Updated
Overview
South Africa has 11 times the population of Singapore: 64.75 million people against 6.11 million (2025).
Singapore's economy is about 40% larger than South Africa's, at $603.87B versus $427.18B.
Per person, Singapore is the wealthier of the two: $98,814 against $6,598 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Africa | Singapore | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $427.18B | Higher: $603.87B | 2025 | $400.26B / $547.39B |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 | Higher: $98,814 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 0.9% | 2025 | 4.4% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% | Lower: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $485 | Higher: $3,483 | 2020 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $261 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.49 | $5.77 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 64.75 million | 6.11 million | 2025 | 61.09 million / 6.08 million |
| Population growth | 1.1% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 36.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.19 | 0.96 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 66.3 yrs | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 78% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,221,037 km² | 719 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 53.0/km² | 8499.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 440 Mt | Lower: 54 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 6.9 t | 9.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.84B | $15.06B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.7% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 89,000 | 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 much faster: 5.0% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
South Africa runs the hotter price environment: 3.2% inflation versus 0.9%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in South Africa: a price level of 41 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Singapore: $3,483 against $485 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
South Africa is the younger society: median age 28.7 versus 36.2 years.
Life expectancy is 17.0 years longer in Singapore (83.3 vs 66.3).
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in Singapore (94% vs 78% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Africa is 1,698 times the size of Singapore: 1,221,037 km² versus 719 km².
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 53.
Military
Singapore spends 5.3 times as much on defence as South Africa: $15.06B versus $2.84B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Singapore carries the heavier military burden: 2.8% of GDP versus 0.7%.
South Africa fields the larger armed forces: 89,000 personnel against 59,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Africa bigger than Singapore?
- South Africa is larger by land area. South Africa covers 1,221,037 km² while Singapore covers 719 km², so South Africa is 1,698 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Africa or Singapore?
- South Africa has the larger population: 64.75 million versus 6.11 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Africa richer than Singapore?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $6,598. Total GDP tells the same story: $427.18B for South Africa versus $603.87B for Singapore.
- Who spends more on their military, South Africa or Singapore?
- Singapore spends more: $15.06B versus $2.84B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).