Cost of Trade by Country
The comprehensive cost of moving goods across borders, expressed as an ad-valorem (tariff-equivalent) percentage of goods value — transport and logistics, tariffs, and non-tariff border, documentary and administrative frictions. The Absolute Cost (= exports × cost %) is lever ①’s addressable pool per economy.
Ad-valorem reading: a 150% figure means delivering $100 of goods costs $250 in total ($100 goods + $150 trade cost). Figures are tariff-equivalents of the total friction, so they run high.
Canonical published output — generated from research/cost-of-trade/. Method:
ESCAP–World Bank inverse-gravity (Novy 2012; Arvis et al. 2013), Total-Goods costs
volume-weighted by UN Comtrade 2024 bilateral flows. The dataset includes some
regional and income-group aggregates alongside individual economies.
Ad-valorem trade cost & absolute cost
| Economy | Exports (USD B) | Total-Goods Trade Cost (% AVE) | Absolute Cost (USD B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba | 0.2 | 338.3% | 0.7 |
| Afghanistan | 0.5 | 344.6% | 1.7 |
| Angola | 39.4 | 215.2% | 84.8 |
| Albania | 4.0 | 124.9% | 5.0 |
| Andorra | 0.3 | 402.0% | 1.2 |
| Arab World | 1491.0 | 119.0% | 1774.3 |
| United Arab Emirates | 603.6 | 188.9% | 1140.2 |
| Argentina | 79.7 | 132.9% | 105.9 |
| Armenia | 13.1 | 111.0% | 14.5 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 0.0 | 242.0% | 0.0 |
| Australia | 340.8 | 85.1% | 290.0 |
| Austria | 213.9 | 61.2% | 130.9 |
| Azerbaijan | 26.6 | 156.2% | 41.5 |
| Burundi | 0.2 | 420.0% | 0.8 |
| Belgium | 535.7 | 50.6% | 271.1 |
| Benin | 3.8 | 236.4% | 9.0 |
| Burkina Faso | 5.6 | 155.1% | 8.7 |
| Bangladesh | 47.2 | 268.5% | 126.7 |
| Bulgaria | 46.6 | 65.3% | 30.4 |
| Bahrain | 24.3 | 138.9% | 33.8 |
| Bahamas, The | 0.7 | 89.2% | 0.6 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 8.9 | 73.2% | 6.5 |
| Belarus | 40.3 | 305.4% | 123.1 |
| Belize | 0.5 | 167.6% | 0.8 |
| Bermuda | 0.1 | 163.8% | 0.2 |
| Bolivia | 9.1 | 164.9% | 15.0 |
| Brazil | 337.0 | 102.1% | 344.1 |
| Barbados | 0.5 | 137.0% | 0.7 |
| Brunei | 11.2 | 58.9% | 6.6 |
| Botswana | 4.6 | 488.4% | 22.5 |
| Central African Republic | 0.1 | 419.1% | 0.4 |
| Canada | 568.7 | 48.3% | 274.7 |
| Central Europe and the Baltics | 1247.1 | 40.0% | 498.8 |
| Switzerland | 446.6 | 63.9% | 285.4 |
| Chile | 99.2 | 84.7% | 84.0 |
| China | 3576.7 | 80.7% | 2886.4 |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 20.1 | 130.5% | 26.2 |
| Cameroon | 5.9 | 353.7% | 20.9 |
| Congo, Rep. | 7.9 | 370.4% | 29.3 |
| Colombia | 49.6 | 127.6% | 63.3 |
| Comoros | 0.0 | 312.2% | 0.0 |
| Cape Verde | 0.1 | 127.6% | 0.1 |
| Costa Rica | 21.7 | 98.2% | 21.3 |
| Caribbean small states | 31.0 | 82.2% | 25.5 |
| Cuba | 1.6 | 429.0% | 6.9 |
| Cayman Islands | 0.1 | 143.8% | 0.1 |
| Cyprus | 4.4 | 118.2% | 5.2 |
| Czech Republic | 263.1 | 22.2% | 58.4 |
| Germany | 1681.7 | 53.2% | 894.7 |
| Dominica | 0.0 | 410.5% | 0.0 |
| Denmark | 133.2 | 81.9% | 109.1 |
| Dominican Republic | 13.9 | 112.5% | 15.6 |
| Algeria | 49.2 | 369.5% | 181.8 |
| East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) | 5032.7 | 84.9% | 4272.8 |
| East Asia & Pacific | 8446.8 | 84.9% | 7171.3 |
| Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) | 567.0 | 63.5% | 360.0 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 9295.8 | 63.5% | 5902.8 |
| Ecuador | 34.4 | 129.0% | 44.4 |
| Egypt, Arab Rep. | 42.2 | 126.5% | 53.4 |
| Euro area | 5873.9 | 59.5% | 3495.0 |
| Spain | 424.2 | 58.6% | 248.6 |
| Estonia | 18.8 | 51.7% | 9.7 |
| Ethiopia(excludes Eritrea) | 4.5 | 433.2% | 19.5 |
| European Union | 7150.2 | 57.7% | 4125.7 |
| Finland | 78.0 | 95.7% | 74.6 |
| Fiji | 1.1 | 166.8% | 1.8 |
| France | 639.0 | 59.8% | 382.1 |
| Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 0.2 | 389.7% | 0.8 |
| Gabon | 13.1 | 388.3% | 50.9 |
| United Kingdom | 512.6 | 74.2% | 380.3 |
| Georgia | 6.6 | 132.8% | 8.8 |
| Ghana | 20.2 | 363.8% | 73.5 |
| Guinea | 9.9 | 341.1% | 33.8 |
| Gambia, The | 0.3 | 269.1% | 0.8 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 0.2 | 307.8% | 0.6 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 3.0 | 428.3% | 12.8 |
| Greece | 54.0 | 81.5% | 44.0 |
| Grenada | 0.0 | 177.4% | 0.0 |
| Greenland | 0.8 | 433.7% | 3.5 |
| Guatemala | 14.6 | 100.4% | 14.7 |
| Guyana | 19.8 | 160.0% | 31.7 |
| High income | 16284.6 | 67.2% | 10943.3 |
| Hong Kong, China | 645.5 | 32.7% | 211.1 |
| Honduras | 11.1 | 113.7% | 12.6 |
| Croatia | 26.0 | 67.2% | 17.5 |
| Indonesia | 264.7 | 105.8% | 280.1 |
| India | 442.8 | 109.9% | 486.6 |
| Ireland | 241.6 | 89.7% | 216.7 |
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | 112.6 | 398.1% | 448.3 |
| Iraq | 101.0 | 249.4% | 251.9 |
| Iceland | 6.9 | 122.9% | 8.5 |
| Israel | 62.3 | 114.4% | 71.3 |
| Italy | 674.5 | 66.9% | 451.2 |
| Jamaica | 1.9 | 359.5% | 6.8 |
| Jordan | 13.3 | 282.2% | 37.5 |
| Japan | 707.0 | 87.2% | 616.5 |
| Kazakhstan | 82.5 | 135.7% | 112.0 |
| Kenya | 8.2 | 157.6% | 12.9 |
| Kyrgyz Republic | 3.8 | 144.4% | 5.5 |
| Cambodia | 26.7 | 114.9% | 30.7 |
| Kiribati | 0.0 | 351.7% | 0.0 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | 0.0 | 303.3% | 0.0 |
| Korea, Rep. | 683.6 | 76.5% | 523.0 |
| Kuwait | 76.0 | 124.8% | 94.8 |
| Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) | 1270.6 | 82.2% | 1044.4 |
| Lao PDR | 9.4 | 411.2% | 38.7 |
| Lebanon | 3.8 | 130.9% | 5.0 |
| Liberia | 1.3 | 395.0% | 5.1 |
| Libya | 29.1 | 337.0% | 98.1 |
| St. Lucia | 0.1 | 354.0% | 0.4 |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 1571.3 | 82.2% | 1291.6 |
| Low income | 88.1 | 170.0% | 149.8 |
| Sri Lanka | 12.8 | 163.6% | 20.9 |
| Lower middle income | 1483.8 | 118.4% | 1756.8 |
| Lesotho | 1.0 | 169.0% | 1.7 |
| Lithuania | 39.7 | 39.0% | 15.5 |
| Luxembourg | 16.2 | 80.6% | 13.1 |
| Latvia | 20.7 | 65.7% | 13.6 |
| Morocco | 45.2 | 89.0% | 40.2 |
| Moldova | 3.6 | 112.4% | 4.0 |
| Madagascar | 2.6 | 170.7% | 4.4 |
| Maldives | 0.4 | 169.2% | 0.7 |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 1694.0 | 118.4% | 2005.7 |
| Mexico | 617.1 | 45.5% | 280.8 |
| North Macedonia | 8.4 | 70.2% | 5.9 |
| Mali | 5.5 | 381.8% | 21.0 |
| Malta | 3.8 | 123.2% | 4.7 |
| Myanmar | 14.9 | 134.1% | 20.0 |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) | 461.3 | 118.4% | 546.2 |
| Mongolia | 15.8 | 359.1% | 56.7 |
| Mozambique | 8.2 | 131.3% | 10.8 |
| Mauritania | 4.1 | 219.9% | 9.0 |
| Mauritius | 2.4 | 141.2% | 3.4 |
| Malawi | 0.9 | 203.3% | 1.8 |
| Malaysia | 330.4 | 61.4% | 202.9 |
| North America | 2633.9 | 61.6% | 1622.5 |
| Namibia | 6.5 | 161.8% | 10.5 |
| New Caledonia | 1.2 | 350.9% | 4.2 |
| Niger | 1.7 | 511.9% | 8.7 |
| Nigeria | 53.3 | 205.8% | 109.7 |
| Nicaragua | 7.5 | 100.0% | 7.5 |
| Norway | 167.9 | 77.1% | 129.5 |
| Nepal | 1.3 | 451.4% | 5.9 |
| New Zealand | 42.3 | 107.4% | 45.4 |
| OECD members | 13622.5 | 65.2% | 8881.9 |
| Oman | 63.0 | 273.8% | 172.5 |
| Pakistan | 32.3 | 147.5% | 47.6 |
| Panama | 13.2 | 156.5% | 20.7 |
| Peru | 73.0 | 114.3% | 83.4 |
| Philippines | 73.0 | 94.0% | 68.6 |
| Palau | 0.0 | 273.1% | 0.0 |
| Papua New Guinea | 13.4 | 332.5% | 44.6 |
| Poland | 380.1 | 42.1% | 160.0 |
| Portugal | 85.7 | 63.6% | 54.5 |
| Paraguay | 10.9 | 103.4% | 11.3 |
| Pacific island small states | 2.1 | 84.9% | 1.8 |
| French Polynesia | 0.2 | 174.7% | 0.3 |
| Qatar | 94.3 | 200.2% | 188.8 |
| Russian Federation | 433.1 | 230.4% | 997.9 |
| Rwanda | 3.2 | 399.9% | 12.8 |
| South Asia | 505.2 | 114.0% | 575.9 |
| Saudi Arabia | 305.5 | 104.0% | 317.7 |
| Sudan | 3.1 | 410.9% | 12.7 |
| Senegal | 6.4 | 126.7% | 8.1 |
| Singapore | 505.7 | 117.9% | 596.2 |
| Sierra Leone | 1.5 | 428.0% | 6.4 |
| El Salvador | 6.4 | 84.8% | 5.4 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) | 432.5 | 142.4% | 615.9 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 437.5 | 142.4% | 623.0 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 0.0 | 367.0% | 0.0 |
| Suriname | 1.4 | 183.8% | 2.6 |
| Slovenia | 79.1 | 36.1% | 28.6 |
| Sweden | 195.8 | 69.9% | 136.9 |
| Eswatini | 2.3 | 478.2% | 11.0 |
| Seychelles | 0.6 | 118.9% | 0.7 |
| Chad | 4.5 | 534.5% | 24.1 |
| East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) | 5032.4 | 84.9% | 4272.5 |
| Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) | 1552.9 | 63.5% | 986.1 |
| Togo | 1.6 | 142.9% | 2.3 |
| Thailand | 300.5 | 83.2% | 250.0 |
| Tajikistan | 1.9 | 422.4% | 8.0 |
| Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) | 1455.8 | 82.2% | 1196.7 |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) | 457.9 | 118.4% | 542.2 |
| South Asia (IDA & IBRD) | 505.2 | 114.0% | 575.9 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) | 437.5 | 142.4% | 623.0 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 7.9 | 130.9% | 10.3 |
| Tunisia | 19.9 | 85.3% | 17.0 |
| Turkey | 261.8 | 101.5% | 265.7 |
| Tanzania | 8.7 | 133.4% | 11.6 |
| Uganda | 7.9 | 123.7% | 9.8 |
| Ukraine | 40.4 | 96.1% | 38.8 |
| Upper middle income | 6698.4 | 83.3% | 5579.8 |
| Uruguay | 10.2 | 133.8% | 13.6 |
| United States | 2065.1 | 68.1% | 1406.3 |
| Uzbekistan | 19.7 | 93.9% | 18.5 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.1 | 320.1% | 0.3 |
| Vietnam | 404.8 | 154.8% | 626.6 |
| World | 24577.2 | 75.0% | 18432.9 |
| Samoa | 0.0 | 196.5% | 0.0 |
| Yemen | 0.2 | 368.3% | 0.7 |
| South Africa | 110.1 | 89.7% | 98.8 |
| Zambia | 11.2 | 97.6% | 10.9 |
| Zimbabwe | 7.4 | 140.0% | 10.4 |
How this feeds the business cases
- Lever ① (Cost of trade) — the Absolute Cost is the per-country pool; the methodology applies the paperless-trade reduction (≈25%), the UNVTD/GRID share (45%), and adoption. See the Assessment Methodology.
- Exports come from the trade-data table.
Sources
ESCAP–World Bank International Trade Costs Database; UN Comtrade (volume weighting);
UNESCAP paperless-trade studies (the 25% reduction benchmark). Full methodology,
the agriculture-vs-total and within-region-vs-rest-of-world splits, and the
derivation are in research/cost-of-trade/.
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