São Tomé and Principe's out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) was US$28.5 in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 60.61% from US$17.75 in 2013 (4.85% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | US$28.5 | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | US$17.22 | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | US$17.75 | 2013 |
| Highest | US$28.5 | 2023 |
| Lowest | US$13.68 | 2015 |
| Average since 2014 | US$18.98 | 2014–2023 |
| First recorded | US$21.76 | 2000 |
What the numbers say
In 2023, São Tomé and Principe's out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) rose US$7.36 on 2022 (from US$21.14 to US$28.5).
Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was −US$0.03 and a typical year strayed about US$1.99 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.7 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$7.36 in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was US$4.18 in 2015. 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 US$1.13 a year. A straight line explains 69% 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, São Tomé and Principe had the 125th highest value of the 167 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.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| São Tomé and Principe | US$28.5 | 2023 |
| World | US$228.78 | 2023 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | US$24.08 | 2023 |
| Lower middle income | US$39.77 | 2023 |
Closest to São Tomé and Principe in the 2023 ranking
- Burkina Faso — 121st of 167: US$31.44
- Namibia — 122nd of 167: US$29.75
- Haiti — 123rd of 167: US$28.52
- Côte d'Ivoire — 125th of 167: US$28.05
- Angola — 126th of 167: US$24.76
- Chad — 127th of 167: US$24.52
What this measures
Health expenditure through out-of-pocket payments per capita in USD. Out of pocket payments are spending on health directly out of pocket by households in each country.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.
All 24 values
| Year | Out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 28.5 |
| 2022 | 21.14 |
| 2021 | 21.8 |
| 2020 | 18.94 |
| 2019 | 18.16 |
| 2018 | 17.22 |
| 2017 | 17.28 |
| 2016 | 15.27 |
| 2015 | 13.68 |
| 2014 | 17.86 |
| 2013 |
Out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) in nearby economies
- Angola — US$24.76 (2023)
- Benin — US$19.73 (2023)
- Botswana — US$20.85 (2023)
- Burkina Faso — US$31.44 (2023)
- Burundi — US$6.89 (2023)
- Cabo Verde — US$74.68 (2023)
- Cameroon — US$53.51 (2023)
- Central African Republic — US$24.23 (2023)
- Chad — US$24.52 (2023)
- Comoros
More health data for São Tomé and Principe
- Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 12.94% (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 13.44% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female — 44,650 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 36.94% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male — 45,338 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 37.98% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total — 89,988 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 37.46% (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is São Tomé and Principe's out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$)?
- US$28.5 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 2000?
- It is up 30.98% from US$21.76 in 2000 (1.18% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$28.5 in 2023 and the lowest US$13.68 in 2015.
- How does São Tomé and Principe rank?
- 125th highest of 167 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) unusual for São Tomé and Principe?
- In 2023, São Tomé and Principe's out-of-pocket expenditure per capita (current US$) rose US$7.36 on 2022 (from US$21.14 to US$28.5). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was −US$0.03 and a typical year strayed about US$1.99 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 3.7 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH.XPD.OOPC.PC.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), uri: http://apps.who.int/nha/database 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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