Country field notes / Latin America & Caribbean

Costa Rica

Life expectancy 81.0 years (2024); GDP per person $27,325 in constant-2021 PPP dollars (2024). These are captured source observations, not a measure of household wealth. Dates can differ across indicators.

A first view of health, purchasing power, and essential services. These are observed source indicators; The experimental rankings provide a separate, explicitly weighted comparison where all inputs are available.

Related analysis: 41 economies combine less output with longer lives · A prosperity index is not a life evaluation

Ranking summary · 2023

Equal-domain rank 41 / 170 · Overall 70.1 · Rank across three weightings 40–46

Health: 78.7 · Essential services: 71.0 · Material resources: 63.9 · Civic voice: 85.2 · Air quality: 51.5

Experimental cohort percentile scores. Compare this economy and inspect the method.

Latest available observations in the captured 2000–2025 data. Periods vary; no gap-filling.
IndicatorValueUnitObservation periodProvider
Life expectancy81.00years2024World Bank
GDP per person$27,3252021 international $2024World Bank
Electricity access99.80% of population2024World Bank
Basic drinking water99.81% of population2024World Bank
Basic sanitation98.79% of population2024World Bank
Clean cooking access97.00% of population2024World Bank
Food insecurity13.90% of population2024World Bank
Poverty at $3/day0.80% of population2025World Bank
Income / consumption Gini45.50index, 0–1002025World Bank
Bottom 20% resource share4.70% of income or consumption2025World Bank
Under-five mortality10.40deaths per 1,000 live births2024World Bank
Maternal mortality24.00deaths per 100,000 live births2023World Bank
Child stunting9.00% of children under five2018World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending24.13% of current health expenditure2023World Bank
Unemployment6.84% of labor force2025World Bank
Youth outside work and education19.43% of youth2025World Bank
Internet use87.17% of population2024World Bank
PM2.5 exposure17.70micrograms per cubic meter2023World Bank
Forest area59.06% of land area2024World Bank
Freshwater stress5.88% of available freshwater resources2022World Bank
Adjusted net savings16.92% of GNI2021World Bank
Voice and accountability76.76absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Rule of law68.56absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Government effectiveness60.76absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Control of corruption62.04absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Political stability87.04absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Regulatory quality64.76absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Tax revenue13.46% of GDP2024World Bank
Income, profit and capital-gains tax share15.31% of revenue2024World Bank
Goods and services tax share25.63% of revenue2024World Bank
International trade tax share3.96% of revenue2024World Bank
Government health spending4.61% of GDP2023World Bank
Government education spending5.31% of GDP2023World Bank
Intentional homicide17.75deaths per 100,000 people2023World Bank
Consumer price inflation-0.07annual %2025World Bank
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 67% average wage27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · average wage27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 167% average wage29.92% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single parent, 2 children · 67% average wage27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · one average-wage earner27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · 100% + 67% average wages27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · two average-wage earners27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, no children · 100% + 67% average wages27.66% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Weekly work hours: All employed people41.96hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Women in employment37.38hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Men in employment45.05hours per employed person2025ILO
Life evaluation (3-year mean)7.44Cantril ladder, 0–102023–2025World Happiness Report

How to read this profile

GDP per person is measured in constant 2021 international dollars using purchasing power parity. It measures economic output, not household income or wealth. Life expectancy is period life expectancy at birth, not healthy life expectancy. Service access percentages are national averages and do not establish service reliability or equal access.

Missing values remain unavailable. Comparable years may have different underlying survey dates; source estimates can be revised.

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Cite this profile

Pluraterra. “Costa Rica: country field notes.” Atlas prototype, snapshot retrieved November 1–2, 2026; observation periods shown per row. Underlying data: World Bank World Development Indicators. This page is a mutable preview; use the accompanying CSV for the captured data.

Download the captured data · Source and release notes