Updated
Overview
Singapore and Norway are nearly matched in population: 6.11 million versus 5.61 million people (2025).
Singapore's economy is 14% larger than Norway's, at $603.87B versus $530.76B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Singapore | Norway | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $603.87B | $530.76B | 2025 | $547.39B / $483.73B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $98,814 | $94,594 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 5.0% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 0.9% | 3.1% | 2025 | 2.4% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.8% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 60 | 91 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $3,483 | Higher: $6,440 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.77 | $8.05 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 6.11 million | 5.61 million | 2025 | 6.08 million / 5.51 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.2 yrs | 39.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.96 | 1.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 100% | 84% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 94% | Higher: 99% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 719 km² | 323,802 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 8499.5/km² | 17.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 54 Mt | Lower: 37 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 9.2 t | Lower: 6.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $15.06B | $10.44B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.8% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 59,000 | 25,000 | 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 much faster: 5.0% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Norway runs the hotter price environment: 3.1% inflation versus 0.9%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Singapore: a price level of 60 versus 91 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Norway: $6,440 against $3,483 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Singapore is the younger society: median age 36.2 versus 39.8 years.
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 84%.
Geography
By land area, Singapore is only about 1/450 the size of Norway: 719 km² versus 323,802 km².
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 17.
Military
Singapore spends about 45% more on defence than Norway: $15.06B versus $10.44B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Singapore fields the larger armed forces: 59,000 personnel against 25,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Singapore bigger than Norway?
- Norway is larger by land area. Singapore covers 719 km² while Norway covers 323,802 km², so Norway is 450 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Singapore or Norway?
- Singapore has the larger population: 6.11 million versus 5.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Singapore richer than Norway?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $94,594. Total GDP tells the same story: $603.87B for Singapore versus $530.76B for Norway.
- Who spends more on their military, Singapore or Norway?
- Singapore spends more: $15.06B versus $10.44B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).