Military spending per military personnel in Kenya
Kenya: Military spending per military personnel was 55,613 constant 2022 US$ in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
55,613 constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
63rd
of 170 countries
All-time high
63,481 constant 2022 US$
in 2019
All-time low
3,522 constant 2022 US$
in 1964
Years of data
60
1963–2022
Military spending per military personnel in Kenya, 1963–2022
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 55,613 constant 2022 US$ for military spending per military personnel in 2022.
That represents a change of down 8.6% on the previous year and up 38.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Kenya peaked at 63,481 constant 2022 US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3,522 constant 2022 US$, in 1964.
That places Kenya 63rd out of 170 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per military personnel in Kenya, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 8,651 constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1964 | 3,522 constant 2022 US$ | -59.3% |
| 1965 | 4,372 constant 2022 US$ | +24.1% |
| 1966 | 5,121 constant 2022 US$ | +17.1% |
| 1967 | 6,783 constant 2022 US$ | +32.5% |
| 1968 | 13,184 constant 2022 US$ | +94.4% |
| 1969 | 14,920 constant 2022 US$ | +13.2% |
| 1970 | 15,140 constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 17,223 constant 2022 US$ | +13.8% |
| 1972 | 21,494 constant 2022 US$ | +24.8% |
| 1973 | 20,701 constant 2022 US$ | -3.7% |
| 1974 | 19,460 constant 2022 US$ | -6.0% |
| 1975 | 22,925 constant 2022 US$ | +17.8% |
| 1976 | 24,678 constant 2022 US$ | +7.6% |
| 1977 | 27,701 constant 2022 US$ | +12.3% |
| 1978 | 28,065 constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 55,844 constant 2022 US$ | +99.0% |
| 1980 | 47,946 constant 2022 US$ | -14.1% |
| 1981 | 29,729 constant 2022 US$ | -38.0% |
| 1982 | 26,562 constant 2022 US$ | -10.7% |
| 1983 | 24,082 constant 2022 US$ | -9.3% |
| 1984 | 21,063 constant 2022 US$ | -12.5% |
| 1985 | 18,697 constant 2022 US$ | -11.2% |
| 1986 | 17,864 constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1987 | 17,892 constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 21,009 constant 2022 US$ | +17.4% |
| 1989 | 19,475 constant 2022 US$ | -7.3% |
| 1990 | 19,385 constant 2022 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 18,569 constant 2022 US$ | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 15,016 constant 2022 US$ | -19.1% |
| 1993 | 12,903 constant 2022 US$ | -14.1% |
| 1994 | 14,086 constant 2022 US$ | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 15,706 constant 2022 US$ | +11.5% |
| 1996 | 14,225 constant 2022 US$ | -9.4% |
| 1997 | 15,834 constant 2022 US$ | +11.3% |
| 1998 | 16,647 constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 16,843 constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 17,776 constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 16,290 constant 2022 US$ | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 15,122 constant 2022 US$ | -7.2% |
| 2003 | 15,521 constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 17,557 constant 2022 US$ | +13.1% |
| 2005 | 20,494 constant 2022 US$ | +16.7% |
| 2006 | 22,941 constant 2022 US$ | +11.9% |
| 2007 | 31,379 constant 2022 US$ | +36.8% |
| 2008 | 33,358 constant 2022 US$ | +6.3% |
| 2009 | 30,353 constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 32,536 constant 2022 US$ | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 34,614 constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 40,273 constant 2022 US$ | +16.3% |
| 2013 | 44,378 constant 2022 US$ | +10.2% |
| 2014 | 46,850 constant 2022 US$ | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 48,117 constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 54,918 constant 2022 US$ | +14.1% |
| 2017 | 61,130 constant 2022 US$ | +11.3% |
| 2018 | 61,189 constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 63,481 constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 60,207 constant 2022 US$ | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 60,858 constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 55,613 constant 2022 US$ | -8.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 55,613 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19,992 constant 2022 US$, 2.8× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 55,613 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18,299 constant 2022 US$, 3.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military personnel in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +99.0% | 28,065 constant 2022 US$ | 55,844 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1968 | +94.4% | 6,783 constant 2022 US$ | 13,184 constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8,079 constant 2022 US$ | 3,522 constant 2022 US$ | 14,920 constant 2022 US$ | 7 |
| 1970s | 25,323 constant 2022 US$ | 15,140 constant 2022 US$ | 55,844 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 24,432 constant 2022 US$ | 17,864 constant 2022 US$ | 47,946 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,921 constant 2022 US$ | 12,903 constant 2022 US$ | 19,385 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 22,079 constant 2022 US$ | 15,122 constant 2022 US$ | 33,358 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 48,749 constant 2022 US$ | 32,536 constant 2022 US$ | 63,481 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 58,893 constant 2022 US$ | 55,613 constant 2022 US$ | 60,858 constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 60 Trinidad and Tobago 62,892 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 61 Argentina 61,768 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 62 Montenegro 57,017 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 64 South Africa 53,689 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 65 Malta 53,532 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 66 Cyprus 52,993 constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per military personnel in Kenya?
- Military spending per military personnel in Kenya was 55,613 constant 2022 US$ in 2022, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 63,481 constant 2022 US$ in 2019.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,522 constant 2022 US$ in 1964.
- How does Kenya rank for military spending per military personnel?
- Kenya ranks 63rd out of 170 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.