Personal remittances, received in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Personal remittances, received was 0.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, received in Costa Rica, 1977–2025
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for personal remittances, received in Costa Rica is 0.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.7% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, received in Costa Rica peaked at 2.3% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1977.
That places Costa Rica 134th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, received in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.1% | — |
| 1978 | 0.1% | +26.4% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -18.7% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +26.8% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +134.9% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -21.6% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +13.2% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | +10.3% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | -11.6% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -10.9% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | +553.3% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -9.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -5.2% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 1.2% | +37.1% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | +21.7% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | +22.9% |
| 2004 | 1.7% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | +22.2% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | +7.7% |
| 2007 | 2.3% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -14.6% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -15.0% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -15.6% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -13.7% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -14.3% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 0.9% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -13.4% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 0.8% | +10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 131 Antigua and Barbuda 0.9% compare
- 132 Poland 0.9% compare
- 133 Mauritania 0.9% compare
- 135 Palau 0.8% compare
- 136 Sweden 0.8% compare
- 137 Trinidad and Tobago 0.8% compare
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)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 11,944 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 5.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9379 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 18,730 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 472.24 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 9.43 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, received in Costa Rica?
- Personal remittances, received in Costa Rica was 0.8% in 2025, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest personal remittances, received recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 2007.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, received recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1977.
- How does Costa Rica rank for personal remittances, received?
- Costa Rica ranks 134th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, received rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees.