Updated
Overview
Mexico has 12 times the population of Portugal: 131.95 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Mexico's economy is 5.3 times the size of Portugal's, at $1.83T versus $346.64B.
Per person, Portugal is the wealthier of the two: $32,082 against $13,889 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Mexico | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.83T | $346.64B | 2025 | $1.85T / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | $13,889 | Higher: $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.6% | Higher: 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.8% | Lower: 2.3% | 2025 | 4.7% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 54 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $551 | Higher: $1,426 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $353 | Higher: $1,147 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.27 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 131.95 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 130.74 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 0.8% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 29.6 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.87 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 75.3 yrs | Higher: 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 80% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 83% | Higher: 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,964,375 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 67.2/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 461 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 3.5 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $16.73B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 341,000 | 52,000 | 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
Portugal is growing faster: 1.9% annual GDP growth versus 0.6%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.8% in Mexico and 2.3% in Portugal.
Average monthly earnings favour Portugal: $1,426 against $551 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Mexico is the far younger society: median age 29.6 versus 46.9 years.
Life expectancy is 7.1 years longer in Portugal (82.4 vs 75.3).
Mexico is considerably more urbanized: 80% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, Mexico is 21 times the size of Portugal: 1,964,375 km² versus 92,090 km².
Military
Mexico spends 3.6 times as much on defence as Portugal: $16.73B versus $4.64B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Mexico fields the larger armed forces: 341,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Mexico bigger than Portugal?
- Mexico is larger by land area. Mexico covers 1,964,375 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Mexico is 21 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Mexico or Portugal?
- Mexico has the larger population: 131.95 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Mexico richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Portugal is richer: $32,082 against $13,889. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.83T for Mexico versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Mexico or Portugal?
- Mexico spends more: $16.73B versus $4.64B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).