Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Hong Kong, you would:

Health

live 4.0 years less

In Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Costa Rica, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 62.2% less money

Hong Kong has a GDP per capita of $58,500 as of 2022, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $22,100 as of 2022.

be 2.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Hong Kong, 4.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Costa Rica, that number is 11.3% as of 2022.

be 28.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Hong Kong, 19.9% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Costa Rica, however, that number is 25.5% as of 2022.

Life

have 42.1% more children

In Hong Kong, there are approximately 7.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Hong Kong, approximately 2.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Costa Rica, on the other hand, 8.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 10.8% less likely to have internet access

In Hong Kong, approximately 93.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Costa Rica, about 83.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 67.5% more on education

Hong Kong spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Costa Rica spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 76.0% more coastline

Hong Kong has a total of 733 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Costa Rica: At a glance

Costa Rica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 51,060 sq km. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Read more

How big is Costa Rica compared to Hong Kong? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Costa Rica.or Hong Kong It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.