Argentina: Expense (current LCU)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 1,109% from 3.34 trillion in 2018 (64.63% a year on average, compounded). Since 1990 it is up 567,913% from 7.12 billion in 1990 (29.95% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 9 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Argentina's expense (current LCU) rose 123.2% on 2022 (from 18.11 trillion to 40.42 trillion).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2022), the average change was +30.8% and a typical year strayed about 39.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 184.8% in 1991 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.6% in 2001. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 3.19 trillion a year. A straight line explains 63% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2023, Argentina had the 7th highest value of the 80 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Argentina in the 2023 ranking

• Chile — 4th of 80: 69.28 trillion
• Paraguay — 5th of 80: 59.57 trillion
• Russian Federation — 6th of 80: 52.23 trillion
• Cambodia — 8th of 80: 22.54 trillion
• Kazakhstan — 9th of 80: 20.84 trillion
• Costa Rica — 10th of 80: 13.6 trillion

What this measures

Expense is a decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 25 values

Expense (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Bahamas, The — 3.11 billion (2023)
• Barbados — 3.27 billion (2016)
• Belize — 1.01 billion (2017)
• Brazil — 3.55 trillion (2023)
• Chile — 69.28 trillion (2023)
• Colombia — 528.23 trillion (2023)
• Costa Rica — 13.6 trillion (2023)
• Dominican Republic — 1.22 trillion (2023)
• Ecuador — 35.35 billion (2022)
• El Salvador — 9.37 billion (2023)
• Guatemala — 110.36 billion (2023)
• Honduras

More public sector data for Argentina

• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 4.82 trillion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 0.56% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 108 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 3.88 billion (2025)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 8.18 trillion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 8.29% (2024)
• Social contributions (current LCU) — 29.54 trillion (2024)
• Social contributions (% of revenue) — 29.96% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 98.45 trillion (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Argentina's expense (current LCU)?

40.42 trillion in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 567,913% from 7.12 billion in 1990 (29.95% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 40.42 trillion in 2023 and the lowest 7.12 billion in 1990.

How does Argentina rank?

7th highest of 80 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in expense (current LCU) unusual for Argentina?

In 2023, Argentina's expense (current LCU) rose 123.2% on 2022 (from 18.11 trillion to 40.42 trillion). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2022), the average change was +30.8% and a typical year strayed about 39.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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