Costa Rica vs Panama

Costa Rica and Panama compared on 154 measures that both have. Each pair of values is for the same period, the latest one with data for both countries, so the year can differ from one row to the next.

Where Costa Rica and Panama differ most

Measures where one value is the largest multiple of the other, among measures with positive values. Totals such as population, index values and growth rates are left out, because their size says little about the difference.

Population and ageing

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Population estimates and projections
people
5,105,526 people 4,458,759 people +14.5% 2023 UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
years
34.1 years 29.6 years +15.1% 2023 UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
live births per woman
1.33 births per woman 2.12 births per woman −37.2% 2023 UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
% per year
0.49% 1.29% −0.80 percentage points 2023 UN Population Division
Population
people
5,152,950 people 4,571,189 people +12.7% 2025 World Bank
Population growth
annual % change
0.45% 1.22% −0.78 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 65 and over
% of total population
12.8% 9.7% +3.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 0 to 14
% of total population
18.3% 24.5% −6.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Fertility rate
births per woman
1.32 births per woman 2.11 births per woman −37.4% 2024 World Bank
Crude birth rate
births per 1,000 people
10.0 per 1,000 people 15.9 per 1,000 people −5.9 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Crude death rate
deaths per 1,000 people
5.6 per 1,000 people 4.9 per 1,000 people +0.7 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Urban population share
% of total population
79.7% 66.2% +13.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Adolescent birth rate
births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19
24.8 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 55.9 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 −31.0 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 2024 World Bank
Age dependency ratio
dependants per 100 people aged 15 to 64
45.1 per 100 working-age people 51.9 per 100 working-age people −6.9 per 100 working-age people 2025 World Bank
Population density
people per square kilometre of land
101.5 people per km² 60.9 people per km² +66.7% 2024 World Bank
Urban population growth
annual % change
0.97% 1.46% −0.49 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Migration and citizenship

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Net migration estimates and projections
per 1,000 people
0.2 per 1,000 people 1.6 per 1,000 people −1.4 per 1,000 people 2023 UN Population Division
Net migration
people
1,000 people 6,151 people −83.7% 2025 World Bank
International migrant stock
% of population
12.2% 10.6% +1.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Personal remittances received
% of GDP
0.8% 0.7% +0.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Employment and occupations

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over
6.8% 8.4% −1.5 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
% of the labour force aged 15 to 24
19.9% 19.8% +0.2 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Labour force participation
% of working-age population aged 15 and over
57.7% 66.3% −8.6 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Women's labour force participation
% of women aged 15 and over
46.0% 54.9% −8.9 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
% of population aged 15 and over
53.7% 60.8% −7.0 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment in agriculture
% of total employment
11.5% 16.0% −4.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in industry
% of total employment
18.5% 17.0% +1.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in services
% of total employment
70.0% 67.0% +3.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Economy and productivity

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
GDP in US dollars
current US dollars
US$102.9 billion US$90.5 billion +13.8% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita in US dollars
current US dollars per person
US$19,970 per person US$19,790 per person +0.9% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita, PPP
constant 2021 international dollars per person
Int$28,443 per person Int$37,516 per person −24.2% 2025 World Bank
GNI per capita, Atlas method
current US dollars per person
US$17,930 per person US$19,140 per person −6.3% 2025 World Bank
Real GDP growth
annual % change
4.6% 4.4% +0.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Services share of GDP
% of GDP
69.2% 70.0% −0.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Investment share of GDP
% of GDP
16.2% 33.5% −17.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Savings share of GDP
% of GDP
13.8% 33.0% −19.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Household consumption per person
constant 2015 US dollars per person
US$9,404 per person US$8,494 per person +10.7% 2024 World Bank

Prices and purchasing power

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Consumer price inflation
annual % change
-0.1% -0.2% +0.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Consumer price index
index, 2010 = 100
143.0 (2010 = 100) 128.1 (2010 = 100) +14.9 points 2025 World Bank
Inflation measured by the GDP deflator
annual % change
-0.5% 0.2% −0.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Exchange rate to the US dollar
local currency units per US dollar, annual average
503.497 per US$ 1.000 per US$ +50,249.7% 2025 World Bank

Housing and households

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Slum population
% of urban population
3.5% 16.3% −12.8 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Education and skills

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
% of youth aged 15 to 24
18.3% 14.8% +3.5 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
% of children 3 to 5 years above the final primary grade age
98.4% 97.3% +1.1 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
87.5% 90.3% −2.8 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
78.2% 74.7% +3.5 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
% of children of primary school age
4.5%nat_est (National estimate) 7.7% −3.2 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school adolescents
% of adolescents of lower secondary school age
6.4%nat_est (National estimate) 20.4% −14.0 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school youth
% of youth of upper secondary school age
11.4%nat_est (National estimate) 27.8% −16.3 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Primary net enrolment
% of children of primary school age
95.5%nat_est (National estimate) 92.3% +3.2 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Youth literacy
% of people aged 15 to 24
80.6% 99.1% −18.5 percentage points 2018 UNESCO UIS
Qualified primary teachers
% of primary teachers
93.5% 99.2% −5.7 percentage points 2017 UNESCO UIS
Education share of public spending
% of total government expenditure
20.4% 11.5% +8.9 percentage points 2023 UNESCO UIS
Education spending
% of GDP
5.3% 2.5% +2.8 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Primary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official primary school-age population
104.8% 96.9% +7.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Tertiary education enrolment (gross)
% of the population in the five years after secondary school age
51.7% 48.4% +3.3 percentage points 2016 World Bank
Adult literacy rate
% of people aged 15 and above
94.9% 91.9% +3.0 percentage points 2000 World Bank
Primary school completion rate
% of the relevant age group
106.4% 96.2% +10.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Secondary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official secondary school-age population
121.5% 76.6% +44.9 percentage points 2017 World Bank

Health and healthcare

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Life expectancy estimates and projections
years
80.8 years 79.6 years +1.5% 2023 UN Population Division
Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections
years
20.7 years 20.6 years +0.8% 2023 UN Population Division
Healthy life expectancy
years
67.1 years 67.3 years −0.3% 2023 WHO
UHC service coverage
index from 0 to 100
84 82 +2 points 2023 WHO
Alcohol consumption
litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15+
3.51 litres 6.90 litres −49.2% 2024 WHO
Adult obesity
% of adults aged 18+
32.7% 37.7% −5.0 percentage points 2024 WHO
Hypertension
% of adults aged 30 to 79
37.8% 36.1% +1.7 percentage points 2019 WHO
Suicide rate
deaths per 100,000 people
6.9 per 100,000 people 4.6 per 100,000 people +2.3 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Premature NCD mortality
% probability
10.2% 10.9% −0.7 percentage points 2023 WHO
Physical inactivity
% of adults aged 18+
50.5% 58.0% −7.4 percentage points 2022 WHO
DTP3 immunisation
% of one-year-olds
96% 80% +16.0 percentage points 2025 WHO
Anaemia in women
% of women aged 15 to 49
13.7% 25.5% −11.8 percentage points 2023 WHO
Poisoning deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
0.4 per 100,000 people 0.4 per 100,000 people same 2023 WHO
Nurses and midwives
per 10,000 people
30.7 per 10,000 people 33.5 per 10,000 people −2.7 per 10,000 people 2022 WHO
Dentists
per 10,000 people
10.89 per 10,000 people 2.80 per 10,000 people +8.09 per 10,000 people 2022 WHO
Life expectancy at birth
years
81.0 years 79.8 years +1.5% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, women
years
83.6 years 82.7 years +1.0% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, men
years
78.4 years 76.9 years +1.9% 2024 World Bank
Health spending share of GDP
% of GDP
6.9% 8.3% −1.5 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Under-five mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
10.4 per 1,000 live births 15.3 per 1,000 live births −4.9 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Infant mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
9.1 per 1,000 live births 12.0 per 1,000 live births −2.9 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Maternal mortality ratio
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
24 per 100,000 live births 37 per 100,000 live births −13 per 100,000 live births 2023 World Bank
Physicians
physicians per 1,000 people
2.69 per 1,000 people 1.63 per 1,000 people +1.06 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Hospital beds
beds per 1,000 people
1.1 per 1,000 people 2.1 per 1,000 people −0.9 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Measles immunisation
% of children aged 12 to 23 months
93% 93% same 2024 World Bank
Tobacco use
% of adults aged 15 and over
7.9% 4.8% +3.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending
% of current health expenditure
24.1% 40.5% −16.3 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Health spending per person
current US dollars per person
US$1,163 per person US$1,558 per person −25.3% 2023 World Bank
Diabetes prevalence
% of population aged 20 to 79
9.8% 11.1% −1.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Neonatal mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
7.3 per 1,000 live births 5.3 per 1,000 live births +2.0 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Child stunting
% of children under 5
5.6% 19.0% −13.4 percentage points 2008 World Bank
Malaria incidence
new cases per 1,000 people at risk
0.1 per 1,000 at risk 3.5 per 1,000 at risk −3.4 per 1,000 at risk 2024 World Bank
Tuberculosis incidence
new cases per 100,000 people
9 per 100,000 people 63 per 100,000 people −54 per 100,000 people 2024 World Bank
HIV incidence
new infections per 1,000 uninfected people aged 15 to 49
0.41 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 0.63 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 −0.22 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 2024 World Bank

Internet and digital society

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Internet users
% of population
87.2% 72.8% +14.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Mobile subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
134 per 100 people 157 per 100 people −23 per 100 people 2023 World Bank
Fixed broadband subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
22.5 per 100 people 18.1 per 100 people +4.4 per 100 people 2023 World Bank

Business and industry

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Industry share of GDP
% of GDP
19.9% 24.9% −5.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
New businesses registered
new limited liability companies
20,733 companies 13,048 companies +58.9% 2022 World Bank
Medium and high-tech manufacturing
% of manufacturing value added
13.1% 6.6% +6.5 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Manufacturing share of GDP
% of GDP
13.6% 4.8% +8.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Trade and investment

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Exports share of GDP
% of GDP
37.5% 44.4% −6.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Imports share of GDP
% of GDP
32.3% 39.3% −7.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Trade as a share of GDP
% of GDP
69.9% 83.7% −13.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Foreign direct investment inflows
% of GDP
5.4% 1.0% +4.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Current account balance
% of GDP
-0.5% -0.2% −0.3 percentage points 2025 World Bank
High-technology exports
% of manufactured exports
22.9% 1.8% +21.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Transport and mobility

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Road traffic deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
14.8 per 100,000 people 13.9 per 100,000 people +0.9 per 100,000 people 2019 World Bank
Air passengers carried
passengers
1,971,057 passengers 15,750,293 passengers −87.5% 2023 World Bank

Energy and electricity

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Access to electricity
% of population
99.8% 96.0% +3.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Clean cooking access
% of population
97.0% 94.0% +3.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Renewable energy share
% of total final energy consumption
34.2% 28.0% +6.2 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Fossil electricity share
% of total electricity production
10.8% 27.9% −17.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Net energy imports
% of energy use
58.9% 203.7% −144.7 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Climate and emissions

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Temperature change
°C difference from the 1951 to 1980 average
1.61 °Ce (Estimated value) 1.87 °Ce (Estimated value) −0.25 °C 2025 FAOSTAT
Agrifood emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
1.78 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) 2.12 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) −16.3% 2024 FAOSTAT
Total greenhouse gas emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
17.1 Mt CO2e 19.2 Mt CO2e −11.1% 2024 World Bank
Greenhouse gas emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
3.3 t CO2e per person 4.3 t CO2e per person −21.8% 2024 World Bank
CO2 emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 per person
1.63 t CO2 per person 2.74 t CO2 per person −40.4% 2024 World Bank
Methane emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
6.4 Mt CO2e 4.8 Mt CO2e +32.5% 2024 World Bank
Nitrous oxide emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
1.75 Mt CO2e 1.05 Mt CO2e +67.4% 2024 World Bank

Air quality and ecosystems

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
PM2.5 air pollution
micrograms per cubic metre
15.5 µg/m³ 11.9 µg/m³ +30.4% 2023 WHO
Forest area
% of land area
59.1% 62.2% −3.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Protected areas
% of total territorial area
28.2% 27.2% +1.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
PM2.5 air pollution exposure
micrograms per cubic metre
17.7 µg/m³ 15.1 µg/m³ +17.0% 2023 World Bank
Terrestrial protected areas
% of land area
26.6% 31.4% −4.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Water, sanitation and waste

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Basic drinking water access
% of population
99.8% 95.3% +4.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Basic sanitation access
% of population
98.8% 89.1% +9.7 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Level of water stress
% of available freshwater resources
5.9% 0.9% +5.0 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Renewable internal freshwater per person
cubic metres per person
22,236 m³ per person 31,040 m³ per person −28.4% 2022 World Bank

Agriculture, food and fisheries

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Cost of a healthy diet
international dollars (PPP) per person per day
Int$5.04 per person per daye (Estimated value) Int$4.46 per person per daye (Estimated value) +13.0% 2025 FAOSTAT
Healthy diet unaffordable
% of the population
41.8%e (Estimated value) 51.4%e (Estimated value) −9.6 percentage points 2025 FAOSTAT
Pesticide use
kg of active ingredients per hectare of cropland
19.70 kg/hae (Estimated value) 19.97 kg/hae (Estimated value) −1.4% 2024 FAOSTAT
Nitrogen fertiliser use
kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare of cropland
194.9 kg/hae (Estimated value) 37.7 kg/hae (Estimated value) +416.9% 2024 FAOSTAT
Agriculture share of GDP
% of GDP
3.4% 2.6% +0.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Cereal yield
kilograms per hectare
3,807 kg per hectare 4,226 kg per hectare −9.9% 2024 World Bank
Agricultural land
% of land area
31.4% 23.1% +8.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Capture fisheries production
metric tonnes
32,140 tonnes 276,799 tonnes −88.4% 2024 World Bank
Prevalence of undernourishment
% of population
2.5% 4.7% −2.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Food production index
index, 2014 to 2016 = 100
105.1 (2014-16 = 100) 105.4 (2014-16 = 100) −0.3% 2024 World Bank
Fertiliser use
kilograms per hectare of arable land
1,402.5 kg per hectare 95.6 kg per hectare +1,367.8% 2024 World Bank
Land area
square kilometres
50,560 km² 74,180 km² −31.8% 2024 World Bank

Poverty and social protection

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Gini index
Gini index, 0 to 100
45.8 (0 to 100) 49.7 (0 to 100) −3.9 points 2024 World Bank
Income share held by the richest 10%
% of total income or consumption
34.2% 37.6% −3.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Extreme poverty rate
% of population
1.3% 3.1% −1.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Poverty rate at national poverty lines
% of population
24.4% 21.7% +2.7 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Poverty rate at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
2.6% 6.8% −4.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Poverty rate at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
12.6% 19.8% −7.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Government finance and taxation

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Tax revenue
% of GDP
13.5% 7.2% +6.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Central government expense
% of GDP
30.5% 17.1% +13.4 percentage points 2021 World Bank

Science and innovation

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
R&D spending share of GDP
% of GDP
0.34% 0.16% +0.18 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Researchers per million people
researchers per million people
508 per million people 253 per million people +254 per million people 2023 World Bank
Scientific and technical journal articles
articles, fractional count
661 articles 282 articles +134.3% 2023 World Bank

Crime, justice and public safety

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Intentional homicides
victims per 100,000 people
17.7 per 100,000 people 11.7 per 100,000 people +6.0 per 100,000 people 2023 World Bank

Culture, society and wellbeing

MeasureCosta RicaPanamaCosta Rica compared with PanamaPeriodSource
Women in national parliament
% of seats in the single or lower chamber
49.1% 21.7% +27.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank

The difference column shows Costa Rica compared with Panama: in percentage points for percentages, in the same unit for rates per population and index values, and in percent for other measures.

Open a measure to see both countries on a chart. All statistics for Costa Rica · All statistics for Panama · Other pairs