Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 17.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
17.1%
Change on year
down 15.8%
World rank
37th
of 73 countries
All-time high
31.9%
in 1991
All-time low
16.7%
in 2007
Years of data
37
1989–2025
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica, 1989–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica is 17.1%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 15.8% on the previous year and down 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica peaked at 31.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2007.
Costa Rica ranks 37th of 73 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | 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% |
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 proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica?
- Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Costa Rica was 17.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 31.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2007.
- How does Costa Rica rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
- Costa Rica ranks 37th out of 73 countries with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line 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 United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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