Military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany
Germany: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 330,155 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany, 1985–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany is 330,155 constant 2024 US$, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 7.1% on the previous year and up 75.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany peaked at 330,155 constant 2024 US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 129,577 constant 2024 US$, in 1990.
Germany ranks 12th of 160 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 135,618 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 133,220 constant 2024 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 129,577 constant 2024 US$ | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 143,007 constant 2024 US$ | +10.4% |
| 1992 | 140,623 constant 2024 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 140,394 constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 143,953 constant 2024 US$ | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 140,420 constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 131,033 constant 2024 US$ | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 139,430 constant 2024 US$ | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 145,618 constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 149,683 constant 2024 US$ | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 220,550 constant 2024 US$ | +47.3% |
| 2001 | 155,519 constant 2024 US$ | -29.5% |
| 2002 | 162,475 constant 2024 US$ | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 166,732 constant 2024 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 161,909 constant 2024 US$ | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 158,831 constant 2024 US$ | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 180,737 constant 2024 US$ | +13.8% |
| 2007 | 182,497 constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 186,812 constant 2024 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 188,131 constant 2024 US$ | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 188,589 constant 2024 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 237,052 constant 2024 US$ | +25.7% |
| 2012 | 256,314 constant 2024 US$ | +8.1% |
| 2013 | 253,501 constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 257,993 constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 264,347 constant 2024 US$ | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 273,047 constant 2024 US$ | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 279,474 constant 2024 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 284,970 constant 2024 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 308,178 constant 2024 US$ | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 330,155 constant 2024 US$ | +7.1% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 330,155 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 131,220 constant 2024 US$, 2.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Germany's 330,155 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 55,593 constant 2024 US$, 5.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +47.3% | 149,683 constant 2024 US$ | 220,550 constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 134,419 constant 2024 US$ | 133,220 constant 2024 US$ | 135,618 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 140,374 constant 2024 US$ | 129,577 constant 2024 US$ | 149,683 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 176,419 constant 2024 US$ | 155,519 constant 2024 US$ | 220,550 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 260,346 constant 2024 US$ | 188,589 constant 2024 US$ | 308,178 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 330,155 constant 2024 US$ | 330,155 constant 2024 US$ | 330,155 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 9 Netherlands 367,337 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 10 Denmark 355,255 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 11 Libya 336,927 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 13 Switzerland 326,305 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 14 Kuwait 318,743 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 15 New Zealand 317,716 constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for Germany
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 16.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 15.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 9.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 80.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.56 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Germany was 330,155 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 330,155 constant 2024 US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 129,577 constant 2024 US$ in 1990.
- How does Germany rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Germany ranks 12th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. 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.