Costa Rica
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Costa Rica.
CIA 2026
Matchup file
Costa Rica vs Panama
118 shared metrics.
Turn the comparison into a round
Think you can spot the next winner?
Costa Rica leads by 14 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.
Panama
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Panama.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
The Panama Canal lets ships cross between Atlantic and Pacific waters without rounding South America.
Analysis
Costa Rica leads in 66 of 118 shared metrics, while Panama leads in 52.
Costa Rica's Capital Elevation is 57.0x that of Panama (1.2K m vs 20 m).
Costa Rica's High-Tech Exports (%) is 11.9x that of Panama (22.86% vs 1.8%).
Costa Rica's EV Chargers per 100,000 People is 7.5x that of Panama (2.1 per 100k people vs 0.24 per 100k people).
Costa Rica's Railway Length is 2.6x that of Panama (278 km vs 77 km).
Costa Rica's Water Stress (%) is 2.4x that of Panama (3.1% vs 0.89%).
Key Comparisons
Capital ElevationCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
1.2K m
Panama
20 m
High-Tech Exports (%)Costa Rica leads
Costa Rica
22.86%
Panama
1.8%
EV Chargers per 100,000 PeopleCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
2.1 per 100k people
Panama
0.24 per 100k people
Railway LengthCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
278 km
Panama
77 km
Water Stress (%)Costa Rica leads
Costa Rica
3.1%
Panama
0.89%
Water WithdrawalCosta Rica leads
Costa Rica
3.4 B m³
Panama
1.2 B m³
All Metrics
Capital Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.2K m
Panama
20 m
5705% higher
High-Tech Exports (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
22.86%
Panama
1.8%
1193% higher
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.1 per 100k people
Panama
0.24 per 100k people
746% higher
Railway Length
Costa RicaCosta Rica
278 km
Panama
77 km
261% higher
Water Stress (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.1%
Panama
0.89%
244% higher
Water Withdrawal
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.4 B m³
Panama
1.2 B m³
185% higher
Milk Consumption per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
183.28 kg/person/yr
Panama
70.29 kg/person/yr
161% higher
Irrigated Land
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.0K km²
Panama
394 km²
158% higher
Education Spending (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
6.2% of GDP
Panama
2.5% of GDP
153% higher
Suicide Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
8.1 per 100k
Panama
3.3 per 100k
145% higher
Women in Parliament (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
49.12%
Panama
21.43%
129% higher
R&D Spending (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.34% of GDP
Panama
0.16% of GDP
114% higher
Road Traffic Death Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
15.5 per 100k
Panama
7.3 per 100k
112% higher
Merchant Fleet Size
PanamaCosta Rica
11
Panama
8.2K
100% lower
Solar Electricity Share
PanamaCosta Rica
0.70%
Panama
7.4%
91% lower
Scientific Publications
Costa RicaCosta Rica
711.36
Panama
376.12
89% higher
Electricity Carbon Intensity
PanamaCosta Rica
24.2 gCO2/kWh
Panama
221.15 gCO2/kWh
89% lower
Air Passengers
PanamaCosta Rica
1.97M
Panama
15.75M
87% lower
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
13.91% of GDP
Panama
7.5% of GDP
86% higher
Researchers
Costa RicaCosta Rica
462.47 per 1M
Panama
253.27 per 1M
83% higher
Shipping Traffic
PanamaCosta Rica
1.59M
Panama
8.52M
81% lower
Tourist Arrivals
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.15M
Panama
647.0K
77% higher
Airports
Costa RicaCosta Rica
132
Panama
76
74% higher
Smoking Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
8.9%
Panama
5.2%
71% higher
Corruption Perceptions Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
56 pts
Panama
33 pts
70% higher
Wind Electricity Share
Costa RicaCosta Rica
12.1%
Panama
7.2%
69% higher
Tobacco Use Prevalence
Costa RicaCosta Rica
7.9% of adults
Panama
4.7% of adults
68% higher
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
PanamaCosta Rica
10 days/yr
Panama
30 days/yr
67% lower
Population Density
Costa RicaCosta Rica
99.99 /km²
Panama
60.11 /km²
66% higher
Doctors (per 1,000)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.7 per 1k
Panama
1.6 per 1k
65% higher
Armed Forces Personnel
PanamaCosta Rica
10.0K
Panama
28.0K
64% lower
Nurses & Midwives
Costa RicaCosta Rica
6.0 per 1k
Panama
3.8 per 1k
61% higher
Political Corruption Index
PanamaCosta Rica
0.21
Panama
0.48
58% lower
Domestic Patents
PanamaCosta Rica
15
Panama
35
57% lower
GDP Growth Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
4.3%
Panama
2.7%
57% higher
Spirits Consumption
PanamaCosta Rica
0.34 L/person/yr
Panama
0.78 L/person/yr
56% lower
Teen Birth Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
26.25 per 1k
Panama
57.34 per 1k
54% lower
Homicide Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
17.75 per 100k
Panama
11.71 per 100k
52% higher
Coastline Length
PanamaCosta Rica
1.3K km
Panama
2.5K km
48% lower
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
5.6% of GDP
Panama
3.7% of GDP
48% higher
Foreign Patents
Costa RicaCosta Rica
566
Panama
401
41% higher
Liberal Democracy Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.81
Panama
0.57
41% higher
CO2 Per Capita
PanamaCosta Rica
1.7 t/person/yr
Panama
2.8 t/person/yr
39% lower
Beer Consumption
PanamaCosta Rica
2.2 L/person/yr
Panama
3.5 L/person/yr
38% lower
Fertility Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
1.4 children/woman
Panama
2.3 children/woman
38% lower
Informal Employment Share
PanamaCosta Rica
36.11% of employed people
Panama
58.69% of employed people
38% lower
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
PanamaCosta Rica
1.2 per 1k
Panama
1.9 per 1k
37% lower
Birth Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
10.86 per 1k
Panama
17.11 per 1k
37% lower
Health Spending Per Capita
PanamaCosta Rica
$978.84
Panama
$1,472.05
34% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
PanamaCosta Rica
4.0 sites
Panama
6.0 sites
33% lower
Total CO2 Emissions
PanamaCosta Rica
8.4 Mt CO2e
Panama
12.37 Mt CO2e
32% lower
Land Area
PanamaCosta Rica
51.1K km²
Panama
74.2K km²
31% lower
Government Debt (% GDP)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
48.9% of GDP
Panama
37.4% of GDP
31% higher
Elderly Population (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
12.23%
Panama
9.4%
31% higher
Seafood Consumption per Person
Costa RicaCosta Rica
17.85 kg/person/yr
Panama
13.74 kg/person/yr
30% higher
Vehicles per 1,000 People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
413.32 per 1k people
Panama
319.82 per 1k people
29% higher
Broadband Access (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
23 per 100 people
Panama
18 per 100 people
28% higher
Alcohol Consumption
PanamaCosta Rica
3.4 L/adult/yr
Panama
4.7 L/adult/yr
27% lower
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
PanamaCosta Rica
$30,062.85
Panama
$41,369.42
27% lower
Forest Area
PanamaCosta Rica
30.8K km²
Panama
41.8K km²
26% lower
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
14.31 µg/m³
Panama
11.47 µg/m³
25% higher
Youth Population (%)
PanamaCosta Rica
18.8%
Panama
24.89%
24% lower
Credit Card Ownership
Costa RicaCosta Rica
15.79% of adults
Panama
12.72% of adults
24% higher
Women's Political Empowerment
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.91
Panama
0.74
22% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
34.2%
Panama
28%
22% higher
Child Mortality
PanamaCosta Rica
10.5 per 1k births
Panama
13.3 per 1k births
21% lower
Unemployment Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
7.8%
Panama
6.5%
20% higher
Tourism Revenue
PanamaCosta Rica
$1,479,000,000
Panama
$1,841,000,000
20% lower
Urban Population (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
79.31%
Panama
66%
20% higher
Average Weekly Work Hours
Costa RicaCosta Rica
42.88 hrs/week
Panama
36.01 hrs/week
19% higher
Meat Consumption per Person
PanamaCosta Rica
53.56 kg/person/yr
Panama
65.02 kg/person/yr
18% lower
Electoral Democracy Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.86
Panama
0.73
18% higher
Population
Costa RicaCosta Rica
5.30M
Panama
4.54M
17% higher
Imports (% GDP)
PanamaCosta Rica
32.8% of GDP
Panama
39.32% of GDP
17% lower
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
16.21 per 1M people
Panama
13.89 per 1M people
17% higher
Protected Land (%)
PanamaCosta Rica
26.5%
Panama
31.4%
16% lower
Digital Payments Used
Costa RicaCosta Rica
60.46% of adults
Panama
52.08% of adults
16% higher
Electric Generating Capacity
PanamaCosta Rica
3.75M kW
Panama
4.49M kW
16% lower
Median Age
Costa RicaCosta Rica
34.1 years
Panama
29.6 years
15% higher
Health Spending (% GDP)
PanamaCosta Rica
7.2% of GDP
Panama
8.5% of GDP
15% lower
Dependency Ratio
PanamaCosta Rica
44.98% of working-age pop.
Panama
52.09% of working-age pop.
14% lower
Life Evaluation Score
Costa RicaCosta Rica
7.4 pts
Panama
6.5 pts
14% higher
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
PanamaCosta Rica
63.05 per 100k
Panama
72.6 per 100k
13% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
PanamaCosta Rica
136 per 100 people
Panama
157 per 100 people
13% lower
Exports (% GDP)
PanamaCosta Rica
38.53% of GDP
Panama
44.36% of GDP
13% lower
GNI Per Capita
PanamaCosta Rica
$15,620
Panama
$18,010
13% lower
Infant Mortality
PanamaCosta Rica
9.2 per 1k births
Panama
10.6 per 1k births
13% lower
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
PanamaCosta Rica
2.2K kWh/person
Panama
2.5K kWh/person
13% lower
Freedom of Expression Index
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.92
Panama
0.81
13% higher
Agricultural Land (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
33.14%
Panama
29.52%
12% higher
Obesity Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
31.97%
Panama
36.08%
11% lower
Sanitation Access (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
98.79%
Panama
89.05%
11% higher
GDP (Nominal)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$95,350,423,176.6
Panama
$86,523,959,131.75
10% higher
Highest Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
3.8K m
Panama
3.5K m
10% higher
Insufficient Physical Activity
PanamaCosta Rica
49.32% of adults
Panama
54.63% of adults
10% lower
Internet Users (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
85%
Panama
78%
9% higher
Inequality (Gini)
PanamaCosta Rica
45.8
Panama
49.7
8% lower
Hypertension Prevalence
Costa RicaCosta Rica
38.9% of adults
Panama
36.1% of adults
8% higher
Forest Coverage (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
60.4%
Panama
56.34%
7% higher
Death Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
5.2 per 1k
Panama
5.5 per 1k
4% lower
Energy Use (Per Capita)
PanamaCosta Rica
1.0K kg oil eq/person
Panama
1.1K kg oil eq/person
4% lower
Land Border Length
PanamaCosta Rica
661 km
Panama
687 km
4% lower
Electricity Generation
PanamaCosta Rica
12.38 TWh
Panama
12.87 TWh
4% lower
Electricity Access (%)
Costa RicaCosta Rica
100%
Panama
97%
3% higher
Life Expectancy
Costa RicaCosta Rica
80.8 years
Panama
79.6 years
2% higher
Human Development Index
PanamaCosta Rica
0.83
Panama
0.84
1% lower
Youth Unemployment Rate
Costa RicaCosta Rica
19.95% of youth labor force
Panama
19.77% of youth labor force
1% higher
Can Raise Emergency Money
Costa RicaCosta Rica
85.71% of adults
Panama
84.87% of adults
1% higher
Time Zones Count
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.0 time zones
Panama
2.0 time zones
equal
Coal Electricity Share
PanamaCosta Rica
0%
Panama
3.7%
ranked lower
Inflation Rate
PanamaCosta Rica
-0.4%
Panama
0.70%
ranked lower
Women in Senior Management
Costa RicaCosta Rica
46.21% of managers
Panama
46.05% of managers
equal
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0.19 per 1M people
Panama
0 per 1M people
ranked higher
Lowest Elevation
Costa RicaCosta Rica
0 m
Panama
0 m
ranked higher
Official Languages Count
Costa RicaCosta Rica
1.0
Panama
1.0
equal
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
PanamaCosta Rica
-0.7% of GDP
Panama
0.30% of GDP
ranked lower
Food Waste per Person
PanamaCosta Rica
157.86 kg/person/yr
Panama
158.59 kg/person/yr
equal
Border Neighbors
Costa RicaCosta Rica
2.0
Panama
2.0
equal
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