Norway vs Sweden: Expenditure on social benefits by function
Norway
120,632
in 2025
Sweden
160,474
in 2025
Norway rank
16th
Sweden rank
14th
Expenditure on social benefits by function over time
- Norway
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 160,474 against 120,632 in Norway, a difference of 39,842.
That makes Sweden's figure about 1.3 times Norway's.
Across all 33 years both countries report, Sweden has been ahead every year.
Norway ranks 16th and Sweden ranks 14th of 46 countries.
Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Norway | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32,305 | 68,223 | 35,918 | Sweden |
| 2000s | 55,131 | 87,977 | 32,846 | Sweden |
| 2010s | 92,024 | 125,540 | 33,516 | Sweden |
| 2020s | 110,498 | 148,977 | 38,479 | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher expenditure on social benefits by function, Norway or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 160,474 against 120,632 in Norway as of 2025.
- What is the difference in expenditure on social benefits by function between Norway and Sweden?
- 39,842, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Norway and Sweden?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1993 to 2025.
- How do Norway and Sweden rank globally for expenditure on social benefits by function?
- Norway ranks 16th and Sweden ranks 14th of 46 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Eurostat, published as Expenditure on social benefits by function. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.