Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa

South Africa: Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) was 0.0521 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
0.0521
Change on year
up 17.6%
World rank
29th
of 34 countries
All-time high
0.0994
in 2018
All-time low
0.0297
in 2005
Years of data
7
2005–2021

Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa, 2005–2021

0.020.040.060.080.12005201320212005: 0.032014: 0.0372016: 0.0532018: 0.0992019: 0.0532020: 0.0442021: 0.052

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

The most recent figure for benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa is 0.0521, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.6% on the previous year and up 41.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa peaked at 0.0994 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0297, in 2005.

That places South Africa 29th out of 34 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 0.0297
2014 0.0369 +24.3%
2016 0.0531 +43.7%
2018 0.0994 +87.3%
2019 0.0527 -47.0%
2020 0.0443 -15.9%
2021 0.0521 +17.6%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 0.0521 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1531, 34% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.0297 0.0297 0.0297 1
2010s 0.0605 0.0369 0.0994 4
2020s 0.0482 0.0443 0.0521 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 26 Costa Rica 0.0688 compare
  2. 27 Peru 0.0678 compare
  3. 28 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 0.0545 compare
  4. 30 Ecuador 0.051 compare
  5. 31 El Salvador 0.0354 compare
  6. 32 Paraguay 0.0337 compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa?
Benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa was 0.0521 in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.0994 in 2018.
What is the lowest benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0297 in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest)?
South Africa ranks 29th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
Is benefit-cost ratio - all social insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 41.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/benefit-cost-ratio-all-social-insurance-1st-quintile-poorest-urban/south-africa/

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<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/benefit-cost-ratio-all-social-insurance-1st-quintile-poorest-urban/south-africa/">Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Benefit-cost ratio - All Social Insurance - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 347 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Poverty gap reduction obtained for each $1 spent in Social Insurance programs (%)