Prosperity gap in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Prosperity gap was 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
Change on year
down 15.0%
World rank
81st
of 123 countries
All-time high
11.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 1981
All-time low
1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 2025
Years of data
39
1981–2025
Prosperity gap in Costa Rica, 1981–2025
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Measured in average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prosperity gap in Costa Rica is 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 15.0% on the previous year and down 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prosperity gap in Costa Rica peaked at 11.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1981 and was at its lowest, 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 81st of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prosperity gap in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 11.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | — |
| 1986 | 8.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -25.2% |
| 1989 | 8.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 7.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 8.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 7.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -9.6% |
| 1993 | 7.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -5.3% |
| 1994 | 6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -15.5% |
| 1995 | 6.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 6.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +8.1% |
| 1997 | 5.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -14.9% |
| 1998 | 5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -12.3% |
| 1999 | 5.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 5.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 4.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -24.6% |
| 2002 | 4.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 3.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -12.5% |
| 2006 | 3.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -14.3% |
| 2008 | 3.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 3.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -16.1% |
| 2011 | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 2.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 2.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 2.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 2.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +30.4% |
| 2021 | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -20.0% |
| 2022 | 2.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 2.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -8.7% |
| 2024 | 2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -4.8% |
| 2025 | 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -15.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 8.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 11.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 |
| 1990s | 6.58 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 8.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.86 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 5.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.47 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.25 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 79 Bhutan 1.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 79 Hungary 1.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 82 Belarus 1.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 82 Chile 1.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 82 Lithuania 1.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
More poverty & inequality data for Costa Rica
- Data deprivation poverty surveys per decade 10 (2025)
- Fertility rate vs the share living in extreme poverty 1.33 (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty 3,807 (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ 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 revenues vs income inequality 24.93 (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2023)
- Gender inequality index from the human development report 0.217 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prosperity gap in Costa Rica?
- Prosperity gap in Costa Rica was 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2025, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest prosperity gap recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1981.
- What is the lowest prosperity gap recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for prosperity gap?
- Costa Rica ranks 81st out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is prosperity gap rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28 per day (adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity across countries). It is measured as the average factor by which incomes fall short of $28.