China vs Russia: Military spending
China
335.02 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
Russia
158.24 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
China rank
2nd
Russia rank
3rd
Military spending over time
- China
- Russia
How they compare
China currently reports 335.02 billion constant 2024 US$ against 158.24 billion constant 2024 US$ in Russia, a difference of 176.78 billion constant 2024 US$.
That makes China's figure about 2.1 times Russia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 34 shared years of data; in 1992 it was Russia ahead.
China ranks 2nd and Russia ranks 3rd of 162 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and Russia in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Russia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 28.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | 29.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | 946.88 million constant 2024 US$ | Russia |
| 2000s | 76.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | 35.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | 40.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | China |
| 2010s | 187.96 billion constant 2024 US$ | 64.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | 122.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | China |
| 2020s | 288.63 billion constant 2024 US$ | 106.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | 181.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military spending, China or Russia?
- China, at 335.02 billion constant 2024 US$ against 158.24 billion constant 2024 US$ in Russia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military spending between China and Russia?
- 176.78 billion constant 2024 US$, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Russia?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2025.
- How do China and Russia rank globally for military spending?
- China ranks 2nd and Russia ranks 3rd of 162 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Military spending. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.