The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

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The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget
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698b5df5a645d11881890d8a?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget
  • The International Institute for Strategic Studies compiled data about the world’s military budgets.
  • The top militaries spend hundreds of billions of dollars on defense, with the US leading worldwide.
  • President Donald Trump has proposed increasing annual defense spending to $1.5 trillion.

Still, looking at military budgets can reveal how much capital each country relies on to defend itself.

Earlier this year, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, released its Military Balance report, which included data on nearly every country’s defense budget based on each’s reported 2025 figures.

The report includes each country’s total budget (in US dollars), per capita figures, and the defense budget as a share of GDP. Some countries, such as North Korea, Libya, Syria, Cuba, and Afghanistan, did not publicly report their defense budgets.

These are the 50 countries that spend the most on their military, ranked by the size of their defense budgets.

50. Chile

6a4fa5a0b3a8c16f7e8ecd68?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $4.24 billion

Defense budget per capita: $222

Percentage of GDP: 1.22%

  1. Malaysia
    6a4fa51dd3b3e45765196efb?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $4.87 billion

Defense budget per capita: $140

Percentage of GDP: 1.04%

  1. Hungary
    6a4fa4a3d3a449ec3445fa8e?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $5.54 billion

Defense budget per capita: $564

Percentage of GDP: 2.24%

  1. Thailand
    6a4fa326d3b3e45765196ef2?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $5.84 billion

Defense budget per capita: $83

Percentage of GDP: 1.05%

  1. Iran
    6a4eba33b3a8c16f7e8eca87?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $6.09 billion

Defense budget per capita: $68

Percentage of GDP: 1.71%

  1. Austria
    6a4eb990d3a449ec3445f793?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $6.36 billion

Defense budget per capita: $693

Percentage of GDP: 1.12%

  1. Oman
    6a4eb924b3a8c16f7e8eca78?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $6.66 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,677

Percentage of GDP: 6.33%

  1. Czech Republic
    6a4eb639b3a8c16f7e8eca3e?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $7.03 billion

Defense budget per capita: $649

Percentage of GDP: 1.83%

  1. Philippines
    6a4eb44cb3a8c16f7e8eca29?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $7.22 billion

Defense budget per capita: $60

Percentage of GDP: 1.46%

  1. Morocco
    6a4eb31cd3b3e45765196bb0?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $7.547 billion

Defense budget per capita: $200

Percentage of GDP: 4.2%

  1. Switzerland
    6a4eb1f6b3a8c16f7e8ec9f8?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $7.554 billion

Defense budget per capita: $846

Percentage of GDP: 0.75%

  1. Finland
    6a4eb13ed3b3e45765196b84?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $7.99 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,440

Percentage of GDP: 2.54%

  1. Greece
    6a4eb063d3b3e45765196b76?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $8.06 billion

Defense budget per capita: $773

Percentage of GDP: 2.86%

  1. Kuwait
    6a4e94ccd3b3e45765196a4f?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $8.19 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,580

Percentage of GDP: 5.2%

  1. Colombia
    6a4e93fbb3a8c16f7e8ec896?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $8.27 billion

Defense budget per capita: $166

Percentage of GDP: 1.89%

  1. Vietnam
    69af304b441e48aec3a1c4db?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $8.41 billion

Defense budget per capita: $79

Percentage of GDP: 1.74%

  1. Romania
    69af2fbcccda166eed3d0a63?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $9.48 billion

Defense budget per capita: $527

Percentage of GDP: 2.24%

  1. Pakistan
    69af2f5accda166eed3d0a44?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $10.02 billion

Defense budget per capita: $39

Percentage of GDP: 2.44%

  1. Qatar
    698b5619a645d11881890c96?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $10.11 billion

Defense budget per capita: $3,935

Percentage of GDP: 4.55%

  1. Mexico
    698b574ca645d11881890cb6?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $11.36 billion

Defense budget per capita: $86

Percentage of GDP: 0.61%

  1. Denmark
    69af2dc2ccda166eed3d09f2?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $12.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,013

Percentage of GDP: 2.65%

  1. Iraq
    69865175d3c7faef0ecdd3c7?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $12.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $295

Percentage of GDP: 4.78%

  1. Belgium
    69af2cab82b35e2c04dd6111?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $13.9 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,161

Percentage of GDP: 1.94%

  1. Indonesia
    698b6ec9d3c7faef0ecdffa0?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $15.08 billion

Defense budget per capita: $53

Percentage of GDP: 1.04%

  1. Norway
    698b575dd3c7faef0ecdfc2e?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $16.44 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,966

Percentage of GDP: 3.18%

  1. Sweden
    698b580ea645d11881890ccf?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $17.06 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,602

Percentage of GDP: 2.58%

  1. Singapore
    698652dda645d1188188e4d5?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $17.99 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,958

Percentage of GDP: 3.13%

  1. Taiwan
    698653e9e1ba468a96ab9bcb?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $21.2 billion

Defense budget per capita: $898

Percentage of GDP: 2.4%

  1. Turkey
    698651ead3c7faef0ecdd3df?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $21.48 billion

Defense budget per capita: $254

Percentage of GDP: 1.37%

  1. United Arab Emirates
    698655c8d3c7faef0ecdd4aa?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $21.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,148

Percentage of GDP: 3.81%

  1. Brazil
    6986589ee1ba468a96ab9cbb?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $24.27 billion

Defense budget per capita: $110

Percentage of GDP: 1.08%

  1. Algeria
    69865583d3c7faef0ecdd49c?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $25.21 billion

Defense budget per capita: $528

Percentage of GDP: 8.75%

  1. Spain
    6986542ea645d1188188e51b?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $28.91 billion

Defense budget per capita: $611

Percentage of GDP: 1.53%

  1. The Netherlands
    698657b5a645d1188188e5e0?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $29.12 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,633

Percentage of GDP: 2.2%

  1. Canada
    698658f0e1ba468a96ab9cd1?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $31.21 billion

Defense budget per capita: $797

Percentage of GDP: 1.37%

  1. Poland
    69865ae1a645d1188188e679?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $33.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $865

Percentage of GDP: 3.19%

  1. Australia
    69865e6fe1ba468a96ab9df6?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $37.28 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,378

Percentage of GDP: 2.04%

  1. Israel
    69865c61d3c7faef0ecdd62e?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $39.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $4,153

Percentage of GDP: 6.5%

  1. Italy
    69865d97a645d1188188e723?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $40.09 billion

Defense budget per capita: $658

Percentage of GDP: 1.58%

  1. South Korea
    6986631fd3c7faef0ecdd711?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $43.84 billion

Defense budget per capita: $851

Percentage of GDP: 2.36%

  1. Ukraine
    69865b39e1ba468a96ab9d43?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $44.45 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,217

Percentage of GDP: 21.19%

  1. Japan
    698663f4e1ba468a96ab9ea2?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $58.91 billion

Defense budget per capita: $480

Percentage of GDP: 1.38%

  1. France
    69866428e1ba468a96ab9eae?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $70 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,022

Percentage of GDP: 2.08%

  1. Saudi Arabia
    698664c4e1ba468a96ab9ed8?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $72.53 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,951

Percentage of GDP: 5.72%

  1. India
    698664eee1ba468a96ab9ee0?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $78.31 billion

Defense budget per capita: $55

Percentage of GDP: 1.9%

  1. United Kingdom
    69866603e1ba468a96ab9f09?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $94.26 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,371

Percentage of GDP: 2.38%

  1. Germany
    69866556d3c7faef0ecdd782?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $107.31 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,277

Percentage of GDP: 2.14%

  1. Russia
    69866590d3c7faef0ecdd791?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $161.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,150

Percentage of GDP: 6.34%

  1. China
    698665c8a645d1188188e849?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $251.29 billion

Defense budget per capita: $178

Percentage of GDP: 1.3%

  1. United States
    6986664da645d1188188e866?format=jpeg The 50 most expensive militaries in the world, ranked by defense budget

Defense budget: $921.02 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,725

Percentage of GDP: 3.01%

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in February 2026 and most recently updated in July 2026.

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