Latin America & Caribbean · High income
Costa Rica: the economy in numbers
Per person: $19,970, or $33,815 at purchasing power parity. Population: 5.15 million (2025).
$103B+4.6%real GDP growth, 2025
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #74 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +3.3%.
GDP per capita
$19,970
2025 · #71 of 204
GDP per capita, PPP
$33,815
2025 · #75 of 197
Inflation
−0.1%
2025 · IMF forecast 2026: −0.8%
Government debt
60.4%
2025 · % of GDP, general government
Population
5.15M
2025 · #126 of 217
Unemployment
6.8%
2025 · ILO estimate
Stock market capitalization
3.1%
2022 · % of GDP · $2.23B
Life expectancy
81.0 years
2024
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $5.53 billion in 1960, $103 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $4,165 per person in 1960, $19,970 in 2025.
GDP per capitaGDP per capita, PPP (international $)
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 3.6% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 4 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose 3.83 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 90.1% in 1982.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1996: 67.0% of GDP in 2021. IMF forecast for 2031: 62.4%.
General government (IMF)Central government only (World Bank)
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2022 listed domestic companies were worth $2.23 billion, or 3.1% of GDP.
Population
1960: 1.33 million · 2025: 5.15 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 5.4% · 2025: 6.8%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 63.5 years · 2024: 81.0 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 21.2% · 2025: 38.8%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 3.5%f | 3.0%f | 62.4%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 3.5%f | 2.8%f | 63.0%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 3.5%f | 2.6%f | 63.3%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 3.5%f | 2.3%f | 63.3%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 3.5%f | 2.2%f | 62.8%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 3.3%f | −0.8%f | 61.8%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $103B | $19,970 | $33,815 | 4.6% | −0.1% | 60.4% | 5.15M | 6.8% | 38.8% | ||
| 2024 | $96.7B | $18,853 | $31,552 | 4.1% | −0.4% | 58.9% | 5.13M | 6.9% | 81.0 | 37.5% | |
| 2023 | $87.5B | $17,141 | $29,248 | 4.8% | 0.5% | 60.4% | 5.11M | 8.3% | 80.8 | 38.1% | |
| 2022 | $71B | $13,972 | $26,892 | 5.5% | 8.3% | 61.4% | 5.08M | 11.3% | 3.1% | 79.3 | 40.6% |
| 2021 | $65.6B | $12,962 | $24,084 | 8.2% | 1.7% | 67.0% | 5.06M | 15.1% | 3.1% | 78.0 | 35.8% |
| 2020 | $62.8B | $12,476 | $22,245 | −4.1% | 0.7% | 66.5% | 5.03M | 16.4% | 3.0% | 79.7 | 31.7% |
| 2019 | $64.8B | $12,952 | $23,461 | 2.7% | 2.1% | 56.1% | 5.0M | 10.8% | 3.4% | 80.3 | 34.1% |
| 2018 | $62.6B | $12,620 | $21,549 | 2.9% | 2.2% | 51.7% | 4.96M | 9.0% | 3.8% | 80.1 | 33.7% |
| 2017 | $60.5B | $12,317 | $20,499 | 4.2% | 1.6% | 47.1% | 4.91M | 7.7% | 5.0% | 80.0 | 32.8% |
| 2016 | $58.8B | $12,091 | $19,202 | 4.2% | −0.0% | 44.1% | 4.87M | 8.1% | 5.0% | 80.0 | 31.3% |
| 2015 | $56.4B | $11,715 | $17,525 | 3.7% | 0.8% | 39.8% | 4.82M | 8.4% | 4.2% | 80.4 | 30.0% |
| 2014 | $52B | $10,911 | $16,394 | 3.5% | 4.5% | 37.4% | 4.77M | 8.5% | 4.9% | 80.2 | 31.4% |
| 2013 | $50.9B | $10,803 | $15,232 | 2.5% | 5.2% | 35.1% | 4.72M | 8.2% | 3.8% | 80.2 | 30.6% |
| 2012 | $47.2B | $10,127 | $14,464 | 4.9% | 4.5% | 33.7% | 4.66M | 9.1% | 79.9 | 31.7% | |
| 2011 | $42.8B | $9,276 | $13,614 | 4.4% | 4.9% | 29.5% | 4.61M | 9.5% | 3.5% | 79.6 | 32.5% |
| 2010 | $37.7B | $8,266 | $12,928 | 5.4% | 5.7% | 28.1% | 4.56M | 7.2% | 3.8% | 79.4 | 32.8% |
| 2009 | $30.7B | $6,833 | $12,274 | −0.9% | 7.8% | 26.0% | 4.5M | 7.8% | 4.8% | 79.4 | 34.6% |
| 2008 | $30.8B | $6,937 | $12,472 | 4.7% | 13.4% | 24.0% | 4.44M | 4.9% | 6.2% | 79.2 | 38.8% |
| 2007 | $26.9B | $6,138 | $11,842 | 8.2% | 9.4% | 27.0% | 4.38M | 4.6% | 8.1% | 79.1 | 40.6% |
| 2006 | $22.7B | $5,257 | $10,800 | 7.3% | 11.5% | 33.0% | 4.32M | 5.9% | 8.3% | 79.0 | 43.3% |
| 2005 | $20B | $4,703 | $9,899 | 4.0% | 13.8% | 37.3% | 4.26M | 6.7% | 7.5% | 78.9 | 43.5% |
| 2004 | $18.6B | $4,431 | $9,365 | 4.4% | 12.3% | 41.0% | 4.2M | 6.4% | 8.4% | 78.5 | 42.2% |
| 2003 | $17.3B | $4,173 | $8,863 | 4.3% | 9.4% | 40.6% | 4.14M | 6.7% | 3.0% | 78.2 | 40.7% |
| 2002 | $16.6B | $4,068 | $8,461 | 3.4% | 9.2% | 41.4% | 4.08M | 6.4% | 77.9 | 39.2% | |
| 2001 | $16B | $3,985 | $8,190 | 3.5% | 11.3% | 39.6% | 4.01M | 6.1% | 77.6 | 40.5% | |
| 2000 | $15B | $3,813 | $7,879 | 3.8% | 11.0% | 38.9% | 3.94M | 5.1% | 77.3 | 42.9% | |
| 1999 | $14.3B | $3,691 | $7,568 | 4.1% | 10.0% | 39.0% | 3.86M | 5.9% | 16.2% | 77.1 | 42.6% |
| 1998 | $13.7B | $3,617 | $7,315 | 7.1% | 11.7% | 40.7% | 3.78M | 5.3% | 9.6% | 76.9 | 44.0% |
| 1997 | $12.6B | $3,408 | $6,903 | 5.5% | 13.2% | 30.6% | 3.7M | 5.7% | 6.5% | 76.6 | 41.6% |
| 1996 | $11.7B | $3,227 | $6,581 | 1.4% | 17.5% | 33.7% | 3.62M | 6.2% | 6.7% | 76.4 | 40.0% |
| 1995 | $11.6B | $3,275 | $6,528 | 4.2% | 23.2% | 3.54M | 5.2% | 5.3% | 76.4 | 38.1% | |
| 1994 | $10.5B | $3,040 | $6,288 | 4.5% | 13.5% | 3.45M | 4.0% | 76.3 | 35.9% | ||
| 1993 | $9.56B | $2,840 | $6,037 | 7.1% | 9.8% | 3.37M | 4.0% | 3.7% | 76.3 | 36.0% | |
| 1992 | $8.58B | $2,612 | $5,646 | 9.2% | 21.8% | 3.28M | 3.9% | 76.4 | 35.3% | ||
| 1991 | $7.22B | $2,253 | $5,185 | 2.3% | 28.7% | 3.2M | 5.4% | 76.2 | 33.4% | ||
| 1990 | $5.71B | $1,830 | $5,030 | 3.6% | 19.0% | 3.12M | 76.1 | 34.2% | |||
| 1989 | $5.25B | $1,725 | 5.7% | 16.5% | 3.04M | 75.8 | 34.9% | ||||
| 1988 | $4.61B | $1,555 | 3.4% | 20.8% | 2.97M | 75.5 | 34.0% | ||||
| 1987 | $4.53B | $1,567 | 4.8% | 16.8% | 2.89M | 75.2 | 31.6% | ||||
| 1986 | $4.42B | $1,569 | 5.5% | 11.8% | 2.82M | 74.9 | 31.3% | ||||
| 1985 | $3.92B | $1,429 | 0.7% | 15.1% | 2.74M | 74.8 | 30.7% | ||||
| 1984 | $3.66B | $1,372 | 8.0% | 11.9% | 2.67M | 74.6 | 34.4% | ||||
| 1983 | $3.15B | $1,213 | 2.9% | 32.6% | 2.6M | 74.2 | 36.0% | ||||
| 1982 | $2.61B | $1,032 | −7.3% | 90.1% | 2.52M | 73.9 | 45.1% | ||||
| 1981 | $2.62B | $1,068 | −2.3% | 37.1% | 2.46M | 73.4 | 43.3% | ||||
| 1980 | $4.83B | $2,021 | 0.8% | 18.1% | 2.39M | 73.0 | 26.5% | ||||
| 1979 | $4.04B | $1,735 | 4.9% | 9.2% | 2.33M | 72.5 | 26.9% | ||||
| 1978 | $3.52B | $1,556 | 6.3% | 6.0% | 2.26M | 72.0 | 28.2% | ||||
| 1977 | $3.07B | $1,393 | 8.9% | 4.2% | 2.21M | 71.5 | 30.9% | ||||
| 1976 | $2.41B | $1,123 | 5.5% | 3.5% | 2.15M | 70.9 | 28.9% | ||||
| 1975 | $1.96B | $937 | 2.1% | 17.4% | 2.09M | 70.3 | 30.1% | ||||
| 1974 | $1.67B | $817 | 5.5% | 30.1% | 2.04M | 69.4 | 33.1% | ||||
| 1973 | $1.53B | $769 | 7.7% | 15.2% | 1.99M | 68.7 | 30.8% | ||||
| 1972 | $1.24B | $639 | 8.2% | 4.6% | 1.94M | 68.0 | 30.2% | ||||
| 1971 | $1.08B | $570 | 6.8% | 3.1% | 1.89M | 67.4 | 26.8% | ||||
| 1970 | $985M | $536 | 7.5% | 4.7% | 1.84M | 66.8 | 27.8% | ||||
| 1969 | $854M | $477 | 5.5% | 2.6% | 1.79M | 66.4 | 26.6% | ||||
| 1968 | $774M | $445 | 8.5% | 4.1% | 1.74M | 65.8 | 27.8% | ||||
| 1967 | $699M | $414 | 5.7% | 1.2% | 1.69M | 65.6 | 24.9% | ||||
| 1966 | $647M | $395 | 7.0% | 0.2% | 1.64M | 65.1 | 24.8% | ||||
| 1965 | $593M | $374 | 8.2% | −0.7% | 1.59M | 64.8 | 22.6% | ||||
| 1964 | $543M | $354 | 3.7% | 3.3% | 1.53M | 64.5 | 24.4% | ||||
| 1963 | $512M | $346 | 6.9% | 2.9% | 1.48M | 64.3 | 22.1% | ||||
| 1962 | $479M | $335 | 5.4% | 2.7% | 1.43M | 64.2 | 22.7% | ||||
| 1961 | $490M | $356 | 1.9% | 2.4% | 1.38M | 63.9 | 20.9% | ||||
| 1960 | $508M | $382 | 0.8% | 1.33M | 63.5 | 21.2% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in Latin America & Caribbean
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Aruba · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Curaçao · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Puerto Rico · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Martin (French part) · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sint Maarten · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Turks and Caicos Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands · Uruguay · Venezuela
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)