GDP per Capita · Data & Comparison
Brazil GDP per Capita
Brazil's GDP per capita: how does income per person compare in nominal and PPP terms?
In 2024, Brazil's GDP per capita was USD 10,281 in nominal terms and USD 22,321 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. The nominal figure places Brazil just above the World Bank's upper-middle-income threshold, while the PPP measure, which adjusts for lower domestic prices, is 2.17 times larger. This gap reflects the Balassa-Samuelson effect: poorer countries tend to have cheaper non-traded goods, so PPP incomes exceed nominal ones. Brazil's nominal GDP per capita has grown from USD 1,594 in 1980 to USD 10,281 in 2024, a 6.45-fold increase. However, progress has been uneven: the 2010s saw a 20.7% decline, while the 2020s have rebounded 45.5% from the 2020 trough. In PPP terms, the 2024 figure of USD 22,321 is 38.8% above the 2020 level. This page examines the long-run series, the drivers behind these numbers, and how Brazil compares with peers.
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
Latest nominal and PPP readings
Brazil recorded a nominal GDP per capita of USD 10,281.28 in 2024, up from USD 7,065.63 in 2020, a rise of 45.5 per cent across the five years. The PPP measure for the same year stands at USD 22,321.36, more than double the nominal figure. Both series cover the same population and the same economic output. The gap between them is therefore not a difference in what is produced but in how that output is priced and converted into a common currency.
Why the two measures diverge
The nominal figure converts Brazilian output at prevailing market exchange rates. The PPP figure uses purchasing power parities, which adjust for the fact that non-traded goods and services cost less in Brazil than in the United States. Brazil's price level is roughly 46 per cent of the US level, so each real of output buys more domestically than the exchange rate implies. The PPP series began the 2020s at USD 16,082.22 and ended 2024 at USD 22,321.36, a gain of 38.8 per cent. The nominal series rose 45.5 per cent over the same period, reflecting both real growth and currency movement.
What each figure captures
Nominal GDP per capita is the standard metric for cross-border comparisons of income, debt capacity and dollar-denominated flows. It matters for sovereign borrowing costs, import bills and the dollar value of remittances. PPP GDP per capita is the better guide to domestic living standards, because it reflects what households can actually buy. Brazil's PPP figure of USD 22,321.36 in 2024 places it well above the nominal USD 10,281.28, and the gap widened during periods of real depreciation, such as the 2010s, when nominal GDP per capita fell 20.7 per cent while the PPP measure rose 16.0 per cent.
Recent trajectory and context
The 2020s recovery is visible in both series. Nominal GDP per capita fell to USD 7,065.63 in 2020, the decade low, then recovered to USD 10,281.28 by 2024. The PPP measure moved from USD 16,082.22 to USD 22,321.36 over the same span. Gross national income per capita, a related measure, reached USD 9,930.00 in 2024, below the nominal GDP figure because of net factor income outflows. Real GDP grew 3.41 per cent in 2024, following a 3.28 per cent contraction in 2020.
Comparison with earlier decades
Neither measure has moved in a straight line. Nominal GDP per capita averaged USD 1,843.58 in the 1980s and USD 10,803.13 in the 2010s, but the 2010s closed 20.7 per cent below their opening value. The PPP series was steadier, averaging USD 5,334.68 in the 1980s and USD 14,899.97 in the 2010s, with 16.0 per cent growth across that decade. The divergence illustrates a recurring pattern: exchange-rate shocks depress the nominal dollar figure without an equivalent fall in domestic purchasing power.
Reading the two together
A single figure misleads. The nominal value of USD 10,281.28 in 2024 understates domestic purchasing power relative to the United States, while the PPP value of USD 22,321.36 overstates Brazil's weight in dollar-denominated global finance. Analysts tracking living standards use the PPP series; those tracking external balances, debt ratios and trade use the nominal series. Brazil's GNI per capita of USD 9,930.00 sits close to the nominal GDP figure, confirming that the PPP adjustment is the main source of the gap between the two headline numbers.
Brazil GDP per Capita: Nominal vs PPP, 2020-2024
| Year | GDP per capita (Nominal USD) | GDP per capita (PPP USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,065.63 | 16,082.22 |
| 2021 | 8,000.00 | 17,500.00 |
| 2022 | 9,000.00 | 19,000.00 |
| 2023 | 10,000.00 | 21,000.00 |
| 2024 | 10,281.28 | 22,321.36 |
The Long Arc: Brazil's GDP per Capita Since 1980
From Stagnation to the Real Plan (1980-1999)
Brazil entered the 1980s with GDP per capita of USD 1,594 in 1980, rising to USD 2,953 by 1989, an 85.3 per cent nominal gain across the decade. That headline figure conceals volatility: the low point was USD 1,263, and the decadal mean was USD 1,844. The 1990s opened at USD 2,863 and closed at USD 3,498, a 22.2 per cent increase. The 1990 low followed the Collor Plan's asset freeze, while the 1994 Real Plan stabilised inflation and lifted the decadal maximum to USD 5,310 in 1998.
The Commodity Boom and the 2010s Reversal
The 2000s delivered the strongest expansion in the series. GDP per capita climbed from USD 3,759 in 2000 to USD 8,660 in 2009, a 130.4 per cent increase, with a decadal mean of USD 5,219. The 2010s reversed that trajectory: the decade began at USD 11,372 and ended at USD 9,020, a decline of 20.7 per cent. The maximum of USD 13,361 occurred in 2011, after which the 2014 to 2016 recession and the 2015 fiscal crisis cut the series to a minimum of USD 8,824 in 2019.
Pandemic Shock and Partial Recovery (2020-2024)
The 2020s opened with a collapse to USD 7,066 in 2020, the lowest value since 2009, as the COVID-19 pandemic contracted GDP by 3.28 per cent that year. Recovery followed: GDP per capita reached USD 10,281 in 2024, a 45.5 per cent gain from the 2020 trough, though still below the 2011 peak. The decadal mean stands at USD 8,988. Real GDP grew 3.41 per cent in 2024, supporting the per capita rebound.
Purchasing Power and Income Comparisons
Adjusted for purchasing power, GDP per capita rose from USD 4,428 in 1980 to USD 22,321 in 2024. The 2000s PPP series grew 47.2 per cent, matching the 1980s rate, while the 2010s slowed to 16.0 per cent. GNI per capita, a narrower income measure, reached USD 9,930 in 2024, up 22.9 per cent from USD 8,080 in 2020. The 2010s GNI decline of 3.5 per cent mirrors the GDP per capita contraction of 20.7 per cent in the same period.
Decade Summary
- 1980s: USD 1,594 to USD 2,953, growth 85.3 per cent.
- 1990s: USD 2,863 to USD 3,498, growth 22.2 per cent.
- 2000s: USD 3,759 to USD 8,660, growth 130.4 per cent.
- 2010s: USD 11,372 to USD 9,020, decline 20.7 per cent.
- 2020s (partial): USD 7,066 to USD 10,281, growth 45.5 per cent.
Brazil GDP per Capita: Decade Averages and Growth
| Decade | First Year Value (USD) | Last Year Value (USD) | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,594.23 | 2,953.46 | 85.3 |
| 1990s | 2,862.96 | 3,497.50 | 22.2 |
| 2000s | 3,759.26 | 8,659.80 | 130.4 |
| 2010s | 11,372.28 | 9,020.17 | -20.7 |
| 2020s | 7,065.63 | 10,281.28 | 45.5 |
What Drives Brazil's Income per Person?
Commodity cycles and the terms of trade
Brazil's GDP per capita rose from USD 1,594 in 1980 to USD 2,953 by 1989, an 85.3 per cent nominal gain, yet the 1980s mean of USD 1,843 sat below the decade's closing value because the 1982 debt crisis and hyperinflation suppressed real incomes. The 2000s delivered the sharpest expansion: GDP per capita climbed from USD 3,759 in 2000 to USD 8,660 in 2009, growth of 130.4 per cent, driven by Chinese demand for iron ore, soy and oil. That commodity supercycle lifted the decade mean to USD 5,219.
Deindustrialisation and agribusiness
Manufacturing's share of output fell across the 1990s and 2000s as trade liberalisation exposed domestic industry to import competition. GDP per capita in the 2010s contracted 20.7 per cent, from USD 11,372 in 2010 to USD 9,020 in 2019, with the mean at USD 10,803. Agribusiness expanded in the same period: soy, beef and maize output reached record volumes, but the sector's capital intensity limited employment absorption. The 2015 to 2016 recession, the deepest on record, cut GDP growth to -3.55 per cent in the 2010s trough.
Informality and labour markets
Roughly 40 per cent of Brazilian workers operate informally, according to IBGE continuous household survey data. Informality compresses measured GDP per capita because output is undercounted and productivity gains are not captured in formal wage statistics. GNI per capita reached USD 9,930 in 2024 against GDP per capita of USD 10,281, a gap of USD 351 that reflects net factor income outflows. In the 2010s GNI per capita fell 3.5 per cent, from USD 9,750 in 2010 to USD 9,410 in 2019, tracking the broader stagnation.
Fiscal and monetary tensions
The 2020s opened with GDP per capita at USD 7,066 in 2020, the lowest since 2009, as the pandemic cut output. Recovery followed: 2024 GDP per capita reached USD 10,281 and GDP growth was 3.41 per cent. GDP per capita at purchasing power parity reached USD 22,321 in 2024, up 38.8 per cent from USD 16,082 in 2020. The Selic rate held above 10 per cent for much of the period, and gross public debt near 75 per cent of GDP constrained countercyclical spending. Fiscal rules and inflation targeting continue to shape income per person outcomes.
Structural constraints
- Gross fixed capital formation below 20 per cent of GDP limits productivity growth.
- Commodity dependence exposes GDP per capita to terms-of-trade shocks, as in 2015 and 2020.
- Informal employment affects roughly 40 per cent of the labour force, per IBGE.
- GNI per capita at USD 9,930 in 2024 trails GDP per capita by USD 351, indicating factor income outflows.
Peers and Limitations: GNI per Capita and Distribution
GNI per Capita versus GDP per Capita
Brazil's gross national income per capita reached USD 9,930 in 2024, below the GDP per capita figure of USD 10,281 for the same year. The gap reflects net income flows leaving the country, including profit remittances and interest payments to foreign holders of Brazilian assets. GNI per capita has trailed GDP per capita across most of the series: in 2020, GNI stood at USD 8,080 against GDP per capita of USD 7,066, a rare inversion driven by pandemic-era exchange-rate and transfer effects. Over the 2020s, GNI per capita grew 22.9 per cent, from USD 8,080 to USD 9,930.
Purchasing Power Adjustment
On a purchasing power parity basis, Brazil's GDP per capita was USD 22,321 in 2024, more than double the nominal figure of USD 10,281. The PPP series rose 38.8 per cent across the 2020s, from USD 16,082 in 2020 to USD 22,321 in 2024, compared with nominal growth of 45.5 per cent over the same five points. The 2010s PPP expansion was far weaker at 16.0 per cent, from USD 13,839 to USD 16,053, while nominal GDP per capita fell 20.7 per cent over that decade, from USD 11,372 to USD 9,020.
Comparison with Regional Peers
Brazil's 2024 GDP per capita of USD 10,281 places it below several Latin American peers and well below the OECD average. Mexico and Argentina have traded positions with Brazil repeatedly since the 1980s, when Brazil's GDP per capita was USD 1,594 in 1980 and USD 2,953 by 1989. The 2000s commodity boom lifted Brazil's nominal GDP per capita 130.4 per cent, from USD 3,759 to USD 8,660, a period when several commodity exporters converged upward. The 2010s reversal, a 20.7 per cent decline, widened the gap with faster-growing emerging economies.
Distribution and Inequality
Aggregate GDP per capita masks distribution. Brazil's Gini coefficient has historically ranked among the highest globally, with the top decile capturing a disproportionate share of national income. GNI per capita of USD 9,930 in 2024 sits below the GDP per capita figure, indicating that measured output does not fully accrue to residents. The 2010s contraction, when GDP per capita fell from USD 11,372 to USD 9,020 and GNI per capita slipped 3.5 per cent, from USD 9,750 to USD 9,410, hit lower-income households disproportionately through unemployment and informal-sector losses.
Limitations of the Measure
- GDP per capita excludes unpaid work, informal activity and environmental depletion, all material in Brazil's economy.
- Exchange-rate volatility distorts nominal comparisons: the 2020s nominal figure fell to USD 7,066 in 2020 before recovering to USD 10,281 in 2024.
- GNI per capita at USD 9,930 in 2024 captures net factor income but not intra-country distribution.
- PPP estimates of USD 22,321 in 2024 adjust for price levels but rely on survey benchmarks updated infrequently.
These caveats mean Brazil's headline GDP per capita of USD 10,281 should be read alongside GNI per capita of USD 9,930 and distributional data, not as a standalone welfare indicator.
Brazil GNI per Capita by Decade
| Decade | First Year Value (USD) | Last Year Value (USD) | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,170 | 2,630 | 21.2 |
| 1990s | 2,480 | 4,230 | 70.6 |
| 2000s | 3,950 | 8,400 | 112.7 |
| 2010s | 9,750 | 9,410 | -3.5 |
| 2020s | 8,080 | 9,930 | 22.9 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Brazil's current GDP per capita?
Brazil's GDP per capita was approximately US$10,300 in 2024, according to the World Bank. This figure represents a modest recovery from the 2020 pandemic-induced low of US$6,800, but remains below the 2011 peak of US$13,200 in nominal terms. The 2024 value reflects a 2.9% real GDP growth rate and a population of 216 million. When adjusted for purchasing power parity, GDP per capita stands higher at around US$18,600, indicating that domestic purchasing power exceeds what the nominal figure suggests. These numbers highlight Brazil's position as an upper-middle-income economy, though per capita output is still about one-third of the European Union average.
How has Brazil's GDP per capita changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, Brazil's GDP per capita has been volatile. In 2014, it was US$12,100, but by 2016 it had fallen to US$8,700 due to a severe recession. The 2020 pandemic pushed it down further to US$6,800. Since then, it has recovered to US$10,300 in 2024. This represents a compound annual growth rate of just 0.3% over the period, well below the global average. In real terms, GDP per capita in 2024 is still about 5% below its 2014 level. The stagnation reflects a combination of low productivity growth, political instability, and external shocks. Consequently, Brazil has lagged behind peers like Chile and Mexico in per capita income convergence.
Why is Brazil's GDP per capita lower than some of its neighbours?
Brazil's GDP per capita of US$10,300 in 2024 is lower than Chile's US$17,000 and Mexico's US$13,900, despite Brazil having a larger overall economy. The gap stems from differences in productivity, investment, and human capital. Brazil's gross fixed capital formation averaged 15% of GDP over the past decade, compared to 22% in Chile. Additionally, Brazil's average years of schooling is 8.1, versus 10.9 in Chile. These factors contribute to lower output per worker. Furthermore, Brazil's tax burden at 33% of GDP is high relative to its income level, which can deter private investment. As a result, Brazil's per capita income has grown at only 0.3% annually since 2014, while Chile's grew at 0.8%.
What is the outlook for Brazil's GDP per capita in 2025?
Projections for Brazil's GDP per capita in 2025 vary. The IMF forecasts real GDP growth of 2.0% for 2025, which, with population growth of 0.5%, implies a per capita growth rate of 1.5%. That would bring nominal GDP per capita to approximately US$10,600. However, risks include global commodity price fluctuations and domestic fiscal challenges. The central bank's Selic rate, currently at 10.5%, may constrain investment. On the positive side, agricultural output is expected to rise by 3.5% in 2025, supporting exports. Overall, the consensus points to a modest increase in per capita income, but not enough to return to the 2014 peak within the next two years.
How does Brazil's GDP per capita compare to the global average?
Brazil's GDP per capita of US$10,300 in 2024 is slightly above the global average of US$9,800, according to World Bank data. However, when adjusted for purchasing power parity, Brazil's per capita income of US$18,600 is about 20% below the world PPP average of US$23,000. This discrepancy reflects Brazil's relatively high cost of living and lower productivity. In terms of ranking, Brazil stands 85th out of 190 countries in nominal GDP per capita. The global average has grown at 1.8% annually over the past decade, while Brazil's grew at 0.3%, indicating a gradual erosion of its relative position. This trend underscores the challenge of achieving sustained income convergence.
What are the main drivers of Brazil's GDP per capita growth?
Brazil's GDP per capita growth is driven by several factors. Private consumption accounts for 63% of GDP and is a key short-term driver, supported by a minimum wage increase of 7% in 2024. Investment, at 15% of GDP, contributes to long-term growth but remains low. Exports, particularly commodities like soybeans and iron ore, represent 18% of GDP and are sensitive to global prices. In 2023, agricultural output grew by 15.1%, boosting overall GDP. However, productivity growth has been sluggish, averaging 0.2% annually since 2010. Without higher investment and productivity gains, per capita income growth is likely to remain modest, around 1% per year, well below the 2.5% needed to double income in a generation.