Prices & public finance · South Asia · Upper-middle income
Sri Lanka: prices, money and public finance
Inflation is -4.8% (2025), 179th of 180 in the world and 6th of 6 in South Asia. GDP deflator is 3.7% (2025), 88th of 209 in the world and 2nd of 6 in South Asia. Lending rate is 11.2% (2019), 48th of 136 in the world and 3rd of 5 in South Asia.
Inflation
Sri LankaSouth AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
GDP deflator
Sri LankaSouth AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
14 indicators
Prices & public finance: Sri Lanka in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within South Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InflationInflation, consumer prices, annual % | -4.8%2025 | 179/180 | 6/6 | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | −8.5 ppsince 2015 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.0% | |
| GDP deflatorInflation, GDP deflator, annual % | 3.7%2025 | 88/209 | 2/6 | 7.3% | 26.9% | 3.1% | +0.7 ppsince 2015 | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.3% | |
| Lending rateLending interest rate, % | 11.2%2019 | 48/136 | 3/5 | 14.2%2001 | 10.2% | 11.2%2019 | −4.4 ppsince 2009 | — | — | — | |
| Real interest rateReal interest rate, % | 7.1%2019 | 43/136 | 3/5 | 0.5%2001 | -13.2% | 7.1%2019 | −2.1 ppsince 2009 | — | — | — | |
| Exchange rateOfficial exchange rate, local currency per US$ | 300.852025 | 49/210 | 1/6 | 77.01 | 113.06 | 185.59 | +121%since 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Tax revenueTax revenue, % of GDP | 9.9%2023 | 123/142 | 4/6 | 14.5% | 10.9% | 7.8% | −0.2 ppsince 2013 | 6.9% | 10.4% | 13.9% | |
| Government revenueGovernment revenue excluding grants, % of GDP | 11.1%2023 | 134/142 | 4/6 | 16.8% | 12.3% | 8.7% | −0.4 ppsince 2013 | 9.3% | 18.5% | 24.0% | |
| Government expenseGovernment expense, % of GDP | 18.0%2023 | 108/142 | 4/6 | 23.0% | 16.3% | 19.1% | +3.9 ppsince 2013 | 13.8% | — | 28.5% | |
| Government debtCentral government debt, % of GDP | 73.5%2015 | 17/78 | 2/5 | 96.9% | 69.3% | · | −17.1 ppsince 2005 | 46.6% | — | — | |
| External debtExternal debt stocks, % of GNI | 58.9%2024 | 39/119 | 3/6 | 57.8% | 37.4% | 69.3% | +6.5 ppsince 2014 | 20.0% | 21.3% | — | |
| Private creditDomestic credit to private sector, % of GDP | 47.0%2019 | — | — | 28.8% | 24.7% | 47.0%2019 | +21.3 ppsince 2009 | 43.5% | 139.0% | 140.3% | |
| Broad moneyBroad money, % of GDP | 59.5%2019 | — | — | 38.4% | 31.5% | 59.5%2019 | +22.1 ppsince 2009 | 79.6% | 167.9% | 135.7% | |
| Reserves, months of importsTotal reserves in months of imports | 2.92024 | 118/165 | 5/6 | 1.6 | 5.3 | 3.3 | −27%since 2014 | 7.9 | 9.9 | 8.6 | |
| Military spendingMilitary expenditure, % of GDP | 1.31%2025 | 98/156 | 2/4 | 5.03% | 2.70% | 1.76% | −1.1 ppsince 2015 | 2.11% | 1.87% | 2.48% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Inflation−8.5 pp-4.8% in 2025
- Government debt−17.1 pp73.5% in 2015
Worse than ten years ago
- External debt+6.5 pp58.9% in 2024
- Reserves, months of imports−27%2.9 in 2024
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Sri Lanka and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Sri Lanka. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Sri Lanka | India |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation | -4.8%2025 | 2.4%2025 |
| GDP deflator | 3.7%2025 | 1.0%2025 |
| Lending rate | 11.2%2019 | 8.6%2022 |
| Real interest rate | 7.1%2019 | 5.6%2022 |
| Exchange rate | 300.852025 | 87.162025 |
| Tax revenue | 9.9%2023 | 6.9%2022 |
| Government revenue | 11.1%2023 | 9.4%2022 |
| Government expense | 18.0%2023 | 13.7%2022 |
| Government debt | 73.5%2015 | 46.5%2018 |