Sweden vs Switzerland: Government spending by function
Sweden
37.8%
in 2023
Switzerland
39.3%
in 2023
Sweden rank
12th
Switzerland rank
9th
Government spending by function over time
- Sweden
- Switzerland
How they compare
Switzerland currently reports 39.3% against 37.8% in Sweden, a difference of 1.5%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 17 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Sweden ahead.
Sweden ranks 12th and Switzerland ranks 9th of 37 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Sweden averaged higher in 2 and Switzerland in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Sweden | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.4% | 38.7% | 2.7% | Sweden |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 39.3% | 1.6% | Sweden |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 40.2% | 2.0% | Switzerland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending by function, Sweden or Switzerland?
- Switzerland, at 39.3% against 37.8% in Sweden as of 2023.
- What is the difference in government spending by function between Sweden and Switzerland?
- 1.5%, with Switzerland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and Switzerland?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2023.
- How do Sweden and Switzerland rank globally for government spending by function?
- Sweden ranks 12th 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.