Updated
Overview
Saudi Arabia has about 75% more people than Kazakhstan: 36.97 million against 20.84 million (2025).
Saudi Arabia's economy is 4.2 times the size of Kazakhstan's, at $1.28T versus $306.24B.
Per person, Saudi Arabia is the wealthier of the two: $34,537 against $14,692 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Saudi Arabia | Kazakhstan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.28T | $306.24B | 2025 | $1.24T / $288.41B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $34,537 | $14,692 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 4.5% | Higher: 6.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 11.4% | 2025 | 1.7% / 8.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.0% | 4.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 47 | 33 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $1,799 | $673 | 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,067 | $181 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.06 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 36.97 million | 20.84 million | 2025 | 36.54 million / 20.43 million |
| Population growth | 4.6% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 29.6 yrs | 29.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.29 | 2.95 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 79.0 yrs | 74.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 85% | 62% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 100% | 93% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 2,149,690 km² | 2,724,900 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 17.2/km² | 7.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 692 Mt | Lower: 287 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 20.4 t | Lower: 13.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $80.33B | $1.21B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 7.3% | 0.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 282,000 | 71,000 | 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
Kazakhstan is growing faster: 6.5% annual GDP growth versus 4.5%.
Kazakhstan runs the hotter price environment: 11.4% inflation versus 2.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Kazakhstan: a price level of 33 versus 47 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Saudi Arabia: $1,799 against $673 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 29.6 (Saudi Arabia) and 29.7 (Kazakhstan).
Life expectancy is 4.5 years longer in Saudi Arabia (79.0 vs 74.5).
Saudi Arabia is considerably more urbanized: 85% of people live in cities, against 62%.
Geography
By land area, Saudi Arabia is 21% smaller than Kazakhstan: 2,149,690 km² versus 2,724,900 km².
Saudi Arabia is far more densely settled: 17 people per km² against 8.
Military
Saudi Arabia spends 66 times as much on defence as Kazakhstan: $80.33B versus $1.21B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Saudi Arabia carries the heavier military burden: 7.3% of GDP versus 0.4%.
Saudi Arabia fields the larger armed forces: 282,000 personnel against 71,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Saudi Arabia bigger than Kazakhstan?
- Kazakhstan is larger by land area. Saudi Arabia covers 2,149,690 km² while Kazakhstan covers 2,724,900 km², so Kazakhstan is 27% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Saudi Arabia or Kazakhstan?
- Saudi Arabia has the larger population: 36.97 million versus 20.84 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Saudi Arabia richer than Kazakhstan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Saudi Arabia is richer: $34,537 against $14,692. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.28T for Saudi Arabia versus $306.24B for Kazakhstan.
- Who spends more on their military, Saudi Arabia or Kazakhstan?
- Saudi Arabia spends more: $80.33B versus $1.21B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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