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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 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

60.40%

Checked 8 Sept 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 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
43 %
53 of 124 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 54.55 %: +5.85 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %Costa Rica: ahead of 43 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtCosta Rica 60.40 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Costa Rica is ahead of 43 % 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 Philippines59.40 %−1.00 pp
70 Colombia59.90 %−0.50 pp
71 Costa Rica60.40 %—
72 Romania60.60 %+0.20 pp
73 Slovakia61.60 %+1.20 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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