Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services was 8.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica, 1990–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica is 8.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica peaked at 10.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 1991.
Costa Rica ranks 88th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.0% | — |
| 1991 | 5.8% | -16.4% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | +20.5% |
| 1993 | 6.5% | -7.4% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 6.3% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 7.9% | +24.9% |
| 1997 | 8.1% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 8.5% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 8.4% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 9.0% | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 9.1% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 9.0% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 9.5% | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 10.0% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 9.9% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | -13.7% |
| 2010 | 8.3% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 8.5% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 8.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 7.8% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 7.2% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 8.3% | +15.2% |
| 2022 | 8.0% | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 8.1% | +1.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 8.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 10.3%, 78% of the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 8.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 8.4%, 96% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.2% | 5.8% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.3% | 8.5% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 7.7% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.9% | 7.2% | 8.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 85 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 8.4% compare
- 86 Togo 8.2% compare
- 87 Dominican Republic 8.1% compare
- 89 San Marino 8.0% compare
- 90 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7.9% compare
- 91 Ecuador 7.9% 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)
- 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 taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica?
- Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Costa Rica was 8.1% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 1991.
- How does Costa Rica rank for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services?
- Costa Rica ranks 88th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total taxes on income (individual and corporate) vs. total taxes on goods and services (including VAT and sales taxes), as a share of GDP.