Social spending as share of GDP in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Social spending as share of GDP was 0.1% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Social spending as share of GDP in Costa Rica, 2011–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for social spending as share of gdp in Costa Rica is 0.1%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 34.8% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social spending as share of gdp in Costa Rica peaked at 0.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
That places Costa Rica 41st out of 42 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Social spending as share of GDP in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0.1% | — |
| 2012 | 0.1% | +13.6% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | +9.3% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -11.0% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +13.9% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -75.3% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | +950.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -78.1% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | +34.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 3 |
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 466.29 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0045 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 90.49 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 5.59 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 3.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0543 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,084 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 20.52 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social spending as share of gdp in Costa Rica?
- Social spending as share of gdp in Costa Rica was 0.1% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does Costa Rica rank for social spending as share of gdp?
- Costa Rica ranks 41st out of 42 countries with data for 2022.
- Is social spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Social spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in other social policy programs.