Updated
Overview
Mexico has 30% more people than Vietnam: 131.95 million against 101.60 million (2025).
Mexico's economy is 3.6 times the size of Vietnam's, at $1.83T versus $514.70B.
Per person, Mexico is the wealthier of the two: $13,889 against $5,066 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Mexico | Vietnam | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.83T | $514.70B | 2025 | $1.85T / $476.39B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $13,889 | $5,066 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.6% | Higher: 8.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.8% | Lower: 3.3% | 2025 | 4.7% / 3.6% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | Lower: 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 54 | 29 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $551 | $355 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $353 | $205 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.27 | $2.89 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 131.95 million | 101.60 million | 2025 | 130.74 million / 106.69 million |
| Population growth | 0.8% | 0.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 29.6 yrs | 33.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.87 | 1.88 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 75.3 yrs | 74.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 80% | 39% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 83% | Higher: 84% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,964,375 km² | 331,212 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 67.2/km² | 306.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 461 Mt | Lower: 371 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.5 t | 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $16.73B | $5.50B | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.8% | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 341,000 | 522,000 | 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
Vietnam is growing much faster: 8.0% annual GDP growth versus 0.6%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.8% in Mexico and 3.3% in Vietnam.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Vietnam: a price level of 29 versus 54 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Mexico: $551 against $355 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Mexico is the younger society: median age 29.6 versus 33.4 years.
Mexico is considerably more urbanized: 80% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Geography
By land area, Mexico is 5.9 times the size of Vietnam: 1,964,375 km² versus 331,212 km².
Vietnam is far more densely settled: 307 people per km² against 67.
Military
Mexico spends 3.0 times as much on defence as Vietnam: $16.73B versus $5.50B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Vietnam carries the heavier military burden: 1.8% of GDP versus 0.9%.
Vietnam fields the larger armed forces: 522,000 personnel against 341,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Mexico bigger than Vietnam?
- Mexico is larger by land area. Mexico covers 1,964,375 km² while Vietnam covers 331,212 km², so Mexico is 5.9 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Mexico or Vietnam?
- Mexico has the larger population: 131.95 million versus 101.60 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Mexico richer than Vietnam?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Mexico is richer: $13,889 against $5,066. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.83T for Mexico versus $514.70B for Vietnam.
- Who spends more on their military, Mexico or Vietnam?
- Mexico spends more: $16.73B versus $5.50B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).