Real gdp growth in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Real gdp growth was 4.56 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Real gdp growth in Costa Rica, 1980–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, real gdp growth in Costa Rica stood at 4.56.
That represents a change of up 11.7% on the previous year and up 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real gdp growth in Costa Rica peaked at 9.2 in 1992 and was at its lowest, -7.29, in 1982.
That places Costa Rica 55th 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.
Real gdp growth in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.752 | — |
| 1981 | -2.26 | -400.5% |
| 1982 | -7.29 | +222.3% |
| 1983 | 2.86 | -139.2% |
| 1984 | 8.03 | +180.8% |
| 1985 | 0.722 | -91.0% |
| 1986 | 5.54 | +666.8% |
| 1987 | 4.76 | -13.9% |
| 1988 | 3.43 | -28.0% |
| 1989 | 5.67 | +65.1% |
| 1990 | 3.6 | -36.5% |
| 1991 | 2.26 | -37.1% |
| 1992 | 9.2 | +306.6% |
| 1993 | 7.1 | -22.9% |
| 1994 | 4.52 | -36.3% |
| 1995 | 4.15 | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 1.35 | -67.5% |
| 1997 | 5.48 | +305.6% |
| 1998 | 7.09 | +29.5% |
| 1999 | 4.15 | -41.5% |
| 2000 | 3.8 | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 3.49 | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 3.42 | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 4.32 | +26.3% |
| 2004 | 4.42 | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 3.98 | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 7.33 | +84.2% |
| 2007 | 8.21 | +12.1% |
| 2008 | 4.74 | -42.3% |
| 2009 | -0.873 | -118.4% |
| 2010 | 5.36 | -714.0% |
| 2011 | 4.4 | -17.9% |
| 2012 | 4.88 | +10.9% |
| 2013 | 2.5 | -48.9% |
| 2014 | 3.54 | +42.0% |
| 2015 | 3.65 | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 4.2 | +15.1% |
| 2017 | 4.16 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.85 | -31.4% |
| 2019 | 2.71 | -5.1% |
| 2020 | -4.14 | -253.0% |
| 2021 | 8.22 | -298.4% |
| 2022 | 5.46 | -33.5% |
| 2023 | 4.79 | -12.3% |
| 2024 | 4.08 | -14.8% |
| 2025 | 4.56 | +11.7% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 4.56 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.4, 1.9× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 4.56 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.37, 1.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real gdp growth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +714.0% | -0.873 | 5.36 |
| 1986 | +666.8% | 0.722 | 5.54 |
| 1981 | -400.5% | 0.752 | -2.26 |
| 1992 | +306.6% | 2.26 | 9.2 |
| 1997 | +305.6% | 1.35 | 5.48 |
| 2021 | +298.4% | -4.14 | 8.22 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.22 | -7.29 | 8.03 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.89 | 1.35 | 9.2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.28 | -0.873 | 8.21 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.83 | 2.5 | 5.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.83 | -4.14 | 8.22 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More economy & growth data for Costa Rica
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 11.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real gdp growth in Costa Rica?
- Real gdp growth in Costa Rica was 4.56 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest real gdp growth recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2 in 1992.
- What is the lowest real gdp growth recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.29 in 1982.
- How does Costa Rica rank for real gdp growth?
- Costa Rica ranks 55th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is real gdp growth rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Real gdp growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).