Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines was 17.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica, 1989–2025
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2025, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica stood at 17.1%.
The figure is down 15.8% on the previous year and down 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica peaked at 31.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2007.
Costa Rica ranks 37th of 70 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 28.3% | — |
| 1990 | 27.1% | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 31.9% | +17.7% |
| 1992 | 29.4% | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 23.2% | -21.1% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | -13.8% |
| 1995 | 20.4% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 20.7% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 20.6% | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 20.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 20.3% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 20.6% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 18.5% | -10.2% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +17.3% |
| 2005 | 21.2% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 20.2% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | -17.3% |
| 2008 | 17.7% | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 18.5% | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 24.2% | +30.8% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 23.3% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 23.6% | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 22.9% | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 22.1% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 22.9% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 23.9% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 30.0% | +25.5% |
| 2021 | 26.2% | -12.7% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 24.4% | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 20.3% | -16.8% |
| 2025 | 17.1% | -15.8% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 17.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.8%, 1.1× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 17.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 24.9%, 69% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 28.3% | 28.3% | 28.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 23.4% | 19.7% | 31.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.6% | 16.7% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.6% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 17.1% | 30.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More poverty & inequality data for Costa Rica
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 10 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.33 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,807 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -14.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 24.93 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 24.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Costa Rica was 17.1% in 2025, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 31.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2007.
- How does Costa Rica rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Costa Rica ranks 37th out of 70 countries with data for 2025.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.