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% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 17.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.0%, 1.1× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 17.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 21.5%, 79% of the median. (10 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 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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