New Zealand: Other expense (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, New Zealand's other expense (current LCU) rose 3.7% on 2023 (from 15.42 billion to 16 billion).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2002 to 2023), the average change was +15.9% and a typical year strayed about 35.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 131.2% in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 51.7% in 2012. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 637.94 million a year. A straight line explains 73% 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 2024, New Zealand had the 51st highest value of the 86 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 New Zealand in the 2024 ranking

• Mozambique — 47th of 86: 19.59 billion
• North Macedonia — 48th of 86: 17.54 billion
• Austria — 49th of 86: 17.44 billion
• Switzerland — 51st of 86: 14.38 billion
• Greece — 52nd of 86: 13.61 billion
• Macao SAR, China — 53rd of 86: 12.81 billion

What this measures

Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital. 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 24 values

Other expense (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Australia — 47.51 billion (2022)
• Cambodia — 1.5 trillion (2023)
• Fiji — 246.7 million (2024)
• Kiribati — 10.69 million (2023)
• Korea, Rep. — 43.16 trillion (2024)
• Lao PDR — 8.44 billion (2022)
• Macao SAR, China — 12.81 billion (2024)
• Malaysia — 851 million (2024)
• Marshall Islands — 30.58 million (2020)
• Micronesia, Fed. Sts. — 28.45 million (2020)
• Mongolia — 1.49 trillion (2022)

More public sector data for New Zealand

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 2.86 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 4.91 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.1% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 200 million (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 17.87 billion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 12.04% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 147.96 billion (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 34.25% (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (current LCU) — 39.13 billion (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is New Zealand's other expense (current LCU)?

16 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2001?

It is up 1,023% from 1.42 billion in 2001 (11.09% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 21.49 billion in 2011 and the lowest 1.42 billion in 2001.

How does New Zealand rank?

51st highest of 86 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in other expense (current LCU) unusual for New Zealand?

In 2024, New Zealand's other expense (current LCU) rose 3.7% on 2023 (from 15.42 billion to 16 billion). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2002 to 2023), the average change was +15.9% and a typical year strayed about 35.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.OTHR.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.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.