Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 6.34 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Costa Rica, 2003–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Costa Rica stood at 6.34.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% on the previous year and down 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Costa Rica peaked at 16.43 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.56, in 2007.
That places Costa Rica 32nd out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 6.65 | — |
| 2004 | 6.45 | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 6.75 | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 5.93 | -12.2% |
| 2007 | 4.56 | -23.1% |
| 2010 | 7.17 | +57.4% |
| 2011 | 9.52 | +32.7% |
| 2012 | 9.11 | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 8.22 | -9.8% |
| 2014 | 8.5 | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 8.41 | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 8.09 | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 7.73 | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 9.01 | +16.6% |
| 2019 | 10.81 | +19.9% |
| 2020 | 16.43 | +52.0% |
| 2021 | 15.14 | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 11.32 | -25.2% |
| 2023 | 8.32 | -26.5% |
| 2024 | 6.94 | -16.7% |
| 2025 | 6.34 | -8.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.07 | 4.56 | 6.75 | 5 |
| 2010s | 8.66 | 7.17 | 10.81 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.75 | 6.34 | 16.43 | 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 unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Costa Rica?
- Unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Costa Rica was 6.34 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 16.43 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.56 in 2007.
- How does Costa Rica rank for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- Costa Rica ranks 32nd out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) database description.