Costa Rica vs South Africa: External balance on goods and services
External balance on goods and services over time
- Costa Rica
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 8.16 billion current US$ against 6.39 billion current US$ in Costa Rica, a difference of 1.77 billion current US$.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Costa Rica's.
The two have swapped places 14 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was South Africa ahead.
Costa Rica ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 37th of 193 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 6.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -33.78 million current US$ | 320.04 million current US$ | 353.82 million current US$ | South Africa |
| 1970s | -176.91 million current US$ | 855.74 million current US$ | 1.03 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 1980s | -106.57 million current US$ | 3.94 billion current US$ | 4.05 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 1990s | -489.30 million current US$ | 3.56 billion current US$ | 4.05 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 2000s | -636.39 million current US$ | 408.99 million current US$ | 1.05 billion current US$ | South Africa |
| 2010s | -455.94 million current US$ | -618.51 million current US$ | 162.57 million current US$ | Costa Rica |
| 2020s | 3.40 billion current US$ | 11.46 billion current US$ | 8.05 billion current US$ | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher external balance on goods and services, Costa Rica or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 8.16 billion current US$ against 6.39 billion current US$ in Costa Rica as of 2025.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services between Costa Rica and South Africa?
- 1.77 billion current US$, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and South Africa?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Costa Rica and South Africa rank globally for external balance on goods and services?
- Costa Rica ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 37th of 193 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as External balance on goods and services (current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.