Productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa
South Africa: Productivity: output per hour worked was 19.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2023. ▲ Rising
Productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa, 2001–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per hour.
Analysis
In 2023, productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa stood at 19.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour.
That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa peaked at 23.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2010 and was at its lowest, 15.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour, in 2001.
South Africa ranks 74th of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.92 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 15.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 21.84 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 9 |
| 2010s | 22.34 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 20.57 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 23.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 9 |
| 2020s | 20.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 19.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 21.73 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 71 Iran 22.04 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 72 Turkmenistan 20.88 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 73 Brazil 19.96 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 75 Ukraine 19.29 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 76 Thailand 19.04 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 77 Ecuador 18.8 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 60.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 65.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 49.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 55.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 61.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 26.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 29.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 24.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa?
- Productivity: output per hour worked in South Africa was 19.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest productivity: output per hour worked recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2010.
- What is the lowest productivity: output per hour worked recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for productivity: output per hour worked?
- South Africa ranks 74th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
- Is productivity: output per hour worked rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Productivity: output per hour worked. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Productivity is calculated as GDP divided by the total number of hours worked in the economy. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.