Military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico
Mexico: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 34,901 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico, 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$.
Analysis
Mexico recorded 34,901 constant 2024 US$ for military spending per armed forces personnel in 2020. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 25.7% on the previous year and up 89.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico peaked at 34,901 constant 2024 US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14,269 constant 2024 US$, in 2006.
That places Mexico 67th out of 160 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 29,766 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 20,014 constant 2024 US$ | -32.8% |
| 1990 | 16,682 constant 2024 US$ | -16.6% |
| 1991 | 17,588 constant 2024 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 19,522 constant 2024 US$ | +11.0% |
| 1993 | 20,835 constant 2024 US$ | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 26,192 constant 2024 US$ | +25.7% |
| 1995 | 20,260 constant 2024 US$ | -22.6% |
| 1996 | 21,394 constant 2024 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 21,436 constant 2024 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 22,107 constant 2024 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 22,807 constant 2024 US$ | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 21,952 constant 2024 US$ | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 22,149 constant 2024 US$ | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 21,410 constant 2024 US$ | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 21,354 constant 2024 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 20,654 constant 2024 US$ | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 20,884 constant 2024 US$ | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 14,269 constant 2024 US$ | -31.7% |
| 2007 | 18,745 constant 2024 US$ | +31.4% |
| 2008 | 17,479 constant 2024 US$ | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 19,297 constant 2024 US$ | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 18,379 constant 2024 US$ | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 20,184 constant 2024 US$ | +9.8% |
| 2012 | 21,369 constant 2024 US$ | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 22,903 constant 2024 US$ | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 23,171 constant 2024 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 21,762 constant 2024 US$ | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 24,335 constant 2024 US$ | +11.8% |
| 2017 | 22,052 constant 2024 US$ | -9.4% |
| 2018 | 23,812 constant 2024 US$ | +8.0% |
| 2019 | 27,770 constant 2024 US$ | +16.6% |
| 2020 | 34,901 constant 2024 US$ | +25.7% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 34,901 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19,504 constant 2024 US$, 1.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 34,901 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 23,332 constant 2024 US$, 1.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 24,890 constant 2024 US$ | 20,014 constant 2024 US$ | 29,766 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 20,882 constant 2024 US$ | 16,682 constant 2024 US$ | 26,192 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 19,819 constant 2024 US$ | 14,269 constant 2024 US$ | 22,149 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 22,574 constant 2024 US$ | 18,379 constant 2024 US$ | 27,770 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 34,901 constant 2024 US$ | 34,901 constant 2024 US$ | 34,901 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More reference data data for Mexico
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 13.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 84.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 157.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.55 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Mexico was 34,901 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 34,901 constant 2024 US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,269 constant 2024 US$ in 2006.
- How does Mexico rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Mexico ranks 67th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mexico 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.