External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was 3.22 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.22 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 24.0%
World rank
14th
of 193 countries
All-time high
3.22 trillion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
-1.42 trillion current LCU
in 2008
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in Costa Rica, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Costa Rica stood at 3.22 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 24.0% on the previous year and up 1,498.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Costa Rica peaked at 3.22 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, -1.42 trillion current LCU, in 2008.
Costa Rica ranks 14th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -139.90 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -122.90 million current LCU | -12.2% |
| 1962 | -106.00 million current LCU | -13.8% |
| 1963 | -171.60 million current LCU | +61.9% |
| 1964 | -149.70 million current LCU | -12.8% |
| 1965 | -417.40 million current LCU | +178.8% |
| 1966 | -257.00 million current LCU | -38.4% |
| 1967 | -293.70 million current LCU | +14.3% |
| 1968 | -240.40 million current LCU | -18.1% |
| 1969 | -302.90 million current LCU | +26.0% |
| 1970 | -440.00 million current LCU | +45.3% |
| 1971 | -735.90 million current LCU | +67.2% |
| 1972 | -524.00 million current LCU | -28.8% |
| 1973 | -617.20 million current LCU | +17.8% |
| 1974 | -1.98 billion current LCU | +220.7% |
| 1975 | -1.43 billion current LCU | -28.0% |
| 1976 | -1.24 billion current LCU | -13.0% |
| 1977 | -1.44 billion current LCU | +16.0% |
| 1978 | -2.37 billion current LCU | +64.7% |
| 1979 | -3.55 billion current LCU | +49.9% |
| 1980 | -4.28 billion current LCU | +20.5% |
| 1981 | -2.80 billion current LCU | -34.5% |
| 1982 | 2.85 billion current LCU | -201.6% |
| 1983 | -964.20 million current LCU | -133.9% |
| 1984 | 669.10 million current LCU | -169.4% |
| 1985 | -3.47 billion current LCU | -618.5% |
| 1986 | 2.09 billion current LCU | -160.1% |
| 1987 | -11.76 billion current LCU | -664.0% |
| 1988 | -6.25 billion current LCU | -46.9% |
| 1989 | -16.53 billion current LCU | +164.5% |
| 1990 | -36.10 billion current LCU | +118.4% |
| 1991 | -40.77 billion current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1992 | -63.73 billion current LCU | +56.3% |
| 1993 | -99.15 billion current LCU | +55.6% |
| 1994 | -102.58 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1995 | -73.13 billion current LCU | -28.7% |
| 1996 | -97.83 billion current LCU | +33.8% |
| 1997 | -128.96 billion current LCU | +31.8% |
| 1998 | -144.73 billion current LCU | +12.2% |
| 1999 | -98.67 billion current LCU | -31.8% |
| 2000 | -30.74 billion current LCU | -68.8% |
| 2001 | 8.64 billion current LCU | -128.1% |
| 2002 | -117.21 billion current LCU | -1457.1% |
| 2003 | -136.63 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 2004 | -68.56 billion current LCU | -49.8% |
| 2005 | -219.66 billion current LCU | +220.4% |
| 2006 | -370.06 billion current LCU | +68.5% |
| 2007 | -735.05 billion current LCU | +98.6% |
| 2008 | -1.42 trillion current LCU | +93.8% |
| 2009 | -87.20 billion current LCU | -93.9% |
| 2010 | -366.98 billion current LCU | +320.9% |
| 2011 | -798.82 billion current LCU | +117.7% |
| 2012 | -889.76 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2013 | -734.12 billion current LCU | -17.5% |
| 2014 | -690.35 billion current LCU | -6.0% |
| 2015 | -229.98 billion current LCU | -66.7% |
| 2016 | 109.54 billion current LCU | -147.6% |
| 2017 | 155.72 billion current LCU | +42.2% |
| 2018 | 191.48 billion current LCU | +23.0% |
| 2019 | 1.09 trillion current LCU | +471.0% |
| 2020 | 1.34 trillion current LCU | +22.6% |
| 2021 | 633.56 billion current LCU | -52.7% |
| 2022 | 976.49 billion current LCU | +54.1% |
| 2023 | 2.26 trillion current LCU | +131.8% |
| 2024 | 2.59 trillion current LCU | +14.6% |
| 2025 | 3.22 trillion current LCU | +24.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 3.22 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.18 billion current LCU, 1011.6× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 3.22 trillion current LCU is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -509.00 million current LCU. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | -1457.1% | 8.64 billion current LCU | -117.21 billion current LCU |
| 1987 | -664.0% | 2.09 billion current LCU | -11.76 billion current LCU |
| 1985 | -618.5% | 669.10 million current LCU | -3.47 billion current LCU |
| 2019 | +471.0% | 191.48 billion current LCU | 1.09 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -220.15 million current LCU | -417.40 million current LCU | -106.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.43 billion current LCU | -3.55 billion current LCU | -440.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -4.05 billion current LCU | -16.53 billion current LCU | 2.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -88.57 billion current LCU | -144.73 billion current LCU | -36.10 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -318.10 billion current LCU | -1.42 trillion current LCU | 8.64 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -215.99 billion current LCU | -889.76 billion current LCU | 1.09 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.84 trillion current LCU | 633.56 billion current LCU | 3.22 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More economy & growth data for Costa Rica
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.74 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 115.71 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.5968 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0042 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 84.49 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0204 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Costa Rica?
- External balance on goods and services in Costa Rica was 3.22 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 3.22 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.42 trillion current LCU in 2008.
- How does Costa Rica rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Costa Rica ranks 14th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,498.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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 series is expressed in local currency units.