 132nd of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.62 current US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 12.37 current US$ per person | +16.5% |
| 1972 | 11.84 current US$ per person | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 17.45 current US$ per person | +47.4% |
| 1974 | 22.66 current US$ per person | +29.9% |
| 1975 | 25.96 current US$ per person | +14.6% |
| 1976 | 21.83 current US$ per person | -15.9% |
| 1977 | 23.2 current US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 1978 | 25.01 current US$ per person | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 28.14 current US$ per person | +12.5% |
| 1980 | 34.45 current US$ per person | +22.4% |
| 1981 | 34.37 current US$ per person | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 30.12 current US$ per person | -12.4% |
| 1983 | 32.99 current US$ per person | +9.5% |
| 1984 | 27.56 current US$ per person | -16.5% |
| 1985 | 20.59 current US$ per person | -25.3% |
| 1986 | 23.31 current US$ per person | +13.2% |
| 1987 | 28.65 current US$ per person | +22.9% |
| 1988 | 27.82 current US$ per person | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 27.59 current US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 27.38 current US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 19.26 current US$ per person | -29.7% |
| 1992 | 17.4 current US$ per person | -9.6% |
| 1993 | 14.6 current US$ per person | -16.1% |
| 1994 | 12.99 current US$ per person | -11.0% |
| 1995 | 12.72 current US$ per person | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 11.49 current US$ per person | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 12.74 current US$ per person | +10.9% |
| 1998 | 13.33 current US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 13.72 current US$ per person | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 13.03 current US$ per person | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 10.95 current US$ per person | -15.9% |
| 2002 | 10.53 current US$ per person | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 14.55 current US$ per person | +38.2% |
| 2004 | 19.08 current US$ per person | +31.1% |
| 2005 | 21.05 current US$ per person | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 21.1 current US$ per person | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 23.21 current US$ per person | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 21.89 current US$ per person | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 22.11 current US$ per person | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 25.84 current US$ per person | +16.9% |
| 2011 | 26.85 current US$ per person | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 24.54 current US$ per person | -8.6% |
| 2013 | 21.62 current US$ per person | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 19.67 current US$ per person | -9.0% |
| 2015 | 17.28 current US$ per person | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 15.66 current US$ per person | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 17.93 current US$ per person | +14.5% |
| 2018 | 18.73 current US$ per person | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 17.66 current US$ per person | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 15.2 current US$ per person | -13.9% |
| 2021 | 17.34 current US$ per person | +14.0% |
| 2022 | 16.22 current US$ per person | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 14.75 current US$ per person | -9.1% |
| 2024 | 15.52 current US$ per person | +5.2% |
| 2025 | 17.4 current US$ per person | +12.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 17.4 current US$ per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 61.21 current US$ per person, 28% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 17.4 current US$ per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.35 current US$ per person, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.91 current US$ per person | 10.62 current US$ per person | 28.14 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.75 current US$ per person | 20.59 current US$ per person | 34.45 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.56 current US$ per person | 11.49 current US$ per person | 27.38 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.75 current US$ per person | 10.53 current US$ per person | 23.21 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.58 current US$ per person | 15.66 current US$ per person | 26.85 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.07 current US$ per person | 14.75 current US$ per person | 17.4 current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 129 Argentina 18.28 current US$ per person compare
- 130 Lao People's Democratic Republic 18.19 current US$ per person compare
- 131 Türkiye 17.94 current US$ per person compare
- 133 Niger 17.24 current US$ per person compare
- 134 Spain 16.09 current US$ per person compare
- 135 Iraq 15.98 current US$ 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$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita in South Africa?
- Personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita in South Africa was 17.4 current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 34.45 current US$ per person in 1980.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.53 current US$ per person in 2002.
- How does South Africa rank for personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 132nd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, paid (current us$), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Personal remittances, paid (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Personal remittances, paid (current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Personal remittances, paid IMF balance of payments data, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Personal remittances, paid (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.