Youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Youth unemployment rate was 19.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica stood at 19.9%.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica peaked at 40.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.6%, in 1992.
Costa Rica ranks 50th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 11.1% | — |
| 1992 | 7.6% | -31.1% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 8.2% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 11.6% | +41.3% |
| 1996 | 12.2% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 11.9% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 13.6% | +14.6% |
| 2000 | 11.2% | -17.4% |
| 2001 | 13.8% | +22.9% |
| 2002 | 14.5% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 15.1% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 14.5% | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 15.5% | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 14.3% | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | -22.4% |
| 2008 | 11.2% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 18.4% | +63.3% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 22.0% | +26.8% |
| 2012 | 22.4% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 21.6% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +12.4% |
| 2015 | 22.4% | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 20.7% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 25.1% | +20.9% |
| 2019 | 31.2% | +24.4% |
| 2020 | 40.1% | +28.6% |
| 2021 | 39.2% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 30.7% | -21.6% |
| 2023 | 24.3% | -20.9% |
| 2024 | 20.5% | -15.7% |
| 2025 | 19.9% | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.7% | 7.6% | 13.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.0% | 11.1% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.9% | 17.4% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.1% | 19.9% | 40.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica?
- Youth unemployment rate in Costa Rica was 19.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest youth unemployment rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 40.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest youth unemployment rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.6% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for youth unemployment rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 50th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is youth unemployment rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Youth unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force aged 15-24 without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.