Total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Total population in extreme poverty was 38,887 in 2025. β—† Volatile

Latest (2025)
38,887
Change on year
down 40.9%
World rank
84th
of 120 countries
All-time high
823,440
in 1981
All-time low
38,887
in 2025
Years of data
39
1981–2025

Total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica, 1981–2025

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1981200320251981: 823.4k1986: 542.7k1989: 438.3k1990: 433.4k1991: 548.9k1992: 453.3k1993: 397.3k1994: 324.1k1995: 374.7k1996: 425.2k1997: 335.7k1998: 282.8k1999: 358.7k2000: 385.0k2001: 304.8k2002: 267.6k2003: 284.5k2004: 276.9k2005: 214.9k2006: 223.0k2007: 137.6k2008: 149.8k2009: 162.4k2010: 100.6k2011: 125.6k2012: 119.5k2013: 124.6k2014: 113.8k2015: 117.6k2016: 116.9k2017: 85.9k2018: 115.1k2019: 86.5k2020: 168.7k2021: 109.3k2022: 81.2k2023: 78.6k2024: 65.9k2025: 38.9k

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica is 38,887, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 40.9% on the previous year and down 66.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica peaked at 823,440 in 1981 and was at its lowest, 38,887, in 2025.

Costa Rica ranks 84th of 120 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 601,472 438,267 823,440 3
1990s 393,396 282,767 548,888 10
2000s 240,640 137,583 384,983 10
2010s 110,612 85,926 125,565 10
2020s 90,434 38,887 168,739 6

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 81 France 47,672 compare
  2. 82 Portugal 43,716 compare
  3. 83 Jamaica 39,357 compare
  4. 85 Israel 38,230 compare
  5. 86 Lithuania 31,528 compare
  6. 87 Slovak Republic 24,536 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places β†’

More poverty & inequality data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica?
Total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica was 38,887 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest total population in extreme poverty recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 823,440 in 1981.
What is the lowest total population in extreme poverty recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 38,887 in 2025.
How does Costa Rica rank for total population in extreme poverty?
Costa Rica ranks 84th out of 120 countries with data for 2025.
Is total population in extreme poverty rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is down 66.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Total population in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total population in extreme poverty in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/total-population-in-extreme-poverty/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Total population in extreme poverty
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed