World’s Most Expensive Militaries in 2026, Ranked by Defense Budget

Press Room

4 hours ago

The world’s military budgets totaled $2.6 trillion in 2025, and the US accounted for more than a third of that.

The US has the world’s most expensive military, spending nearly $1 trillion on defense. That’s over three and a half times China’s reported defense budget, the next largest.

From spending on nuclear technology to advanced aircraft and warships, the world’s top militaries allocate hundreds of billions of dollars each year to stay ahead.

In some countries, big-ticket items such as naval assets or technologically advanced aircraft or missiles account for the bulk of military spending, while others devote large sums to maintaining large conscription troop systems.

Ultimately, military spending varies by country depending on location and interests, Gian Gentile, a retired US Army colonel and senior historian at RAND, told Business Insider. Some countries prioritize homeland defense while others value overmatch and far-reaching power projection.

“The US spends a lot on more sophisticated, extremely precise weapon systems,” he said.

A military’s budget can be measured either as a total amount or as a share of its country’s GDP, reflecting the burden on its economy. Worldwide, countries spent an average of 2.01% of their GDP on defense in 2025.

Wartime spending as a share of GDP typically rises, putting strain on the civilian economy, said Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Ukraine in 2025, for example, devoted over 20% of its GDP to its military, the highest share globally.

Spending statistics help paint a picture of defense priorities, but they don’t always translate into readiness for conflict.

“Readiness is very expensive, and perishable,” Cancian said.

A country’s on-paper investment in its defense systems doesn’t always translate directly into military capability, he added. Training and maintenance are often overlooked in analyses of spending on equipment and technologies.

A particularly high cost when it comes to technologically advanced aircraft, for instance, is maintenance and sustainment.

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

Last 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 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 35 countries that spend the most on their military, ranked by the size of their defense budgets.

35. Vietnam

Vietnam has the largest reserves in the world, with an estimated 5 million reservists.

NHAC NGUYEN/AFP via Getty Images

Vietnamese People's Army soldiers march during a parade marking Vietnam's 80th National Day celebrations in Hanoi on September 2, 2025. — Vietnam has the largest reserves in the world, with an estimated 5 million reservists.

NHAC NGUYEN/AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $8.41 billion

Defense budget per capita: $79

Percentage of GDP: 1.74%

34. Romania

Romania budgets for about $527 per resident for its defense forces.

Alex Nicodim/Anadolu via Getty Images

Defense budget: $9.48 billion

Defense budget per capita: $527

Percentage of GDP: 2.24%

33. Pakistan

Pakistan spent a total of $10.02 on its military in 2025.

Abdul BASIT / AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $10.02 billion

Defense budget per capita: $39

Percentage of GDP: 2.44%

32. Qatar

Qatar had the second-highest military budget per capita in the world in 2025, at $3,935 per resident.

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $10.11 billion

Defense budget per capita: $3,935

Percentage of GDP: 4.55%

31. Mexico

Mexico allocates 0.61% of its GDP to military funding, per the IISS report.

Victoria Razo / AFP

Defense budget: $11.36 billion

Defense budget per capita: $86

Percentage of GDP: 0.61%

30. Denmark

Denmark spent about $2,013 per resident on defense in 2025.

Florent VERGNES / AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $12.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,013

Percentage of GDP: 2.65%

29. Iraq

Iraq budgeted for 4.78% of its GDP on military spending in 2025, IISS reported.

Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP

Defense budget: $12.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $295

Percentage of GDP: 4.78%

28. Belgium

Belgium spent nearly $14 billion on its defense funding in 2025.

JULIEN WARNAND / BELGA MAG / Belga / AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $13.9 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,161

Percentage of GDP: 1.94%

27. Indonesia

Indonesia allocates about $53 per resident on its military each year, per its 2025 budget.

BAY ISMOYO / AFP

Defense budget: $15.08 billion

Defense budget per capita: $53

Percentage of GDP: 1.04%

26. Norway

In 2025, Norway spent about $2,966 per resident on defense.

Yauhen Yerchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Defense budget: $16.44 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,966

Percentage of GDP: 3.18%

25. Sweden

Sweden’s defense budget amounts to about $1,602 per resident each year.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Defense budget: $17.06 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,602

Percentage of GDP: 2.58%

24. Singapore

Singapore has the fourth-highest defense budget per capita in the world.

ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $17.99 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,958

Percentage of GDP: 3.13%

23. Taiwan

Taiwan budgets for 2.4% of its GDP on its military, or about $898 per resident, according to IISS.

I-Hwa Cheng / AFP

Defense budget: $21.2 billion

Defense budget per capita: $898

Percentage of GDP: 2.4%

22. Turkey

Turkey’s defense budget was over $21 billion, per the IISS report.

Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images

Defense budget: $21.48 billion

Defense budget per capita: $254

Percentage of GDP: 1.37%

21. United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has the seventh-highest defense budget per capita in the world.

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Defense budget: $21.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,148

Percentage of GDP: 3.81%

20. Brazil

Brazil spends about 1.11% of its GDP on its military, according to its 2024 budget.

Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images

Defense budget: $24.27 billion

Defense budget per capita: $110

Percentage of GDP: 1.08%

19. Algeria

Algeria spends the second-highest percentage of GDP on its military.

NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Defense budget: $25.21 billion

Defense budget per capita: $528

Percentage of GDP: 8.75%

18. Spain

Spain budgeted about 1.53% of its GDP for military spending in 2025.

picture alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

Defense budget: $28.91 billion

Defense budget per capita: $611

Percentage of GDP: 1.53%

17. The Netherlands

The Netherlands budgeted $1,633 per resident on its military.

Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP

Defense budget: $29.12 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,633

Percentage of GDP: 2.2%

16. Canada

Canada’s military budget was over $31 billion in 2025.

Artur Widak/NurPhoto

Defense budget: $31.21 billion

Defense budget per capita: $797

Percentage of GDP: 1.37%

15. Poland

Poland spends over 3% of its GDP on its military.

Aleksander Kalka/NurPhoto

Defense budget: $33.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $865

Percentage of GDP: 3.19%

14. Australia

Australia’s defense budget equals around $1,378 per resident.

Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Defense budget: $37.28 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,378

Percentage of GDP: 2.04%

13. Israel

At $4,153 per resident, Israel had the largest military budget per capita in the world.

Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

Defense budget: $39.68 billion

Defense budget per capita: $4,153

Percentage of GDP: 6.5%

12. Italy

Italy allocates about 1.58% of its GDP on military spending, according to its 2025 budget.

Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Defense budget: $40.09 billion

Defense budget per capita: $658

Percentage of GDP: 1.58%

11. South Korea

South Korea’s military budget reached nearly $44 billion in 2025, per IISS’ reporting.

Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Defense budget: $43.84 billion

Defense budget per capita: $851

Percentage of GDP: 2.36%

10. Ukraine

Ukraine budgeted the highest percentage of its GDP for defense among countries, a common practice during wartime.

Tetiana DZHAFAROVA / AFP

Defense budget: $44.44 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,217

Percentage of GDP: 21.19%

9. Japan

Japan’s defense budget was nearly $59 billion in 2025.

JIJI Press / AFP

Defense budget: $58.91 billion

Defense budget per capita: $480

Percentage of GDP: 1.38%

8. France

France budgeted just over 2% of its GDP for defense funding in 2024.

Philippe Magoni / POOL / AFP

Defense budget: $70 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,022

Percentage of GDP: 2.08%

7. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has the seventh-highest defense budget per capita at $1,951 per resident.

BANDAR ALDANDANI/AFP via Getty Images

Defense budget: $72.53 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,951

Percentage of GDP: 5.72%

6. India

India budgeted for about $55 per resident.

Roslan RAHMAN / AFP

Defense budget: $78.31 billion

Defense budget per capita: $55

Percentage of GDP: 1.9%

5. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s defense budget in 2025 was over $94 billion, per the report.

Owen Humphreys – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

Defense budget: $94.26 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,371

Percentage of GDP: 2.38%

4. Germany

Germany has the highest-funded military in Europe.

Michaela Stache / AFP

Defense budget: $107.31 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,277

Percentage of GDP: 2.14%

3. Russia

Russia spends a higher percentage of its GDP on defense spending than other nations.

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Defense budget: $161.18 billion

Defense budget per capita: $1,150

Percentage of GDP: 6.34%

2. China

China’s defense budget is equal to $178 per resident.

Greg Baker / AFP

Defense budget: $251.29 billion

Defense budget per capita: $178

Percentage of GDP: 1.3%

1. United States

The US also has the fifth-highest military budget per capita.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Defense budget: $921.02 billion

Defense budget per capita: $2,725

Percentage of GDP: 3.01%