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Costa Rica: poverty, inequality and aid
Extreme poverty is 0.8% (2025), 95th of 151 in the world and 17th of 22 in Latin America & Caribbean. Poverty, $4.20/day is 1.7% (2025), 97th of 151 in the world and 19th of 22 in Latin America & Caribbean. Poverty, $8.30/day is 9.7% (2025), 102nd of 151 in the world and 19th of 22 in Latin America & Caribbean.
Aid, poverty & equality: Costa Rica in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Latin America & Caribbean; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme povertyExtreme poverty, $3.00 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 0.8%2025 | 95/151 | 17/22 | 9.8% | 2.2% | 3.4% | −1.6 ppsince 2015 | 4.3% | 0.6% | 10.1% | |
| Poverty, $4.20/dayPoverty at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 1.7%2025 | 97/151 | 19/22 | 15.8% | 4.5% | 6.4% | −3.0 ppsince 2015 | 8.0% | 0.7% | 18.2% | |
| Poverty, $8.30/dayPoverty at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 9.7%2025 | 102/151 | 19/22 | 41.4% | 18.8% | 23.3% | −7.8 ppsince 2015 | 24.7% | 1.7% | 46.2% | |
| National poverty ratePoverty at national poverty lines, % of population | 17.1%2025 | 96/145 | 20/23 | 20.6% | 24.2% | 30.0% | −6.5 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Gini indexGini index of income inequality | 45.52025 | 14/151 | 6/22 | 47.4 | 48.0 | 49.2 | −6.0%since 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Top 10% income shareIncome share held by the richest 10% | 34.3%2025 | 17/151 | 7/22 | 35.7% | 36.8% | 37.0% | −2.5 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Bottom 20% income shareIncome share held by the poorest 20% | 4.7%2025 | 136/151 | 17/22 | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.0% | +0.4 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| UndernourishmentPrevalence of undernourishment, % of population | 2.5%2024 | 117/167 | 25/28 | 4.6%2001 | 2.8% | 2.5% | ±0.0 ppsince 2014 | 5.1% | 2.6% | 8.1% | |
| Food insecurityModerate or severe food insecurity, % of population | 13.9%2024 | 100/155 | 25/28 | · | · | 15.9% | — | 25.2% | 7.9% | 28.0% | |
| Account ownershipAccount ownership (bank or mobile money), % of adults | 71.4%2024 | 76/145 | 8/21 | · | 50.4%2011 | 68.5%2021 | +6.8 ppsince 2014 | 73.5% | 94.9% | 78.7% | |
| Women in parliamentSeats held by women in national parliament, % | 49.1%2025 | 8/190 | 5/32 | 19.3% | 38.6% | 45.6% | +15.8 ppsince 2015 | 36.6% | 31.2% | 27.2% | |
| Net ODA receivedNet official development assistance received, US$ | $145m2023 | 105/145 | 18/32 | $25.5m | $96.9m | $210m | +341%since 2013 | $10.8bn | $761m | $259bn | |
| ODA, % of GNINet ODA received, % of GNI | 0.2%2023 | 119/139 | 25/30 | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.4% | +0.1 ppsince 2013 | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% | |
| ODA per personNet ODA received per capita, US$ | $28.32023 | 108/145 | 21/32 | $6.5 | $21.3 | $41.7 | +307%since 2013 | $16.4 | $0.54 | $32.2 |
Better than ten years ago
- Extreme poverty−1.6 pp0.8% in 2025
- Poverty, $4.20/day−3.0 pp1.7% in 2025
- Poverty, $8.30/day−7.8 pp9.7% in 2025
- National poverty rate−6.5 pp17.1% in 2025
Worse than ten years ago
No rated indicator got worse over the decade.
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
Costa Rica and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Costa Rica. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Costa Rica | Nicaragua | Panama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme poverty | 0.8%2025 | 6.6%2014 | 3.1%2024 |
| Poverty, $4.20/day | 1.7%2025 | 15.7%2014 | 6.8%2024 |
| Poverty, $8.30/day | 9.7%2025 | 46.5%2014 | 19.8%2024 |
| National poverty rate | 17.1%2025 | 24.9%2016 | 21.7%2023 |
| Gini index | 45.52025 | 46.22014 | 49.72024 |
| Top 10% income share | 34.3%2025 | 37.2%2014 | 37.6%2024 |
| Bottom 20% income share | 4.7%2025 | 5.1%2014 | 3.6%2024 |
| Undernourishment | 2.5%2024 | 17.3%2022 | 4.7%2024 |
| Food insecurity | 13.9%2024 | — | — |