Singapore's military expenditure (current LCU) was 22.79 billion in 2025, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 76.67% from 12.9 billion in 2015 (5.86% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 22.79 billion | 2025 |
| Five years earlier | 13.52 billion | 2020 |
| Ten years earlier | 12.9 billion | 2015 |
| Highest | 22.79 billion | 2025 |
| Lowest | 317.25 million | 1970 |
| Average since 2016 | 16.31 billion | 2016–2025 |
| First recorded | 317.25 million |
What the numbers say
In 2025, Singapore's military expenditure (current LCU) rose 11.3% on 2024 (from 20.48 billion to 22.79 billion).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 5.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 26.5% in 1984 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.7% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 956.66 million a year. A straight line explains 78% 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 2025, Singapore had the 86th highest value of the 150 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 Singapore in the 2025 ranking
- Spain — 83rd of 150: 35.65 billion
- Mozambique — 84th of 150: 29.88 billion
- Netherlands — 85th of 150: 25.66 billion
- Malaysia — 87th of 150: 21.13 billion
- North Macedonia — 88th of 150: 20.45 billion
- Honduras — 89th of 150: 15.09 billion
What this measures
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)
Limitations: SIPRI strives to compile reliable, consistent military expenditure data by assessing multiple sources, but accuracy depends on the quality and transparency of those sources. Challenges arise from two key issues: whether reported figures reflect actual spending and how closely they match SIPRI’s definition. While data is generally accurate in developed and many developing countries, weak governance, corruption, and secret transfers in others can lead to major discrepancies. SIPRI sometimes makes estimates, when sources conflict or lack coverage, introducing uncertainty, especially for countries like China or the UAE.
All 56 values
| Year | Military expenditure (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 22,792,625,000 |
| 2024 | 20,478,900,000 |
| 2023 | 18,763,000,000 |
| 2022 | 16,537,125,000 |
| 2021 | 14,796,600,000 |
| 2020 | 13,516,475,000 |
| 2019 | 14,189,125,000 |
| 2018 | 14,273,775,000 |
| 2017 | 14,087,700,000 |
| 2016 | 13,643,750,000 |
Military expenditure (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Australia — 54.81 billion (2025)
- Brunei Darussalam — 748.54 million (2024)
- Cambodia — 2.96 trillion (2025)
- China — 2.41 trillion (2025)
- Fiji — 184.81 million (2025)
- Indonesia — 247.53 trillion (2025)
- Japan — 9.3 trillion (2025)
- Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 216.6 billion (2018)
- Korea, Rep. — 67.92 trillion (2025)
- Malaysia — 21.13 billion (2025)
- Mongolia
More public sector data for Singapore
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 57 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 17.44 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 3.05% (2025)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) — 66.75 billion (2024)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 8.72% (2024)
- Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 31.9 billion (2024)
- Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 23.51% (2024)
- Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 135.7 billion (2024)
- Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 17.73% (2024)
- Taxes on goods and services (current LCU)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Singapore's military expenditure (current LCU)?
- 22.79 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1970?
- It is up 7,084% from 317.25 million in 1970 (8.08% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 22.79 billion in 2025 and the lowest 317.25 million in 1970.
- How does Singapore rank?
- 86th highest of 150 economies with data for 2025.
- Is the latest change in military expenditure (current LCU) unusual for Singapore?
- In 2025, Singapore's military expenditure (current LCU) rose 11.3% on 2024 (from 20.48 billion to 22.79 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 5.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPND.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://www.sipri.org/databases 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.
Legal entity
Devansh Yadav
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Governing law: Courts at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91 8433475698
Legal: legal@analyzeit.in