GDP per Capita · Data & Comparison
Bangladesh GDP per Capita
Bangladesh's GDP per capita: how fast is income per person rising, and what does it hide?
In 2024 Bangladesh's nominal GDP per capita was USD 2,606, while its GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) was USD 9,697. The gap between the two is a factor of 3.7, reflecting the difference between market exchange rates and the lower domestic price level for non-traded goods. GNI per capita, a broader measure of income received by residents, stood at USD 2,820 in the same year. The economy grew 4.2% in 2024, down from a 2020s peak of 7.1%.
This page sets out the latest figures, the long-run series since 1980, the drivers behind the numbers, and how Bangladesh compares with peers. Nominal GDP per capita rose from USD 259 in 1980 to USD 2,606 in 2024, a 10-fold increase. The PPP measure climbed from USD 648 to USD 9,697 over the same period. The 2010s delivered the fastest decade of growth in both series, with nominal GDP per capita up 153% and PPP up 105%. The 2020s have so far added 15.3% and 45.3% respectively. The ready-made-garment export model, remittances, and the demographic dividend have all contributed, but LDC graduation, infrastructure constraints, and FX-reserve pressure now shape the outlook.
What is GDP per capita (nominal)?
GDP per capita is a country's GDP divided by its midyear population. It is the most common shorthand for average income or output per person.
How it is measured. Nominal GDP in current US dollars divided by midyear population. Because it uses market exchange rates, it ignores price-level differences between countries and says nothing about how income is distributed.
How to read it. Use it to compare average economic output per person. A high value can reflect high productivity or a small population with large resource or financial income, and it is not the same as median household income.
Source: World Bank WDI. See our methodology.
Current GDP per capita: nominal vs PPP
Nominal GDP per capita in 2024
Bangladesh recorded a nominal GDP per capita of USD 2,606.05 in 2024, up from USD 2,259.60 in 2020. The 2020s decade to date shows growth of 15.3% across five data points, with a decade mean of USD 2,536.20 and a peak of USD 2,723.67. Nominal GDP reached USD 450.29 billion in 2024, against USD 373.94 billion in 2020, a rise of 20.4%. The per capita figure divides that aggregate by a population still expanding, so headcount growth absorbs part of the output gain.
PPP GDP per capita in 2024
On a purchasing power parity basis, GDP per capita stood at USD 9,697.12 in 2024, compared with USD 6,673.02 in 2020. The 2020s mean is USD 8,297.73, and the five-year growth rate is 45.3%. The PPP series has risen faster than the nominal series in every decade on record: 105.0% growth in the 2010s against 153.0% nominal, and 45.3% against 15.3% in the 2020s to date. The PPP measure therefore places Bangladesh at roughly 3.7 times its nominal level in 2024.
The exchange-rate and price-level gap
The ratio between the two measures, 9,697.12 divided by 2,606.05, is approximately 3.72. This gap reflects two factors. First, market exchange rates value traded output at international prices, and the taka has depreciated against the dollar over the period. Second, domestic prices for non-traded goods and services in Bangladesh are lower than in the United States, so a unit of local currency buys more consumption than the exchange rate implies. PPP conversion corrects for both, raising measured income without changing underlying output.
The gap is not fixed. In 1980 the PPP figure was USD 647.96 against a nominal USD 258.58, a ratio of 2.51. By 2024 the ratio had widened to 3.72, indicating that price-level convergence with advanced economies has been limited even as output per head has grown. The nominal series grew from USD 258.58 to USD 2,606.05 between 1980 and 2024, while the PPP series grew from USD 647.96 to USD 9,697.12 over the same span.
GNI per capita for context
Gross national income per capita was USD 2,820.00 in 2024, above the nominal GDP per capita figure of USD 2,606.05. The 2020s mean is USD 2,694.00, with a peak of USD 2,880.00 and growth of 21.6% since 2020. GNI includes net income flows from abroad, and for Bangladesh these include remittances, which lift national income above domestic output on a per capita basis. The 2010s GNI growth rate of 184.6% exceeded the 153.0% nominal GDP per capita growth recorded in the same decade.
- Nominal GDP per capita, 2024: USD 2,606.05
- PPP GDP per capita, 2024: USD 9,697.12
- PPP to nominal ratio, 2024: approximately 3.72
- GNI per capita, 2024: USD 2,820.00
- Nominal GDP, 2024: USD 450.29 billion
Latest income-per-person measures, 2024
| Measure | Value (USD) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita (nominal) | 2,606 | 2024 |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | 9,697 | 2024 |
| GNI per capita (Atlas method) | 2,820 | 2024 |
The long arc: GDP per capita by decade since 1980
From a low base: the 1980s and 1990s
In 1980 nominal GDP per capita stood at USD 258.58. By 1989 it had reached USD 320.54, a decade gain of 24.0 per cent and a mean of USD 270.07. The 1990s opened at USD 340.55 and closed at USD 439.78, growth of 29.1 per cent against a decade mean of USD 380.69. PPP terms show the same slow drift: USD 647.96 in 1980 rising to USD 1,012.27 by 1989 (56.2 per cent), then USD 1,013.25 to USD 1,515.44 across the 1990s (49.6 per cent).
GNI per capita moved in step, from USD 210 in 1980 to USD 280 in 1989, and from USD 290 in 1990 to USD 400 in 1999. Aggregate GDP grew 55.8 per cent in the 1980s and 55.2 per cent in the 1990s, while average GDP growth ran at 3.38 per cent and 4.70 per cent respectively. Population growth absorbed much of the output gain, leaving per capita levels close to subsistence throughout both decades.
Acceleration: the 2000s and 2010s
The 2000s marked the break. Nominal GDP per capita rose from USD 439.94 in 2000 to USD 760.23 in 2009, a gain of 72.8 per cent, with a decade mean of USD 543.58. PPP per capita climbed from USD 1,601.20 to USD 2,804.83, up 75.2 per cent. GNI per capita advanced from USD 410 to USD 700, growth of 70.7 per cent. Aggregate GDP nearly doubled, rising 95.8 per cent from USD 57.53 billion to USD 112.62 billion.
The 2010s delivered the strongest expansion on record. Nominal GDP per capita moved from USD 846.57 in 2010 to USD 2,142.01 in 2019, growth of 153.0 per cent and a mean of USD 1,399.48. PPP per capita more than doubled, from USD 2,967.09 to USD 6,081.74 (105.0 per cent). GNI per capita rose from USD 780 to USD 2,220, up 184.6 per cent. GDP grew 177.3 per cent over the decade, from USD 126.68 billion to USD 351.23 billion, on average annual growth of 6.61 per cent.
Slower momentum: the 2020s
The 2020s show a clear deceleration. Nominal GDP per capita opened at USD 2,259.60 in 2020 and reached USD 2,606.05 in 2024, growth of 15.3 per cent across five years, with a mean of USD 2,536.20 and a peak of USD 2,723.67. PPP per capita rose from USD 6,673.02 to USD 9,697.12, up 45.3 per cent. GNI per capita moved from USD 2,320 to USD 2,820, a gain of 21.6 per cent.
Aggregate GDP expanded 20.4 per cent over the period, from USD 373.94 billion to USD 450.29 billion, against a decade mean of USD 429.03 billion. Average annual GDP growth of 5.50 per cent sits below the 2010s mean of 6.61 per cent, and the 2024 reading of 4.22 per cent is the weakest since the 2020 contraction year of 3.45 per cent. The 2020s thus extend the upward path but at roughly half the pace of the preceding decade.
Level comparison across the series
- Nominal GDP per capita, 1980 to 2024: USD 258.58 to USD 2,606.05.
- PPP GDP per capita, 1980 to 2024: USD 647.96 to USD 9,697.12.
- GNI per capita, 1980 to 2024: USD 210 to USD 2,820.
- Decade growth in nominal GDP per capita: 24.0, 29.1, 72.8, 153.0 and 15.3 per cent.
GDP per capita by decade, nominal and PPP (USD)
| Decade | Nominal start | Nominal end | Nominal growth (%) | PPP start | PPP end | PPP growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 259 | 321 | 24.0 | 648 | 1,012 | 56.2 |
| 1990s | 341 | 440 | 29.1 | 1,013 | 1,515 | 49.6 |
| 2000s | 440 | 760 | 72.8 | 1,601 | 2,805 | 75.2 |
| 2010s | 847 | 2,142 | 153.0 | 2,967 | 6,082 | 105.0 |
| 2020s | 2,260 | 2,606 | 15.3 | 6,673 | 9,697 | 45.3 |
What drives Bangladesh's income per person
Ready-made garments and the export base
Bangladesh's GDP per capita reached USD 2,606.05 in 2024, up from USD 846.57 in 2010, a 153.0 per cent rise across the 2010s. The expansion rests heavily on ready-made garments (RMG), which account for the large majority of merchandise exports and employ several million workers, predominantly women. Gross domestic product rose from USD 126.68 billion in 2010 to USD 351.23 billion in 2019, a 177.3 per cent increase, with RMG output and export volumes central to that trajectory. The sector's low unit labour costs and scale in woven and knitwear underpin the external earnings that finance imported inputs.
Remittances and household income
Worker remittances provide a second income channel, flowing directly to households and supporting consumption and the current account. GNI per capita stood at USD 2,820.00 in 2024 against GDP per capita of USD 2,606.05, a gap of USD 213.95 that reflects net factor income, including remittance inflows. The 2010s saw GNI per capita rise 184.6 per cent, from USD 780.00 to USD 2,220.00, outpacing the 153.0 per cent rise in GDP per capita. Gulf and Southeast Asian labour markets absorb most migrants, making the flow sensitive to destination-country demand and recruitment costs.
Demographic dividend and female labour participation
Bangladesh's working-age share has expanded, lowering the dependency ratio and lifting output per head even where output per worker is flat. Female labour force participation, concentrated in RMG, has been the principal mechanism by which the dividend converts into measured income. GDP per capita in purchasing power parity terms reached USD 9,697.12 in 2024, from USD 2,967.09 in 2010, a 105.0 per cent rise across the 2010s. The gap between the PPP figure and the nominal USD 2,606.05 indicates the weight of non-tradable domestic prices in the consumption basket.
Energy, infrastructure and the foreign exchange squeeze
Growth has been constrained by power shortages, port congestion and, since 2022, pressure on foreign exchange reserves that rationed fuel and capital goods imports. Real GDP growth averaged 6.61 per cent in the 2010s but fell to 3.45 per cent in 2020 and 4.22 per cent in 2024. The 2020s decade shows GDP per capita growth of 15.3 per cent over five years, against 153.0 per cent over the prior ten. The 2020s range for GDP per capita, USD 2,259.60 to USD 2,723.67, shows a flatter profile than the preceding decade.
Composition of the recent record
- GDP per capita, nominal: USD 2,606.05 (2024); USD 2,723.67 peak within the 2020s.
- GDP per capita, PPP: USD 9,697.12 (2024); 45.3 per cent growth across the 2020s to date.
- GNI per capita: USD 2,820.00 (2024); 21.6 per cent growth across the 2020s to date.
- Real GDP growth: 4.22 per cent (2024), against a 2010s mean of 6.61 per cent.
How Bangladesh compares with peers, and what the figure does not capture
Regional positioning
Bangladesh's GDP per capita reached USD 2,606 in 2024, up from USD 258.6 in 1980. That is a roughly tenfold rise in nominal dollar terms across 44 years. Regional comparison places the figure below India and well below Sri Lanka, though the gap has narrowed since 2000. In purchasing power parity terms, GDP per capita stood at USD 9,697 in 2024, against USD 648 in 1980. The PPP series shows the same trajectory: a 15-fold increase, with the steepest gains in the 2010s, when the PPP measure rose 105.0 per cent.
GNI per capita and the income gap
GNI per capita was USD 2,820 in 2024, above the GDP per capita figure of USD 2,606. The gap reflects net factor income and remittance inflows, which are large relative to the economy. GNI per capita rose from USD 210 in 1980, a 13.4-fold increase. The 2010s accounted for the largest single jump, from USD 780 in 2010 to USD 2,220 in 2019, a 184.6 per cent rise. The 2020s have been slower: USD 2,320 in 2020 to USD 2,820 in 2024, a 21.6 per cent gain.
What the average does not capture
Per capita figures are means, and Bangladesh's distribution is uneven. Consumption growth has been concentrated in urban areas and in export-linked manufacturing. The 2024 GDP growth rate of 4.2 per cent was below the 2010s mean of 6.6 per cent, and the 2020s mean of 5.5 per cent. Averages also mask informal employment, which accounts for a large share of the labour force. The PPP conversion of USD 9,697 adjusts for price levels but not for intra-household allocation or regional price dispersion.
LDC graduation and the trade cliff
Bangladesh is scheduled to graduate from least developed country status in 2026. Graduation removes duty-free access to several markets, most significantly the European Union's Everything But Arms scheme. The apparel sector, which dominates exports, faces the prospect of standard tariff treatment. The 2024 GDP figure of USD 450.3 billion and the 2024 growth rate of 4.2 per cent provide the base against which the post-graduation adjustment will be measured. The 2020s GDP growth mean of 5.5 per cent is below the 2010s mean of 6.6 per cent, a deceleration that predates graduation.
Reading the series with caution
Nominal dollar figures are sensitive to exchange rate movements and base-year revisions. The 1980s GDP per capita mean of USD 270 and the 2020s mean of USD 2,536 span a period in which the taka was devalued repeatedly. PPP measures are less exposed to this but depend on price surveys that are updated infrequently. The 2024 PPP figure of USD 9,697 and the nominal figure of USD 2,606 differ by a factor of 3.7, which indicates the scale of the price-level adjustment rather than a change in output.
Bangladesh vs selected peers, GDP per capita (USD), 2024
| Country | Nominal GDP per capita | PPP GDP per capita |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 2,606 | 9,697 |
| India | 2,700 | 10,100 |
| Pakistan | 1,600 | 6,700 |
| Sri Lanka | 4,100 | 15,000 |
| Vietnam | 4,600 | 15,500 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Bangladesh's current GDP per capita?
Bangladesh's GDP per capita was USD 2,688 in FY2023, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, up from USD 2,362 in FY2021. In current US dollar terms the figure has roughly doubled since FY2015, when it stood near USD 1,300. The taka value rose to BDT 279,000 in FY2023 from BDT 240,000 a year earlier. Growth in dollar terms slowed in FY2023 because the taka depreciated against the US dollar, which reduces the converted value even when output rises in local currency. The series is nominal and is not adjusted for purchasing power; the PPP measure is substantially higher.
How fast has Bangladesh's GDP per capita grown over the past decade?
In constant local currency terms, Bangladesh's GDP per capita grew at an average of about 5.5 per cent a year between FY2013 and FY2023. Annual growth peaked at 6.8 per cent in FY2019 and fell to 3.8 per cent in FY2020 during the pandemic, before recovering to 6.1 per cent in FY2022. In nominal US dollar terms the rise is larger, from roughly USD 1,000 in FY2013 to USD 2,688 in FY2023, although exchange rate movements affect that comparison. The constant-price series is the better measure of underlying output per person because it removes inflation and currency effects.
Is Bangladesh's GDP per capita higher or lower than India's and Pakistan's?
Bangladesh's nominal GDP per capita of USD 2,688 in FY2023 exceeded India's USD 2,485 and Pakistan's USD 1,568 in the same year, based on IMF estimates. Bangladesh overtook India on this measure around 2019 and has held the lead since, although the margin is narrow at roughly USD 200. On a purchasing power parity basis, Bangladesh's figure of about USD 9,000 is below India's near USD 9,200. Population size matters: Bangladesh has about 170 million people against India's 1.4 billion, so similar aggregate growth produces different per capita outcomes.
What share of Bangladesh's GDP per capita comes from remittances?
Remittances equalled about 4.7 per cent of GDP in FY2023, or roughly USD 21.6 billion against a GDP of about USD 459 billion. On a per capita basis that is approximately USD 127 per person per year, close to 5 per cent of the USD 2,688 average income. Remittance inflows fell from USD 24.8 billion in FY2021 to USD 21.0 billion in FY2022 before recovering. Because remittances flow directly to households, their effect on consumption per person is larger than the GDP share alone implies, and they are a significant component of disposable income in recipient districts.
How does Bangladesh's GDP per capita compare with the global average?
Bangladesh's nominal GDP per capita of USD 2,688 in FY2023 is about 21 per cent of the world average of roughly USD 12,700, based on IMF data. The country is classified by the World Bank as lower-middle income, a band running from USD 1,136 to USD 4,465 in gross national income per capita. Bangladesh entered that band in 2015, having been low income before. On a purchasing power parity basis the gap narrows: Bangladesh's PPP figure of about USD 9,000 is roughly 45 per cent of the world PPP average near USD 20,000, reflecting lower domestic price levels.
What is Bangladesh's GDP per capita forecast for 2026?
The IMF projects Bangladesh's nominal GDP per capita at about USD 3,200 in FY2026, up from USD 2,688 in FY2023, implying average growth near 6 per cent a year in dollar terms. The World Bank's October 2023 outlook projected real GDP growth of 5.6 per cent for FY2024 and 6.0 per cent for FY2025, which underpins per capita gains of roughly 4.5 per cent a year after population growth of about 1.1 per cent. Reaching the World Bank's upper-middle income threshold of USD 4,465 would require sustained dollar-terms growth well above the recent trend. Exchange rate movements remain the largest source of forecast error.