Updated
Overview
Thailand has 2.1 times the population of Peru: 71.62 million people against 34.58 million (2025).
Thailand's economy is about 70% larger than Peru's, at $577.01B versus $334.85B.
Per person, Peru is the wealthier of the two: $9,684 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Peru | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $577.01B | $334.85B | 2025 | $526.41B / $289.22B |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $9,684 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.4% | Higher: 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 1.5% | 2025 | 1.4% / 2.0% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 5.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | 51 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | Higher: $563 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | Higher: $273 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | $4.99 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 34.58 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 32.77 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 30.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 1.94 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | Higher: 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 86% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 91% | 82% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 1,285,216 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 26.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 268 Mt | Lower: 70 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 3.7 t | Lower: 2.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | $2.57B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | 0.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | 158,000 | 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
Peru is growing faster: 3.4% annual GDP growth versus 2.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.1% in Thailand and 1.5% in Peru.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 51 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Peru: $563 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Peru is the far younger society: median age 30.2 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 1.4 years longer in Peru (77.9 vs 76.6).
Peru is considerably more urbanized: 86% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is 60% smaller than Peru: 513,120 km² versus 1,285,216 km².
Thailand is far more densely settled: 140 people per km² against 27.
Military
Thailand spends 2.2 times as much on defence as Peru: $5.52B versus $2.57B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 158,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Peru?
- Peru is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Peru covers 1,285,216 km², so Peru is 2.5 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Peru?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 34.58 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Peru?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Peru is richer: $9,684 against $8,057. Total GDP tells a different story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $334.85B for Peru.
- Who spends more on their military, Thailand or Peru?
- Thailand spends more: $5.52B versus $2.57B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).