Portugal vs Switzerland: Government spending by function
Portugal
39.2%
in 2023
Switzerland
39.3%
in 2023
Portugal rank
11th
Switzerland rank
9th
Government spending by function over time
- Portugal
- Switzerland
How they compare
Switzerland currently reports 39.3% against 39.2% in Portugal, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Switzerland ahead.
Portugal ranks 11th and Switzerland ranks 9th of 37 countries.
Switzerland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Portugal | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 33.7% | 38.7% | 5.0% | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 37.9% | 39.3% | 1.4% | Switzerland |
| 2020s | 39.0% | 40.2% | 1.3% | Switzerland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending by function, Portugal or Switzerland?
- Switzerland, at 39.3% against 39.2% in Portugal as of 2023.
- What is the difference in government spending by function between Portugal and Switzerland?
- 0.1%, with Switzerland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and Switzerland?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2023.
- How do Portugal and Switzerland rank globally for government spending by function?
- Portugal ranks 11th and Switzerland ranks 9th of 37 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- OECD (2026) β with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Government spending by function. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.