Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
down 44.5%
World rank
85th
of 120 countries
All-time high
411.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1981
All-time low
13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2025
Years of data
39
1981–2025
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica, 1981–2025
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica is 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 44.5% on the previous year and down 72.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica peaked at 411.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981 and was at its lowest, 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 85th 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.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 411.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1986 | 255.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -37.9% |
| 1989 | 234.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.1% |
| 1990 | 228.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 267.49 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.0% |
| 1992 | 226.03 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -15.5% |
| 1993 | 207.74 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.1% |
| 1994 | 169.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -18.3% |
| 1995 | 184.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 213.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +15.6% |
| 1997 | 165.97 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -22.1% |
| 1998 | 133.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.5% |
| 1999 | 173.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +30.1% |
| 2000 | 184.64 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 137.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -25.7% |
| 2002 | 128.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 127.48 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 119.86 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 84.30 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -29.7% |
| 2006 | 89.73 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.4% |
| 2007 | 51.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -42.5% |
| 2008 | 65.85 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +27.7% |
| 2009 | 73.85 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.2% |
| 2010 | 45.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -38.6% |
| 2011 | 49.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.9% |
| 2012 | 47.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 47.68 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 46.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 48.41 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 42.15 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 32.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -23.8% |
| 2018 | 46.48 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +44.7% |
| 2019 | 33.47 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -28.0% |
| 2020 | 72.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +117.1% |
| 2021 | 37.71 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -48.1% |
| 2022 | 29.87 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -20.8% |
| 2023 | 26.86 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.1% |
| 2024 | 23.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -12.0% |
| 2025 | 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -44.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 62% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 120.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 11% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 300.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 234.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 411.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 197.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 133.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 267.49 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 106.34 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 51.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 184.64 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 32.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 49.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.98 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 72.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 82 Tunisia 19.42 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 83 Palestine 18.76 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 84 Denmark 17.85 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 86 Slovakia 12.27 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 87 Jamaica 10.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 88 Montenegro 8.37 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Costa Rica was 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 411.26 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Costa Rica ranks 85th out of 120 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 72.9%. 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 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.