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Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Nicaragua

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Nicaragua in 2023 — 37.63%. Ranked 132 in the world out of 192. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 6.25 pp.

2023 37.63% +1.95 pp vs 2022
World rank 132of 192
Period maximum 45.29%2002
Period minimum 30.82%2021

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Nicaragua, 2000–202330354045502000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 43.88%2001: 40.38%2002: 45.29%2003: 38.69%2004: 41.56%2005: 39.17%2006: 41.98%2007: 41.94%2008: 40.91%2009: 38.32%2010: 37.49%2011: 37.83%2012: 37.64%2013: 36.9%2014: 35.33%2015: 35.39%2016: 35.02%2017: 33.84%2018: 33.16%2019: 33.22%2020: 32.27%2021: 30.82%2022: 35.68%2023: 37.63%
Change over the period: −6.25 pp Annual average: -0.27 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Nicaragua

Nicaragua 37.63%
World 17.33%
Latin America & Caribbean 29.69%
Central America computed 39.12%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 36.61%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Nicaragua, by year Nicaragua All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 37.63 +1.95 pp
2022 35.68 +4.87 pp
2021 30.82 −1.46 pp
2020 32.27 −0.95 pp
2019 33.22 +0.06 pp
2018 33.16 −0.68 pp
2017 33.84 −1.17 pp
2016 35.02 −0.38 pp
2015 35.39 +0.06 pp
2014 35.33 −1.57 pp
2013 36.9 −0.74 pp
2012 37.64 −0.19 pp
2011 37.83 +0.34 pp
2010 37.49 −0.83 pp
2009 38.32 −2.59 pp
2008 40.91 −1.04 pp
2007 41.94 −0.04 pp
2006 41.98 +2.82 pp
2005 39.17 −2.39 pp
2004 41.56 +2.87 pp
2003 38.69 −6.6 pp
2002 45.29 +4.91 pp
2001 40.38 −3.5 pp
2000 43.88 —

Central America, 2023

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

CR Costa Rica 24.13 BZ Belize 26.78 SV El Salvador 32.49 NI Nicaragua 37.63 PA Panama 40.46 MX Mexico 41.24 HN Honduras 53.06 GT Guatemala 57.18
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

Payments people make for medical care directly at the point of use — as a percent of all current health expenditure in the country. Insurance contributions and taxes are excluded: only what a person takes out of their pocket at the counter. The indicator is considered a key measure of financial protection: the higher it is, the more often illness means ruin, and WHO tracks it as an indicator of the risk of catastrophic household spending.

Important: A high value means weak protection, not an active private sector: voluntary insurance is not part of this indicator, so a country with developed private insurance can have a low share of out-of-pocket payments.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for Nicaragua

Healthcare Government health expenditure (% of GDP)

How much the state spends on health relative to the size of the economy.

Nicaragua by year Healthcare Health expenditure (% of GDP)

All current health spending — government and private — as a percent of GDP.

Nicaragua by year Healthcare Universal health coverage index

A composite estimate of how far the population is supplied with the medical care it needs. A scale from 0 to 100.

Nicaragua by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

How much is spent on health per person a year, in US dollars.

Nicaragua by year Healthcare Physicians per 1,000 people

The number of physicians per 1,000 people.

Nicaragua by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

The number of hospital beds per 1,000 people — the capacity of inpatient care.

Nicaragua by year
All indicators for Nicaragua