Entertainment Spending by Country 2026: Per Capita Analysis

The world's entertainment spending continues to grow as economies develop and living standards improve. From cinema and music to sports and gaming, entertainment has become an integral part of modern society. This analysis examines per capita entertainment spending across 170 countries, based on actual 2024 data and 2026 forecasts derived from OECD and World Bank statistics.

Which Countries Spend Most on Entertainment?

Introduction: Rising Global Entertainment Consumption

Entertainment expenditure reflects both economic prosperity and cultural priorities. As disposable incomes increase, households allocate larger portions of their budgets to recreational activities. Our research reveals that developed nations lead in per capita entertainment spending, while emerging markets show rapid growth in this sector.

The data demonstrates clear patterns: wealthy nations like the United States, Switzerland, and Iceland spend significantly more per person on entertainment than developing countries. However, the growth rates in emerging markets suggest a shifting global landscape where middle-class expansion drives entertainment demand.

Entertainment Spending by Country 2026: Per Capita Analysis

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#	Country	Forecast 2026
1	United States US	6,527.13
2	Bermuda BM	6,004.95
3	US Virgin Islands VI	5,357.93
4	Switzerland CH	5,148.23
5	Iceland IS	4,485.71
6	Norway NO	4,472.12
7	Faroe Islands FO	4,136.55
8	Australia AU	4,030.68
9	Austria AT	3,700.2
10	Hong Kong HK	3,330.29
11	Luxembourg LU	3,291.11
12	United Kingdom GB	3,286.29
13	Ireland IE	3,184.95
14	New Zealand NZ	3,157.49
15	Singapore SG	3,013.08
16	Sweden SE	2,983.7
17	Denmark DK	2,948.49
18	Netherlands NL	2,872.39
19	Canada CA	2,865.34
20	United Arab Emirates AE	2,865.3
21	Finland FI	2,814.71
22	Guam GU	2,760.58
23	Belgium BE	2,688.9
24	Bahamas BS	2,609.72
25	Germany DE	2,583.23
26	Northern Mariana Islands MP	2,438.85
27	Malta MT	2,213.04
28	France FR	2,206.22
29	Macau MO	2,129.49
30	Israel IL	1,998.37
31	Italy IT	1,937.97
32	Estonia EE	1,918.36
33	Slovenia SI	1,902.2
34	Lithuania LT	1,896.77
35	Spain ES	1,870.52
36	Aruba AW	1,849.84
37	Qatar QA	1,808.6
38	Czech Republic CZ	1,771.98
39	Portugal PT	1,752.97
40	Cyprus CY	1,682.35
41	Greenland GL	1,651.6
42	Latvia LV	1,605.63
43	Greece GR	1,571.79
44	Saudi Arabia SA	1,547.42
45	New Caledonia NC	1,535.14
46	South Korea KR	1,529.46
47	Slovakia SK	1,523.1
48	Kuwait KW	1,503.57
49	San Marino SM	1,455.14
50	Croatia HR	1,430.17
51	Romania RO	1,306.48
52	Costa Rica CR	1,226.96
53	Japan JP	1,199.01
54	Bahrain BH	1,186.41
55	Montenegro ME	1,148.82
56	Palau PW	1,128.91
57	French Polynesia PF	1,107.39
58	Hungary HU	1,098.43
59	Seychelles SC	1,077.16
60	Poland PL	1,056.16
61	Brunei BN	1,018.66
62	Argentina AR	995.17
63	Bulgaria BG	992.57
64	Chile CL	928.24
65	Panama PA	912.56
66	Serbia RS	870.21
67	Türkiye TR	855.11
68	Kazakhstan KZ	810.23
69	Oman OM	766.32
70	North Macedonia MK	766.03
71	Mauritius MU	752.6
72	Georgia GE	743.05
73	Russia RU	732.09
74	Armenia AM	723.1
75	Dominican Republic DO	721.39
76	Albania AL	700.85
77	Maldives MV	696.81
78	Malaysia MY	683.73
79	Moldova MD	669.92
80	Brazil BR	663.16
81	Mexico MX	660.78
82	Colombia CO	642.85
83	Marshall Islands MH	622.69
84	Tonga TO	615.5
85	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	611.63
86	Syria SY	598.9
87	Guatemala GT	569.92
88	Kosovo XK	564.18
89	El Salvador SV	534.52
90	Peru PE	507.27
91	China CN	500.52
92	Belize BZ	493.41
93	Ecuador EC	427.39
94	Azerbaijan AZ	426.61
95	Paraguay PY	426.04
96	Namibia NA	414.28
97	Belarus BY	409.83
98	Samoa WS	401.63
99	Iran IR	384.08
100	Thailand TH	382.51
101	Jordan JO	374.87
102	Lebanon LB	356.93
103	Equatorial Guinea GQ	356.38
104	Mongolia MN	345.96
105	Cape Verde CV	342.1
106	Kiribati KI	332.52
107	Honduras HN	332.13
108	Vanuatu VU	320.53
109	Tunisia TN	313.74
110	Kyrgyzstan KG	307.56
111	Botswana BW	306.51
112	Bolivia BO	300.67
113	Sri Lanka LK	286.5
114	Philippines PH	270.51
115	Egypt EG	269.11
116	Ukraine UA	265.8
117	Solomon Islands SB	260.25
118	Indonesia ID	258.79
119	Bhutan BT	257.04
120	Gabon GA	254.92
121	Djibouti DJ	251.01
122	Morocco MA	250.54
123	Algeria DZ	248.44
124	Eswatini SZ	246.49
125	Uzbekistan UZ	245.34
126	Haiti HT	242.34
127	Nicaragua NI	239.27
128	Iraq IQ	226.65
129	Zimbabwe ZW	221.85
130	Palestine PS	217.11
131	Ivory Coast CI	212.74
132	Angola AO	212.53
133	India IN	171.16
134	Bangladesh BD	170.33
135	Kenya KE	158.88
136	Comoros KM	158.51
137	Tajikistan TJ	156.72
138	Cambodia KH	147.69
139	Libya LY	143.03
140	Guinea GN	133.71
141	Senegal SN	131.37
142	Cameroon CM	126.99
143	Pakistan PK	123.87
144	Timor-Leste TL	123.51
145	Congo CG	120.05
146	Nepal NP	115.36
147	Ethiopia ET	100.94
148	Sudan SD	98.1
149	Mauritania MR	87.07
150	Lesotho LS	82.58
151	Benin BJ	80.08
152	Togo TG	77.14
153	Mali ML	77.04
154	Guinea-Bissau GW	74.18
155	Gambia GM	73
156	Uganda UG	70.5
157	Zambia ZM	67.19
158	Rwanda RW	59.63
159	Burkina Faso BF	58.17
160	Tanzania TZ	57.13
161	Malawi MW	55.69
162	Mozambique MZ	52.98
163	Sierra Leone SL	52.63
164	Chad TD	47.35
165	Madagascar MG	39.91
166	Niger NE	39.53
167	DR Congo CD	35.23
168	Afghanistan AF	30.33
169	Burundi BI	11.5
170	Cuba CU	0

Key Findings

Top Spenders: Developed Nations Dominate

The United States leads with an estimated $6,527 per capita in 2026, more than 10 times the global average. Bermuda, despite its small population, ranks second at $6,004, followed by the US Virgin Islands at $5,357. These figures reflect both high incomes and tourism-driven economies where entertainment services are prominent.

European nations including Switzerland ($5,148), Iceland ($4,485), and Norway ($4,472) round out the top performers. Australia ($4,030) and Austria ($3,700) demonstrate that developed economies consistently allocate substantial resources to entertainment and cultural activities.

Emerging Markets Show Rapid Growth

While absolute spending remains lower in developing nations, growth rates tell a different story. Countries like Turkey, India, and Indonesia show annual growth rates exceeding 10%, driven by rising middle classes and increased urbanization. Turkey, for instance, is projected to increase from $625 per capita in 2024 to $855 in 2026—a 36.8% increase.

Income Level Correlation

Entertainment spending correlates strongly with national income levels. High-income countries allocate 8.57% of household consumption to entertainment, while upper-middle-income countries spend 6.79%, and lower-middle-income countries spend 5.50%. This pattern reflects both affordability and cultural priorities in different economic contexts.

Methodology: How the Data Was Calculated

Data Sources

OECD COICOP Data: Actual entertainment spending percentages from 41 countries (CP09 - Recreation and Culture classification), covering 2020-2024 periods.

World Bank Data: Household final consumption expenditure for 170 countries, providing the baseline for total consumption calculations.

Population Data: 2024 country population estimates used to calculate per capita figures.

Calculation Process

Step 1: OECD data was analyzed to determine average entertainment spending percentages by income group.

Step 2: World Bank consumption figures were multiplied by these percentages to estimate total entertainment spending.

Step 3: Total entertainment spending was divided by country population to derive per capita figures.

Step 4: Annual growth rates were calculated from 2020-2024 data and applied to forecast 2026 values.

Entertainment Spending by Income Group

High-Income Countries: 8.57% of consumption (Examples: USA, Germany, Japan, Australia)

Upper-Middle-Income Countries: 6.79% of consumption (Examples: Turkey, Mexico, Colombia, Chile)

Lower-Middle-Income Countries: 5.50% of consumption (Examples: India, Vietnam, Philippines)

Low-Income Countries: 4.50% of consumption (Examples: Afghanistan, Chad, Niger)

Confidence Levels

High Confidence (±5%): Countries with actual OECD data and stable growth patterns.

Medium Confidence (±10%): Upper-middle-income countries with consistent historical data.

Low Confidence (±20%): Low-income countries and nations with limited historical data or volatile growth patterns.

Important Considerations

These forecasts assume continuation of current economic trends and growth rates. Several factors could impact actual 2026 spending: economic recessions, inflation rates, currency fluctuations, policy changes, and unexpected global events. The data represents nominal spending in current USD without adjustment for purchasing power parity, which means actual consumption capacity may differ from these figures in some countries.

Entertainment spending encompasses recreation, culture, sports, gaming, and related services. Definitions may vary slightly by country, affecting comparability. The OECD classification provides the most standardized approach available.

Conclusion

Global entertainment spending reflects broader economic trends and cultural values. As economies grow and middle classes expand, entertainment becomes increasingly important to household budgets. The 2026 forecast suggests continued growth in both developed and emerging markets, with emerging economies showing particularly strong expansion rates.

For investors, businesses, and policymakers, this data provides valuable insights into market opportunities and consumer behavior patterns. The entertainment sector remains a significant economic driver, creating employment and contributing to cultural development worldwide.

Entertainment Spending by Country 2026: Per Capita Analysis

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#	Country	2024	Forecast 2026
1	United States	4,295.57	6,527.13
2	Bermuda	5,415.15	6,004.95
3	US Virgin Islands	3,962.55	5,357.93
4	Switzerland	4,340.16	5,148.23
5	Iceland	3,250.82	4,485.71
6	Norway	3,921.65	4,472.12
7	Faroe Islands	3,849.1	4,136.55
8	Australia	3,546.28	4,030.68
9	Austria	2,999.88	3,700.2
10	Hong Kong	3,045.06	3,330.29
11	Luxembourg	2,652.3	3,291.11
12	United Kingdom	2,542.43	3,286.29
13	Ireland	2,320.97	3,184.95
14	New Zealand	2,263.75	3,157.49
15	Singapore	2,429.24	3,013.08
16	Sweden	2,803.51	2,983.7
17	Denmark	2,614.98	2,948.49
18	Netherlands	2,262.77	2,872.39
19	Canada	2,280.94	2,865.34
20	United Arab Emirates	1,977.49	2,865.3
21	Finland	2,485.33	2,814.71
22	Guam	2,049.3	2,760.58
23	Belgium	2,151.57	2,688.9
24	Bahamas	2,092.5	2,609.72
25	Germany	2,231.23	2,583.23
26	Northern Mariana Islands	1,877.55	2,438.85
27	Malta	1,740.38	2,213.04
28	France	1,908.12	2,206.22
29	Macau	1,889.53	2,129.49
30	Israel	1,622.82	1,998.37
31	Italy	1,588.96	1,937.97
32	Estonia	1,385.96	1,918.36
33	Slovenia	1,423.66	1,902.2
34	Lithuania	1,361.44	1,896.77
35	Spain	1,524.96	1,870.52
36	Aruba	1,606.2	1,849.84
37	Qatar	1,205.12	1,808.6
38	Czech Republic	1,308.64	1,771.98
39	Portugal	1,431.46	1,752.97
40	Cyprus	1,436.83	1,682.35
41	Greenland	1,605.08	1,651.6
42	Latvia	1,180.37	1,605.63
43	Greece	1,276.77	1,571.79
44	Saudi Arabia	1,275.17	1,547.42
45	New Caledonia	1,600.37	1,535.14
46	South Korea	1,464.57	1,529.46
47	Slovakia	1,195.22	1,523.1
48	Kuwait	1,206.06	1,503.57
49	San Marino	1,048.6	1,455.14
50	Croatia	1,142.63	1,430.17
51	Romania	1,046.53	1,306.48
52	Costa Rica	981.13	1,226.96
53	Japan	1,600.11	1,199.01
54	Bahrain	1,044.67	1,186.41
55	Montenegro	882.77	1,148.82
56	Palau	1,034.19	1,128.91
57	French Polynesia	1,020.26	1,107.39
58	Hungary	812.88	1,098.43
59	Seychelles	849.36	1,077.16
60	Poland	853.15	1,056.16
61	Brunei	819.48	1,018.66
62	Argentina	767.88	995.17
63	Bulgaria	787.49	992.57
64	Chile	816.42	928.24
65	Panama	802.39	912.56
66	Serbia	699.47	870.21
67	Türkiye	625.05	855.11
68	Kazakhstan	625.04	810.23
69	Oman	684.63	766.32
70	North Macedonia	650.3	766.03
71	Mauritius	676.25	752.6
72	Georgia	541.5	743.05
73	Russia	619.66	732.09
74	Armenia	529.93	723.1
75	Dominican Republic	584.03	721.39
76	Albania	544.86	700.85
77	Maldives	541.09	696.81
78	Malaysia	612.51	683.73
79	Moldova	519.38	669.92
80	Brazil	541.49	663.16
81	Mexico	498.42	660.78
82	Colombia	507.97	642.85
83	Marshall Islands	576.42	622.69
84	Tonga	496.09	615.5
85	Bosnia and Herzegovina	520.85	611.63
86	Syria	102.22	598.9
87	Guatemala	460.01	569.92
88	Kosovo	471.11	564.18
89	El Salvador	451.17	534.52
90	Peru	432.31	507.27
91	China	437.73	500.52
92	Belize	390.12	493.41
93	Ecuador	370.83	427.39
94	Azerbaijan	338.87	426.61
95	Paraguay	370.44	426.04
96	Namibia	344.31	414.28
97	Belarus	353.27	409.83
98	Samoa	336.91	401.63
99	Iran	288.86	384.08
100	Thailand	356	382.51
101	Jordan	298.41	374.87
102	Lebanon	415.01	356.93
103	Equatorial Guinea	336.35	356.38
104	Mongolia	286.22	345.96
105	Cape Verde	279.85	342.1
106	Kiribati	201.93	332.52
107	Honduras	255.64	332.13
108	Vanuatu	215.98	320.53
109	Tunisia	275.45	313.74
110	Kyrgyzstan	193.99	307.56
111	Botswana	278.64	306.51
112	Bolivia	260.71	300.67
113	Sri Lanka	253.06	286.5
114	Philippines	237.77	270.51
115	Egypt	256.78	269.11
116	Ukraine	261.09	265.8
117	Solomon Islands	224.6	260.25
118	Indonesia	232.46	258.79
119	Bhutan	191.84	257.04
120	Gabon	244.33	254.92
121	Djibouti	219.69	251.01
122	Morocco	215.8	250.54
123	Algeria	206.47	248.44
124	Eswatini	214.09	246.49
125	Uzbekistan	181.58	245.34
126	Haiti	181.26	242.34
127	Nicaragua	178.85	239.27
128	Iraq	207.29	226.65
129	Zimbabwe	175.43	221.85
130	Palestine	222.69	217.11
131	Ivory Coast	178.12	212.74
132	Angola	153.91	212.53
133	India	141.24	171.16
134	Bangladesh	151.7	170.33
135	Kenya	144.2	158.88
136	Comoros	143.22	158.51
137	Tajikistan	90.18	156.72
138	Cambodia	132.79	147.69
139	Libya	180.76	143.03
140	Guinea	103.14	133.71
141	Senegal	109.96	131.37
142	Cameroon	111.62	126.99
143	Pakistan	109.23	123.87
144	Timor-Leste	103.3	123.51
145	Congo	101.73	120.05
146	Nepal	101.16	115.36
147	Ethiopia	76.56	100.94
148	Sudan	71.65	98.1
149	Mauritania	76.62	87.07
150	Lesotho	76.57	82.58
151	Benin	73.57	80.08
152	Togo	59.35	77.14
153	Mali	67.95	77.04
154	Guinea-Bissau	62.17	74.18
155	Gambia	63.92	73
156	Uganda	61.15	70.5
157	Zambia	50.14	67.19
158	Rwanda	54.69	59.63
159	Burkina Faso	50.18	58.17
160	Tanzania	53.11	57.13
161	Malawi	46.07	55.69
162	Mozambique	40.45	52.98
163	Sierra Leone	54	52.63
164	Chad	46.46	47.35
165	Madagascar	35.83	39.91
166	Niger	35.33	39.53
167	DR Congo	31.3	35.23
168	Afghanistan	33.22	30.33
169	Burundi	11.43	11.5
170	Cuba	440.65	0

Data Sources

OECD National Accounts Data - Household Final Consumption Expenditure by Purpose (COICOP)

World Bank Open Data - Households and NPISHs Final Consumption Expenditure

World Bank - Country Income Classifications (2024)