Updated
Overview
Saudi Arabia has 6.1 times the population of Singapore: 36.97 million people against 6.11 million (2025).
Saudi Arabia's economy is 2.1 times the size of Singapore's, at $1.28T versus $603.87B.
Per person, Singapore is the wealthier of the two: $98,814 against $34,537 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Saudi Arabia | Singapore | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.28T | $603.87B | 2025 | $1.24T / $547.39B |
| GDP per capita | $34,537 | Higher: $98,814 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 4.5% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.1% | Lower: 0.9% | 2025 | 1.7% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | Lower: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 47 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,799 | Higher: $3,483 | 2022 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,067 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.06 | $5.77 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 36.97 million | 6.11 million | 2025 | 36.54 million / 6.08 million |
| Population growth | 4.6% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 29.6 yrs | 36.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.29 | 0.96 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 79.0 yrs | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 85% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 100% | 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 2,149,690 km² | 719 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 17.2/km² | 8499.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 692 Mt | Lower: 54 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 20.4 t | Lower: 9.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $80.33B | $15.06B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 7.3% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 282,000 | 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 4.5%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in Saudi Arabia and 0.9% in Singapore.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Saudi Arabia: a price level of 47 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Singapore: $3,483 against $1,799 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Saudi Arabia is the younger society: median age 29.6 versus 36.2 years.
Life expectancy is 4.4 years longer in Singapore (83.3 vs 79.0).
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 85%.
Geography
By land area, Saudi Arabia is 2,990 times the size of Singapore: 2,149,690 km² versus 719 km².
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 17.
Military
Saudi Arabia spends 5.3 times as much on defence as Singapore: $80.33B versus $15.06B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Saudi Arabia carries the heavier military burden: 7.3% of GDP versus 2.8%.
Saudi Arabia fields the larger armed forces: 282,000 personnel against 59,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Saudi Arabia bigger than Singapore?
- Saudi Arabia is larger by land area. Saudi Arabia covers 2,149,690 km² while Singapore covers 719 km², so Saudi Arabia is 2,990 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Saudi Arabia or Singapore?
- Saudi Arabia has the larger population: 36.97 million versus 6.11 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Saudi Arabia richer than Singapore?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $34,537. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.28T for Saudi Arabia versus $603.87B for Singapore.
- Who spends more on their military, Saudi Arabia or Singapore?
- Saudi Arabia spends more: $80.33B versus $15.06B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).