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Government debt in Costa Rica

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Costa Rica's government debt is 60.40 % — #71 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

60.40%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.6 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Costa Rica over time

67.00 %45.50 %24.00 %67.00 % · 202124.00 % · 20081996: 33.70 %1997: 30.60 %1998: 40.70 %1999: 39.00 %2000: 38.90 %2001: 39.60 %2002: 41.40 %2003: 40.60 %2004: 41.00 %2005: 37.30 %2006: 33.00 %2007: 27.00 %2008: 24.00 %2009: 26.00 %2010: 28.10 %2011: 29.50 %2012: 33.70 %2013: 35.10 %2014: 37.40 %2015: 39.80 %2016: 44.10 %2017: 47.10 %2018: 51.70 %2019: 56.10 %2020: 66.50 %2021: 67.00 %2022: 61.40 %2023: 60.40 %2024: 58.90 %2025: 60.40 %19962010202560.40 %
30 official observations, 1996 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#71 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
43 %
54 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 1.50 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
6.60 pp
peak 67.00 % in 2021
Full series
▲ 26.70 pp
since 1996

In Americas: #13 of 26vs median 54.70 %: +5.70 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Costa Rica: ahead of 42 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtCosta Rica 60.40 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Costa Rica is ahead of 42 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Costa Rica
69 Poland59.70 %−0.70 pp
70 Colombia59.90 %−0.50 pp
71 Costa Rica60.40 %—
72 Romania60.40 %—
73 Slovakia61.40 %+1.00 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Costa Rica

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Costa Rica with another country →Everything about Costa Rica →
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