Updated
Overview
Thailand has 2.6 times the population of Australia: 71.62 million people against 27.61 million (2025).
Australia's economy is 3.1 times the size of Thailand's, at $1.80T versus $577.01B.
Per person, Australia is the wealthier of the two: $65,130 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Australia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $577.01B | Higher: $1.80T | 2025 | $526.41B / $1.75T |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $65,130 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.4% | 1.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 2.9% | 2025 | 1.4% / 3.2% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 4.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | 90 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | Higher: $4,436 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | Higher: $2,655 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | $5.95 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 27.61 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 27.49 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 38.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 1.64 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | Higher: 83.1 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 88% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 91% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 7,692,024 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 3.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 268 Mt | 387 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 14.5 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | $33.82B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | 1.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | 60,000 | 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
Thailand is growing faster: 2.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.4%.
Australia runs the hotter price environment: 2.9% inflation versus -0.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 90 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Australia: $4,436 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Australia is the younger society: median age 38.3 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 6.5 years longer in Australia (83.1 vs 76.6).
Australia is considerably more urbanized: 88% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is only about 1/15 the size of Australia: 513,120 km² versus 7,692,024 km².
Thailand is far more densely settled: 140 people per km² against 4.
Military
Australia spends 6.1 times as much on defence as Thailand: $33.82B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Australia carries the heavier military burden: 1.9% of GDP versus 1.1%.
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 60,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Australia?
- Australia is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Australia covers 7,692,024 km², so Australia is 15 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Australia?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 27.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Australia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Australia is richer: $65,130 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $1.80T for Australia.
- Who spends more on their military, Thailand or Australia?
- Australia spends more: $33.82B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).