Denmark vs Iceland: Government spending per capita
Denmark
38,309 current international-$
in 2024
Iceland
39,385 current international-$
in 2024
Denmark rank
6th
Iceland rank
5th
Government spending per capita over time
- Denmark
- Iceland
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 39,385 current international-$ against 38,309 current international-$ in Denmark, a difference of 1,076 current international-$.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 18 shared years of data; in 2007 it was Denmark ahead.
Denmark ranks 6th and Iceland ranks 5th of 43 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 2 and Iceland in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Denmark | Iceland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21,010 current international-$ | 22,923 current international-$ | 1,913 current international-$ | Iceland |
| 2010s | 26,863 current international-$ | 22,848 current international-$ | 4,014 current international-$ | Denmark |
| 2020s | 35,663 current international-$ | 34,914 current international-$ | 749.12 current international-$ | Denmark |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending per capita, Denmark or Iceland?
- Iceland, at 39,385 current international-$ against 38,309 current international-$ in Denmark as of 2024.
- What is the difference in government spending per capita between Denmark and Iceland?
- 1,076 current international-$, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Iceland?
- 18 years are reported by both, from 2007 to 2024.
- How do Denmark and Iceland rank globally for government spending per capita?
- Denmark ranks 6th and Iceland ranks 5th of 43 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Government spending per capita. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The total amount of money the general government spends per capita. This data is adjusted for differences in living costs between countries but not for inflation.