Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 29.0% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Costa Rica, that number is 25.7% of people as of 2016.

live 1.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 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

pay a 62.1% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Costa Rica, the top tax rate is 15.0% as of 2016.

make 64.9% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $25,800 as of 2023.

be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Costa Rica, that number is 8.3% as of 2023.

be 68.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Costa Rica, however, that number is 25.5% as of 2022.

Life

be 62.3% more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 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 11.5% fewer children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 58.0% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 7.9% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 93.5% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 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, Internal Revenue Service, 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.
Read more

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

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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