Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Mongolia, you would:

Health

live 8.3 years longer

In Mongolia, the average life expectancy is 71 years (67 years for men, 76 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.

be 24.8% more likely to be obese

In Mongolia, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Costa Rica, that number is 25.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 58.3% more money

Mongolia has a GDP per capita of $16,300 as of 2023, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $25,800 as of 2023.

be 35.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Mongolia, 6.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Costa Rica, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

pay a 50.0% higher top tax rate

Mongolia has a top tax rate of 10.0% as of 2016. In Costa Rica, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 43.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mongolia, approximately 39.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Costa Rica, 22.0 women do as of 2020.

be 58.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Mongolia, approximately 20.2 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.

have 27.5% fewer children

In Mongolia, there are approximately 14.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 14.2% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Mongolia, approximately 88% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 64% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 42.6% more on education

Mongolia spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Costa Rica spends 6.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 61.2% more on healthcare

Mongolia spends 4.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 7.9% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, General Department of National Taxation, Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica.

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

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