Health spending as share of GDP in Mexico 2010-2023

In 2023, Mexico’s healthcare expenditure represented an estimated 5.7 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), a decrease of 0.4 percentage points in comparison to 2020. This figure had remained relatively stable in previous years. In that year, Mexico's GDP amounted to approximately 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars.

Mexico in a global context

Healthcare expenditure is comprised of insurance, research, facility provision, and all other expenses associated with public health. Mexico's spending on healthcare in relation to its GDP is staggeringly low compared to most OECD countries. The United States, for instance, allocated approximately 17 percent of its GDP to healthcare in 2023. Furthermore, Mexico had one of the lowest levels of per capita health expenditures worldwide that year, at 1,500 U.S dollars. This figure was equivalent to less than half of that reported by Chile, which spent 3,350 U.S. dollars per citizen on health.

Health coverage in the North American country

In 2021, around 56 percent of the Mexican population was covered under one of the country’s public health care programs. Another 46 percent was affiliated to public healthcare insurance. However, despite Mexico’s efforts and investment in healthcare, a significant share of their population is still considered vulnerable due to inadequate access to health services. According to a survey carried out in Mexico in 2020, around 43 percent of respondents in whose households there was at least one member that presented symptoms of an illness did not attend a medical consultation because there were no available appointments.