Costa Rica
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Costa Rica.
CIA 2026
Matchup file
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua
110 shared metrics.
Turn the comparison into a round
Think you can spot the next winner?
Costa Rica leads by 36 metrics. Use the same instinct in a quick real-data brawl.
Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
Nicaragua
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Nicaragua.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Lake Nicaragua is freshwater, but its famous lake sharks are bull sharks linked to the sea by a river.
Analysis
Costa Rica leads in 73 of 110 shared metrics, while Nicaragua leads in 37.
Costa Rica's Freedom of Expression Index is 49.8x that of Nicaragua (0.92 vs 0.02).
Costa Rica's Liberal Democracy Index is 41.6x that of Nicaragua (0.81 vs 0.02).
Costa Rica's High-Tech Exports (%) is 37.3x that of Nicaragua (22.86% vs 0.60%).
Costa Rica's EV Chargers per 100,000 People is 33.8x that of Nicaragua (2.1 per 100k people vs 0.06 per 100k people).
Costa Rica's Scientific Publications is 16.2x that of Nicaragua (711.36 vs 41.45).
Key Comparisons
Freedom of Expression IndexCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
0.92
Nicaragua
0.02
Liberal Democracy IndexCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
0.81
Nicaragua
0.02
High-Tech Exports (%)Costa Rica leads
Costa Rica
22.86%
Nicaragua
0.60%
EV Chargers per 100,000 PeopleCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
2.1 per 100k people
Nicaragua
0.06 per 100k people
Scientific PublicationsCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
711.36
Nicaragua
41.45
McDonald's Outlets per Million PeopleCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
16.21 per 1M people
Nicaragua
1.3 per 1M people
All Metrics
Freedom of Expression Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.92
Nicaragua
0.02
4983% higher
Liberal Democracy Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.81
Nicaragua
0.02
4158% higher
High-Tech Exports (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
22.86%
Nicaragua
0.60%
3732% higher
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.1 per 100k people
Nicaragua
0.06 per 100k people
3383% higher
Scientific Publications
Costa RicaCosta Rica
711.36
Nicaragua
41.45
1616% higher
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
16.21 per 1M people
Nicaragua
1.3 per 1M people
1114% higher
Shipping Traffic
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.59M
Nicaragua
153.4K
939% higher
Capital Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.2K m
Nicaragua
143 m
712% higher
GNI Per Capita
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$15,620
Nicaragua
$2,510
522% higher
Electoral Democracy Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.86
Nicaragua
0.15
471% higher
GDP (Nominal)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$95,350,423,176.6
Nicaragua
$19,693,982,967.59
384% higher
Health Spending Per Capita
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$978.84
Nicaragua
$208.48
370% higher
Broadband Access (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
23 per 100 people
Nicaragua
5.0 per 100 people
360% higher
Credit Card Ownership
Costa RicaCosta Rica
15.79% of adults
Nicaragua
3.8% of adults
319% higher
Corruption Perceptions Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
56 pts
Nicaragua
14 pts
300% higher
Doctors (per 1,000)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.7 per 1k
Nicaragua
0.68 per 1k
296% higher
Water Stress (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.1%
Nicaragua
0.81%
274% higher
Digital Payments Used
Costa RicaCosta Rica
60.46% of adults
Nicaragua
16.39% of adults
269% higher
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$30,062.85
Nicaragua
$8,708.8
245% higher
Airports
Costa RicaCosta Rica
132
Nicaragua
39
238% higher
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.2K kWh/person
Nicaragua
682.4 kWh/person
223% higher
Electricity Generation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
12.38 TWh
Nicaragua
4.4 TWh
183% higher
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
Costa RicaCosta Rica
63.05 per 100k
Nicaragua
22.68 per 100k
178% higher
Seafood Consumption per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
17.85 kg/person/yr
Nicaragua
6.5 kg/person/yr
175% higher
Water Withdrawal
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.4 B m³
Nicaragua
1.3 B m³
171% higher
Tourist Arrivals
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.15M
Nicaragua
474.0K
142% higher
Forest Coverage (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
60.4%
Nicaragua
25.82%
134% higher
Elderly Population (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
12.23%
Nicaragua
5.5%
121% higher
Merchant Fleet Size
Costa RicaCosta Rica
11
Nicaragua
5.0
120% higher
Education Spending (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
6.2% of GDP
Nicaragua
2.9% of GDP
118% higher
Milk Consumption per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
183.28 kg/person/yr
Nicaragua
85.16 kg/person/yr
115% higher
CO2 Per Capita
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.7 t/person/yr
Nicaragua
0.81 t/person/yr
110% higher
Youth Unemployment Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
19.95% of youth labor force
Nicaragua
9.5% of youth labor force
109% higher
Electric Generating Capacity
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.75M kW
Nicaragua
1.85M kW
103% higher
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Costa RicaCosta Rica
4.0 sites
Nicaragua
2.0 sites
100% higher
Electricity Carbon Intensity
NicaraguaCosta Rica
24.2 gCO2/kWh
Nicaragua
300.89 gCO2/kWh
92% lower
Suicide Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
8.1 per 100k
Nicaragua
4.2 per 100k
90% higher
Spirits Consumption
NicaraguaCosta Rica
0.34 L/person/yr
Nicaragua
2.0 L/person/yr
83% lower
Highest Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.8K m
Nicaragua
2.1K m
83% higher
Beer Consumption
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.2 L/person/yr
Nicaragua
1.2 L/person/yr
80% higher
Firms Making Informal Payments
NicaraguaCosta Rica
2.1% of firms
Nicaragua
10.01% of firms
79% lower
Political Corruption Index
NicaraguaCosta Rica
0.21
Nicaragua
0.94
78% lower
Population Density
Costa RicaCosta Rica
99.99 /km²
Nicaragua
56.7 /km²
76% higher
Meat Consumption per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
53.56 kg/person/yr
Nicaragua
30.82 kg/person/yr
74% higher
Teen Birth Rate
NicaraguaCosta Rica
26.25 per 1k
Nicaragua
93.45 per 1k
72% lower
Unemployment Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
7.8%
Nicaragua
4.6%
72% higher
Women's Political Empowerment
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.91
Nicaragua
0.53
71% higher
Energy Use (Per Capita)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.0K kg oil eq/person
Nicaragua
608.25 kg oil eq/person
69% higher
Land Area
NicaraguaCosta Rica
51.1K km²
Nicaragua
120.3K km²
58% lower
Homicide Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
17.75 per 100k
Nicaragua
11.35 per 100k
56% higher
Informal Employment Share
NicaraguaCosta Rica
36.11% of employed people
Nicaragua
81.79% of employed people
56% lower
Irrigated Land
NicaraguaCosta Rica
1.0K km²
Nicaragua
2.0K km²
49% lower
Internet Users (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
85%
Nicaragua
58%
47% higher
Government Debt (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
48.9% of GDP
Nicaragua
33.3% of GDP
47% higher
Land Border Length
NicaraguaCosta Rica
661 km
Nicaragua
1.3K km
47% lower
Total CO2 Emissions
Costa RicaCosta Rica
8.4 Mt CO2e
Nicaragua
5.7 Mt CO2e
46% higher
Imports (% GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
32.8% of GDP
Nicaragua
58.06% of GDP
44% lower
Coastline Length
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.3K km
Nicaragua
910 km
42% higher
Median Age
Costa RicaCosta Rica
34.1 years
Nicaragua
25.3 years
35% higher
Youth Population (%)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
18.8%
Nicaragua
28.76%
35% lower
Urban Population (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
79.31%
Nicaragua
59.26%
34% higher
Insufficient Physical Activity
Costa RicaCosta Rica
49.32% of adults
Nicaragua
36.91% of adults
34% higher
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.2 per 1k
Nicaragua
0.90 per 1k
33% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
34.2%
Nicaragua
50.4%
32% lower
Birth Rate
NicaraguaCosta Rica
10.86 per 1k
Nicaragua
16.07 per 1k
32% lower
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
13.91% of GDP
Nicaragua
19.94% of GDP
30% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
136 per 100 people
Nicaragua
106 per 100 people
28% higher
Big Mac Price
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$6.04
Nicaragua
$4.75
27% higher
Protected Land (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
26.5%
Nicaragua
21.2%
25% higher
Child Mortality
NicaraguaCosta Rica
10.5 per 1k births
Nicaragua
13.4 per 1k births
22% lower
Agricultural Land (%)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
33.14%
Nicaragua
42.31%
22% lower
Population
NicaraguaCosta Rica
5.30M
Nicaragua
6.74M
21% lower
Fertility Rate
NicaraguaCosta Rica
1.4 children/woman
Nicaragua
1.8 children/woman
20% lower
GDP Growth Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
4.3%
Nicaragua
3.6%
20% higher
Health Spending (% GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
7.2% of GDP
Nicaragua
9.0% of GDP
20% lower
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
5.6% of GDP
Nicaragua
6.9% of GDP
19% lower
Human Development Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.83
Nicaragua
0.71
18% higher
Average Weekly Work Hours
Costa RicaCosta Rica
42.88 hrs/week
Nicaragua
36.45 hrs/week
18% higher
Life Evaluation Score
Costa RicaCosta Rica
7.4 pts
Nicaragua
6.3 pts
18% higher
Armed Forces Personnel
NicaraguaCosta Rica
10.0K
Nicaragua
12.0K
17% lower
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
14.31 µg/m³
Nicaragua
16.81 µg/m³
15% lower
Dependency Ratio
NicaraguaCosta Rica
44.98% of working-age pop.
Nicaragua
52.19% of working-age pop.
14% lower
Firms Asked for Bribes
NicaraguaCosta Rica
5.6% of firms
Nicaragua
6.5% of firms
14% lower
Women in Senior Management
NicaraguaCosta Rica
46.21% of managers
Nicaragua
53.68% of managers
14% lower
Road Traffic Death Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
15.5 per 100k
Nicaragua
13.6 per 100k
14% higher
Electricity Access (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
100%
Nicaragua
88.3%
13% higher
Infant Mortality
NicaraguaCosta Rica
9.2 per 1k births
Nicaragua
10.3 per 1k births
11% lower
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
NicaraguaCosta Rica
10 days/yr
Nicaragua
11 days/yr
9% lower
Women in Parliament (%)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
49.12%
Nicaragua
53.85%
9% lower
Hypertension Prevalence
Costa RicaCosta Rica
38.9% of adults
Nicaragua
36.1% of adults
8% higher
Life Expectancy
Costa RicaCosta Rica
80.8 years
Nicaragua
74.9 years
8% higher
Alcohol Consumption
NicaraguaCosta Rica
3.4 L/adult/yr
Nicaragua
3.7 L/adult/yr
7% lower
Solar Electricity Share
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.70%
Nicaragua
0.66%
6% higher
Firms with Female Top Manager
NicaraguaCosta Rica
25.26% of firms
Nicaragua
26.99% of firms
6% lower
Exports (% GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
38.53% of GDP
Nicaragua
40.46% of GDP
5% lower
Food Waste per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
157.86 kg/person/yr
Nicaragua
151.27 kg/person/yr
4% higher
Can Raise Emergency Money
NicaraguaCosta Rica
85.71% of adults
Nicaragua
88.4% of adults
3% lower
Firms Hit by Power Outages
Costa RicaCosta Rica
51.42% of firms
Nicaragua
49.94% of firms
3% higher
Wind Electricity Share
NicaraguaCosta Rica
12.1%
Nicaragua
12.39%
2% lower
Death Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
5.2 per 1k
Nicaragua
5.1 per 1k
2% higher
Obesity Rate
NicaraguaCosta Rica
31.97%
Nicaragua
32.42%
1% lower
Forest Area
NicaraguaCosta Rica
30.8K km²
Nicaragua
31.1K km²
1% lower
Time Zones Count
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.0 time zones
Nicaragua
2.0 time zones
equal
Coal Electricity Share
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0%
Nicaragua
0%
ranked higher
Inflation Rate
NicaraguaCosta Rica
-0.4%
Nicaragua
4.6%
ranked lower
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.19 per 1M people
Nicaragua
0 per 1M people
ranked higher
Lowest Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0 m
Nicaragua
0 m
ranked higher
Official Languages Count
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.0
Nicaragua
1.0
equal
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
NicaraguaCosta Rica
-0.7% of GDP
Nicaragua
8.6% of GDP
ranked lower
Border Neighbors
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.0
Nicaragua
2.0
equal
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