LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was 8.86 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
8.86
Change on year
down 10.1%
World rank
32nd
of 58 countries
All-time high
31.28
in 2020
All-time low
8.86
in 2025
Years of data
12
2014–2025

LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica, 2014–2025

10152025302014201920252014: 19.32015: 18.52016: 15.52017: 14.42018: 16.22019: 19.32020: 31.32021: 262022: 19.32023: 132024: 9.82025: 8.9

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica is 8.86, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.

That represents a change of down 10.1% on the previous year and down 52.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica peaked at 31.28 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.86, in 2025.

Costa Rica ranks 32nd of 58 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.

LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+) in Costa Rica, 2014 to 2025.
Year Value Change
2014 19.29
2015 18.55 -3.9%
2016 15.52 -16.3%
2017 14.43 -7.0%
2018 16.18 +12.1%
2019 19.25 +19.0%
2020 31.28 +62.4%
2021 26.05 -16.7%
2022 19.31 -25.9%
2023 13.04 -32.5%
2024 9.85 -24.5%
2025 8.86 -10.1%

Costa Rica compared with similar countries

  • Costa Rica's 8.86 is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.88, 100% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
  • Costa Rica's 8.86 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.28, 72% of the median. (8 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 17.2 14.43 19.29 6
2020s 18.06 8.86 31.28 6

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 29 Switzerland 9.3 compare
  2. 30 Latvia 9.14 compare
  3. 31 Estonia 8.89 compare
  4. 33 Austria 8.44 compare
  5. 34 Iceland 8.39 compare
  6. 35 Cyprus 8.31 compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More work & labour data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica?
Lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica was 8.86 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 31.28 in 2020.
What is the lowest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 8.86 in 2025.
How does Costa Rica rank for lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment?
Costa Rica ranks 32nd out of 58 countries with data for 2025.
Is lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is down 52.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu2-combined-rate-of-time-related-underemployment-and-unemployment-current-ilo-definition/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
58 places, 604 data points, 2014–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. LU2 represents the share of the labour force that are either in unemployment or time-related underemployment. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.