Updated
Overview
Chile has 2.0 times the population of Israel: 19.86 million people against 10.12 million (2025).
Israel's economy is about 70% larger than Chile's, at $610.78B versus $357.37B.
Per person, Israel is the wealthier of the two: $60,337 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Chile | Israel | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $357.37B | Higher: $610.78B | 2025 | $330.27B / $540.38B |
| GDP per capita | $17,995 | Higher: $60,337 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.5% | Higher: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 4.2% | Lower: 3.0% | 2025 | 4.3% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 48 | 101 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,024 | Higher: $3,383 | 2024 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $530 | Higher: $1,589 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.41 | $7.67 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 19.86 million | 10.12 million | 2025 | 19.09 million / 9.40 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.9 yrs | 29.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.13 | 2.75 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 81.4 yrs | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 92% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 756,102 km² | 20,770 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.3/km² | 487.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 79 Mt | Lower: 53 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 5.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.11B | $46.51B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 8.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 114,000 | 178,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Both economies are growing at a similar pace (2.5% for Chile, 2.9% for Israel).
Inflation is comparable in both: 4.2% in Chile and 3.0% in Israel.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Chile: a price level of 48 versus 101 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Israel: $3,383 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Israel is the younger society: median age 29.2 versus 36.9 years.
Life expectancy is 1.8 years longer in Israel (83.2 vs 81.4).
Geography
By land area, Chile is 36 times the size of Israel: 756,102 km² versus 20,770 km².
Israel is far more densely settled: 487 people per km² against 26.
Military
Israel spends 9.1 times as much on defence as Chile: $46.51B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Israel carries the heavier military burden: 8.8% of GDP versus 1.6%.
Israel fields the larger armed forces: 178,000 personnel against 114,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Chile bigger than Israel?
- Chile is larger by land area. Chile covers 756,102 km² while Israel covers 20,770 km², so Chile is 36 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Chile or Israel?
- Chile has the larger population: 19.86 million versus 10.12 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Chile richer than Israel?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Israel is richer: $60,337 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $357.37B for Chile versus $610.78B for Israel.
- Who spends more on their military, Chile or Israel?
- Israel spends more: $46.51B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).