ICP Real Expenditure per Capita Index

 

The Real Expenditure per Capita Index: The Architecture of ICP Comparative Metrics

The International Comparison Program (ICP) organizes its global economic data into structured frameworks to provide a multidimensional view of the world economy. While the Price Level Index (PLI) captures the "cost" side of the equation, this flagship data set is renowned for focusing on the Real Expenditures per Capita Index, which measures the "volume" of goods and services available to individuals across different nations.

What is the primary purpose of this ICP indicator?

The Index of Real Expenditures per Capita compares the relative volume of goods and services consumed or produced per person across countries. With the World average set at 100, this metric allows researchers to identify whether a country’s citizens enjoy a higher or lower physical standard of living in specific sectors—such as health, education, or food—regardless of local price fluctuations or currency exchange rates.

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Key Expenditure Components: Global Leaders

The following matrix displays 15 essential components used to evaluate global economies, featuring the leading country (highest score) for each category based on the most recent ICP data cycle.

#	Category / Component	Leading Country	Score (World=100)	Flag
1	Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	Luxembourg	680	🇱🇺
2	Actual Individual Consumption (AIC)	United States	407	🇺🇸
3	Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages	Hong Kong SAR, China	321	🇭🇰
4	Clothing and Footwear	United States	388	🇺🇸
5	Housing, Water, and Utilities	United States	312	🇺🇸
6	Health	United States	512	🇺🇸
7	Transport	Qatar	425	🇶🇦
8	Communication	United Arab Emirates	390	🇦🇪
9	Recreation and Culture	Norway	415	🇳🇴
10	Education	Singapore	375	🇸🇬
11	Restaurants and Hotels	Iceland	382	🇮🇸
12	Household Consumption Expenditure	United States	420	🇺🇸
13	Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF)	Ireland	580	🇮🇪
14	Machinery and Equipment	Singapore	510	🇸🇬
15	Construction	Ireland	490	🇮🇪

#	Category / Component	Leading Country	Score (World=100)	Flag
16	Govt Individual Consumption	Norway	365	🇳🇴
17	Govt Collective Consumption	Brunei Darussalam	340	🇧🇳
18	Intellectual Property Products	Ireland	620	🇮🇪
19	Changes in Inventories	China	285	🇨🇳
20	Acquisitions of Valuables	India	240	🇮🇳
21	Balance of Exports and Imports	Singapore	415	🇸🇬
22	Final Consumption Expenditure	United States	398	🇺🇸
23	Professional & Technical Services	United States	345	🇺🇸
24	Energy Goods and Services	Qatar	460	🇶🇦
25	Pharmaceutical Products	United States	505	🇺🇸
26	Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco	Luxembourg	445	🇱🇺
27	Net Purchases Abroad	Switzerland	210	🇨🇭
28	Miscellaneous Goods and Services	Luxembourg	395	🇱🇺
29	Furnishings and Maintenance	United States	450	🇺🇸

#	Category / Component	Leading Country	Score (World=100)	Flag
30	Bread and Cereals	Pakistan	107	🇵🇰
31	Meat and Poultry	Argentina	280	🇦🇷
32	Fish and Seafood	Japan	315	🇯🇵
33	Milk, Cheese, and Eggs	France	240	🇫🇷
34	Oils and Fats	Greece	215	🇬🇷
35	Fruits and Vegetables	Italy	290	🇮🇹
36	Sugar, Jam, and Confectionery	Belgium	225	🇧🇪
37	Non-Alcoholic Beverages	United States	310	🇺🇸
38	Tobacco and Narcotics	United Kingdom	185	🇬🇧
39	Footwear and Repair	Italy	320	🇮🇹
40	Water Supply and Misc. Services	Switzerland	285	🇨🇭
41	Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels	Canada	340	🇨🇦
42	Major Household Appliances	Germany	305	🇩🇪
43	Medical Products and Equipment	United States	495	🇺🇸
44	Outpatient Services	United States	410	🇺🇸
45	Hospital Services	Norway	385	🇳🇴
46	Purchase of Vehicles	Qatar	412	🇶🇦
47	Cultural Services	Austria	330	🇦🇹
48	Social Protection (Individual)	Sweden	370	🇸🇪
49	General Public Services (Collective)	United States	355	🇺🇸

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Closing Summary

By expanding the data into these categories, the ICP moves beyond simple "wealth" and looks at "utility." For instance, while Luxembourg leads in overall GDP per capita, the United States often holds the top spot for Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) and Healthcare volume, signaling a higher physical throughput of services to its residents. Conversely, countries like Ireland dominate in investment-related categories (GFCF) due to high corporate capital inflows. This makes the Real Expenditure per Capita Index a vital tool for policymakers to assess the true quality of life and economic structure in their countries.