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Government consumption (% of GDP) — all countries

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Costa Rica

Government consumption (% of GDP) in Costa Rica in 2025 — 14%. Ranked 84 in the world out of 132. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 3.7 pp.

2025 14% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 84of 132
Period maximum 18.2%1980
Period minimum 10.4%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of GDP

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Costa Rica, 1960–202510121416182019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 10.4%1962: 11.5%1964: 12.7%1966: 12.5%1968: 12.4%1970: 12.6%1972: 14.4%1974: 14.3%1976: 16%1978: 16.8%1980: 18.2%1982: 14.6%1984: 15.6%1986: 15.4%1988: 15.6%1990: 18.2%1992: 12.1%1994: 13.3%1996: 13.1%1998: 12.7%2000: 13.7%2002: 14.7%2004: 14%2006: 13.2%2008: 13.6%2010: 16.6%2012: 16.8%2014: 17%2016: 16.7%2018: 16.2%2020: 17.6%2022: 14.8%2024: 14.1%2025: 14%
Change over the period: +3.7 pp Annual average: 0.06 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Costa Rica

Costa Rica 14%
Latin America & Caribbean 16.1%
Central America computed 12%
Upper-middle-income countries computed 14.5%
Government consumption (% of GDP) — Costa Rica, by year Costa Rica All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 14 −0.1 pp
2024 14.1 −0.2 pp
2023 14.3 −0.5 pp
2022 14.8 −1.6 pp
2021 16.4 −1.2 pp
2020 17.6 +0.9 pp
2019 16.7 +0.5 pp
2018 16.2 −0.2 pp
2017 16.4 −0.4 pp
2016 16.7 −0.3 pp
2015 17 −0.1 pp
2014 17 −0.1 pp
2013 17.1 +0.3 pp
2012 16.8 −0.2 pp
2011 17 +0.3 pp
2010 16.6 +0.9 pp
2009 15.7 +2.2 pp
2008 13.6 +0.8 pp
2007 12.8 −0.4 pp
2006 13.2 −0.3 pp
2005 13.5 −0.5 pp
2004 14 −0.5 pp
2003 14.5 −0.2 pp
2002 14.7 +0.4 pp
2001 14.3 +0.6 pp
2000 13.7 +0.4 pp
1999 13.3 +0.6 pp
1998 12.7 +0.1 pp
1997 12.6 −0.4 pp
1996 13.1 +0.1 pp
1995 12.9 −0.4 pp
1994 13.3 +0.5 pp
1993 12.8 +0.7 pp
1992 12.1 −1.1 pp
1991 13.2 −5 pp
1990 18.2 +1.2 pp
1989 17 +1.4 pp
1988 15.6 +0.6 pp
1987 15 −0.4 pp
1986 15.4 −0.4 pp
1985 15.8 +0.1 pp
1984 15.6 +0.5 pp
1983 15.1 +0.5 pp
1982 14.6 −1.2 pp
1981 15.7 −2.5 pp
1980 18.2 +0.2 pp
1979 18.1 +1.3 pp
1978 16.8 +0.8 pp
1977 16 −0 pp
1976 16 +0.8 pp
1975 15.2 +0.9 pp
1974 14.3 +0.3 pp
1973 13.9 −0.4 pp
1972 14.4 +0.5 pp
1971 13.9 +1.3 pp
1970 12.6 +0.1 pp
1969 12.5 +0.1 pp
1968 12.4 −0.2 pp
1967 12.6 +0.1 pp
1966 12.5 −0.1 pp
1965 12.6 −0.1 pp
1964 12.7 +0.5 pp
1963 12.1 +0.7 pp
1962 11.5 −0.1 pp
1961 11.6 +1.3 pp
1960 10.4 —

Central America, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

SV El Salvador 16.4 HN Honduras 15.2 CR Costa Rica 14 MX Mexico 11.8 GT Guatemala 11.5 NI Nicaragua 11.4
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

General government final consumption expenditure as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services for delivering public services, and spending on defense and security. It leaves out public investment and social transfers, so the indicator is lower than the overall size of the budget.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for Costa Rica

Economy Government consumption in US dollars

How much the state spends on running itself: public sector wages, purchases, defense.

Costa Rica by year Economy Household consumption (% of GDP)

What share of GDP is made up of household final consumption spending.

Costa Rica by year Public Finance Tax revenue (% of GDP)

Taxes collected as a percent of GDP — the fiscal capacity of the state.

Costa Rica by year Public Finance Government debt

Gross general government debt as a percent of GDP.

Costa Rica by year
All indicators for Costa Rica