Updated
Overview
Spain and Argentina are nearly matched in population: 49.36 million versus 45.85 million people (2025).
Spain's economy is 2.8 times the size of Argentina's, at $1.91T versus $683.10B.
Per person, Spain is the wealthier of the two: $38,627 against $14,898 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Argentina | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $683.10B | 2025 | $1.72T / $633.27B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $38,627 | $14,898 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.8% | Higher: 4.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.7% | 219.9% | 2025 / 2024 | 2.8% / — |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 7.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 46 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,574 | $811 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,561 | $297 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $5.91 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 45.85 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 45.42 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 32.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.50 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 77.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 92% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 90% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 2,780,400 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 16.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 220 Mt | Lower: 171 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 4.6 t | Lower: 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $4.18B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 103,000 | 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
Argentina is growing faster: 4.4% annual GDP growth versus 2.8%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Argentina at 219.9%, while the other economy sits at 2.7%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Argentina: a price level of 46 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $811 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Argentina is the far younger society: median age 32.9 versus 45.9 years.
Life expectancy is 6.3 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 77.5).
Argentina is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 81%.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 82% smaller than Argentina: 505,992 km² versus 2,780,400 km².
Spain is far more densely settled: 98 people per km² against 16.
Military
Spain spends 5.9 times as much on defence as Argentina: $24.62B versus $4.18B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Spain carries the heavier military burden: 1.4% of GDP versus 0.6%.
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 103,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Argentina?
- Argentina is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Argentina covers 2,780,400 km², so Argentina is 5.5 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Argentina?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 45.85 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Argentina?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $14,898. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.91T for Spain versus $683.10B for Argentina.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Argentina?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $4.18B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).