Government Spending in Singapore increased to 16216.20 SGD Million in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 15756.10 SGD Million in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Singapore Government Spending - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The ratio of government expenditure to GDP in Singapore was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 2.4 percentage points. The ratio is estimated to amount to 16.33 percent in 2029. This indicator depicts the general government expenditure as a share of the national gross domestic product. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expense and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The gross domestic product represents the total value of final goods and services produced during a year.Find more key insights for the ratio of government expenditure to GDP in countries like Brunei, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

In 2018, the Singapore government spent around 37.2 percent of their budget on the social sector. This included both education, and health spending, among others.

Singapore SG: General Government: Expenditure: % of GDP data was reported at 20.072 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 19.929 % for 2022. Singapore SG: General Government: Expenditure: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 17.649 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.579 % in 2001 and a record low of 13.593 % in 1994. Singapore SG: General Government: Expenditure: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.IMF.FM: Government Finance Statistics.

In the financial year 2023, the Singapore government planned to spend 3.3 billion Singapore dollars on information communications technology spending. This was a decrease of 0.5 billion Singapore dollars from the financial year 2022.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Singapore was reported at 2.1879 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Singapore - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

In financial year 2023, the Singapore government allocated an estimated 16.2 percent of their budget on the Ministry of Health. By comparison, the Ministry of Education is estimated to receive 14 percent of the government expenditure in that year.

In financial year 2022, the total government expenditure on education was approximately 13.25 billion Singapore dollars. Singapore needs to invest in its education system, as it relies on a skilled and educated workforce to support its economy.

Investing in its most important resource

Lacking in land and natural resources, Singapore’s most important resource is its people. Improvements and investments in the education system were necessary to build up a workforce capable of transitioning from a manufacturing-based economy to a highly diversified, services-based economy. These investments led to an increase in years of schooling in the population, as well as improvements in educational attainment.

Preparing for industry 4.0

Singapore’s education system places heavy emphasis on STEM subjects. Students from Singapore tend to excel in the PISA tests in science and mathematics. However, to remain competitive in a smart technology-based economy, Singapore needs to do more to foster creativity and risk-taking. More too needs to be done to ensure that certain sectors of society still receive quality education, in order to not be left behind. As of financial 2022, education spending on polytechnics and ITES, considered to be less prestigious and academically rigorous options for post-secondary education, was considerably less than that for universities.

Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Secondary Education: % of Government Expenditure on Education data was reported at 22.962 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 21.474 % for 2012. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Secondary Education: % of Government Expenditure on Education data is updated yearly, averaging 35.800 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2013, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 44.589 % in 1981 and a record low of 21.474 % in 2012. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Secondary Education: % of Government Expenditure on Education data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Education Statistics. Expenditure on secondary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

In 2022, the military expenditure of Singapore was estimated to be at 16.91 percent of the nation's total government spending. While this ratio had been decreasing over the last ten years, Singapore still spent a larger share of its governmental expenditure on the military compared to neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia.

The budget balance in relation to the GDP in Singapore was forecast to decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.9 percentage points. This overall decrease does not happen continuously, notably not in 2029. The budget balance is estimated to amount to 2.56 percent in 2029. The indicator describes the general government net lending/borrowing which is calculated as revenue minus total expenditure. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expense and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The general government revenue consists of the revenue from taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.Find more key insights for the budget balance in relation to the GDP in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste.

Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data was reported at 19.959 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.161 % for 2012. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 19.855 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2013, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.807 % in 2003 and a record low of 17.169 % in 2010. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Education Statistics. General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

In financial year 2021, the Government of Singapore spent approximately 16.9 billion Singapore dollars on the health sector. Government expenditure on health in Singapore has been gradually increasing in the past decade.

Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 16.685 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.750 % for 2009. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 15.750 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.685 % in 2010 and a record low of 14.067 % in 2008. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Secondary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Education Statistics. Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure: % of Expenditure data was reported at 32.590 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.619 % for 2016. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure: % of Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 33.006 % from Mar 1973 (Median) to 2017, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43.507 % in 2008 and a record low of 16.699 % in 1988. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure: % of Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; Median;

Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data was reported at 10.962 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.586 % for 2009. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 10.586 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.962 % in 2010 and a record low of 9.517 % in 2008. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure per Student: Primary: % of(GDP) Gross Domestic Productper Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Education Statistics. Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure data was reported at 20,747.106 SGD mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 19,299.300 SGD mn for 2016. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 4,560.000 SGD mn from Mar 1973 (Median) to 2017, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,747.106 SGD mn in 2017 and a record low of 396.000 SGD mn in 1973. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Goods and Services Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; ;

Singapore SG: Expenditure: Subsidies and Other Transfers data was reported at 15,107.340 SGD mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 174.800 SGD mn for 2016. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Subsidies and Other Transfers data is updated yearly, averaging 2,816.000 SGD mn from Mar 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,107.340 SGD mn in 2017 and a record low of 104.800 SGD mn in 2012. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Subsidies and Other Transfers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organizations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; ;

Singapore SG: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of Expenditure data was reported at 0.004 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.004 % for 2016. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 8.246 % from Mar 1973 (Median) to 2017, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.862 % in 1988 and a record low of 0.002 % in 2015. Singapore SG: Expenditure: Interest Payments: % of Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; Median;

Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data was reported at 2.913 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.113 % for 2012. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 2.998 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2013, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.008 % in 2003 and a record low of 2.250 % in 1979. Singapore SG: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank: Education Statistics. General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;