Updated
Overview
Thailand has 12 times the population of Singapore: 71.62 million people against 6.11 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $577.01B for Thailand and $603.87B for Singapore.
Per person, Singapore is the wealthier of the two: $98,814 against $8,057 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Thailand | Singapore | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $577.01B | Higher: $603.87B | 2025 | $526.41B / $547.39B |
| GDP per capita | $8,057 | Higher: $98,814 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.4% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.1% | 0.9% | 2025 | 1.4% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 0.8% | 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 31 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $508 | Higher: $3,483 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $254 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.02 | $5.77 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 71.62 million | 6.11 million | 2025 | 70.03 million / 6.08 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 36.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.19 | 0.96 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 yrs | Higher: 83.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 100% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 91% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 513,120 km² | 719 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 139.6/km² | 8499.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 268 Mt | Lower: 54 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 9.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.52B | $15.06B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.1% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 455,000 | 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 faster: 5.0% annual GDP growth versus 2.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.1% in Thailand and 0.9% in Singapore.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Thailand: a price level of 31 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Singapore: $3,483 against $508 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Singapore is the younger society: median age 36.2 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 6.8 years longer in Singapore (83.3 vs 76.6).
Singapore is considerably more urbanized: 100% of people live in cities, against 63%.
Geography
By land area, Thailand is 714 times the size of Singapore: 513,120 km² versus 719 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Singapore is far more densely settled: 8500 people per km² against 140.
Military
Singapore spends 2.7 times as much on defence as Thailand: $15.06B versus $5.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Singapore carries the heavier military burden: 2.8% of GDP versus 1.1%.
Thailand fields the larger armed forces: 455,000 personnel against 59,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Thailand bigger than Singapore?
- Thailand is larger by land area. Thailand covers 513,120 km² while Singapore covers 719 km², so Thailand is 714 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Thailand or Singapore?
- Thailand has the larger population: 71.62 million versus 6.11 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Thailand richer than Singapore?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is richer: $98,814 against $8,057. Total GDP tells the same story: $577.01B for Thailand versus $603.87B for Singapore.
- Who spends more on their military, Thailand or Singapore?
- Singapore spends more: $15.06B versus $5.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).