Updated
Overview
Mexico has about 85% more people than Thailand: 131.95 million against 71.62 million (2025).
Mexico's economy is 3.2 times the size of Thailand's, at $1.83T versus $577.01B.
Per person, Mexico is the wealthier of the two: $13,889 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Mexico | Thailand | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.83T | $577.01B | 2025 | $1.85T / $526.41B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $13,889 | $8,057 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.6% | Higher: 2.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.8% | Lower: -0.1% | 2025 | 4.7% / 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | Lower: 0.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 54 | 31 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $551 | $508 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $353 | $254 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.27 | $4.02 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 131.95 million | 71.62 million | 2025 | 130.74 million / 70.03 million |
| Population growth | 0.8% | -0.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 29.6 yrs | 40.6 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.87 | 1.19 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 75.3 yrs | Higher: 76.6 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 80% | 63% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 83% | Higher: 91% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,964,375 km² | 513,120 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 67.2/km² | 139.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 461 Mt | Lower: 268 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.5 t | 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $16.73B | $5.52B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 341,000 | 455,000 | 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
Thailand is growing faster: 2.4% annual GDP growth versus 0.6%.
Mexico runs the hotter price environment: 3.8% inflation versus -0.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 54 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Mexico: $551 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Mexico is the far younger society: median age 29.6 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 1.3 years longer in Thailand (76.6 vs 75.3).
Mexico is considerably more urbanized: 80% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Mexico is 3.8 times the size of Thailand: 1,964,375 km² versus 513,120 km².
Thailand is far more densely settled: 140 people per km² against 67.
Military
Mexico spends 3.0 times as much on defence as Thailand: $16.73B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 341,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Mexico bigger than Thailand?
- Mexico is larger by land area. Mexico covers 1,964,375 km² while Thailand covers 513,120 km², so Mexico is 3.8 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Mexico or Thailand?
- Mexico has the larger population: 131.95 million versus 71.62 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Mexico richer than Thailand?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Mexico is richer: $13,889 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.83T for Mexico versus $577.01B for Thailand.
- Who spends more on their military, Mexico or Thailand?
- Mexico spends more: $16.73B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).