Updated
Overview
Chile has 3.2 times the population of Singapore: 19.86 million people against 6.11 million (2025).
Singapore's economy is about 70% larger than Chile's, at $603.87B versus $357.37B.
Per person, Singapore is the wealthier of the two: $98,814 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Chile | Singapore | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $357.37B | Higher: $603.87B | 2025 | $330.27B / $547.39B |
| GDP per capita | $17,995 | Higher: $98,814 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.5% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 4.2% | Lower: 0.9% | 2025 | 4.3% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | Lower: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 48 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,024 | Higher: $3,483 | 2024 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $530 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.41 | $5.77 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 19.86 million | 6.11 million | 2025 | 19.09 million / 6.08 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.9 yrs | 36.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.13 | 0.96 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 81.4 yrs | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 756,102 km² | 719 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.3/km² | 8499.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 79 Mt | Lower: 54 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 9.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.11B | $15.06B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 114,000 | 59,000 | 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
Singapore is growing faster: 5.0% annual GDP growth versus 2.5%.
Chile runs the hotter price environment: 4.2% inflation versus 0.9%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Chile: a price level of 48 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Singapore: $3,483 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 36.9 (Chile) and 36.2 (Singapore).
Life expectancy is 2.0 years longer in Singapore (83.3 vs 81.4).
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 89%.
Geography
By land area, Chile is 1,052 times the size of Singapore: 756,102 km² versus 719 km².
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 26.
Military
Singapore spends 2.9 times as much on defence as Chile: $15.06B versus $5.11B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Singapore carries the heavier military burden: 2.8% of GDP versus 1.6%.
Chile fields the larger armed forces: 114,000 personnel against 59,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Chile bigger than Singapore?
- Chile is larger by land area. Chile covers 756,102 km² while Singapore covers 719 km², so Chile is 1,052 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Chile or Singapore?
- Chile has the larger population: 19.86 million versus 6.11 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Chile richer than Singapore?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $357.37B for Chile versus $603.87B for Singapore.
- Who spends more on their military, Chile or Singapore?
- Singapore spends more: $15.06B versus $5.11B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).