Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita was 9.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates is 9.7%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates peaked at 30.4% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 2023.
That places United Arab Emirates 171st out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 22.1% | — |
| 2001 | 15.1% | -31.7% |
| 2002 | 28.0% | +85.9% |
| 2003 | 27.5% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 30.4% | +10.7% |
| 2005 | 30.1% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 29.7% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 28.9% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 25.1% | -13.0% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | -35.9% |
| 2010 | 17.9% | +11.5% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 16.7% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 17.2% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 17.8% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 16.0% | -10.1% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | -28.6% |
| 2018 | 12.7% | +11.2% |
| 2019 | 12.2% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 11.2% | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 10.5% | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 9.7% | -7.2% |
| 2023 | 9.7% | -0.5% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 9.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 16.8%, 58% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 9.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.5%, 28% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +85.9% | 15.1% | 28.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.3% | 15.1% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.7% | 11.4% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.3% | 9.7% | 11.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More economy & growth data for United Arab Emirates
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.85 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.54 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 77.17 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.1397 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 7,024 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 45.64 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 48.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0826 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4,154 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 22.86 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates?
- Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates was 9.7% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 30.4% in 2004.
- What is the lowest share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 2023.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 171st out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, WHO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of out-of-pocket spending on healthcare vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Out-of-pocket spending on healthcare as percent of total current healthcare expenditure vs. GDP per capita, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.